One of the greatest post rock/post punk albums ever made. This album broods with sinister overtones – thanks in part due to Jazz Coleman’s half deranged madman delivery and the stunningly simple (but effective) guitar playing of Geordie. Born out of the indie/goth scene of the early eighties, Killing Joke were head and shoulders above every band that came out of the scene. There is not a bad second on this record, and in fact there are at least three bonafide classics held within the grooves.
Opener and the title track, Night Time, is one of my favourite tracks by the band, and it gate crashed the Top 20 in the UK at the time. A wonderfully dark and awesome song that I never tire of hearing. Darkness Before The Dawn is another beautiful, eerie and dark piece. It’s all about the atmospherics, and this song has them in spades. Credit goes to the awesome rhythm section of Paul Raven on bass (who would later join Prong), and drummer Paul Ferguson. The absolute monster that is Love Like Blood follows. This was another track that set the charts alight, and was a most welcome change to all the frilly shirts and haircuts around at the time. A wicked groove and simple guitar part really drive this song along, and in my opinion is a classic. Side closer Kings And Queens announces it’s arrival with a weird slowed down section, before the very distinctive riff kicks in.
Over to Side 2 we go and the percussive tones of Tabazan kick us off with that choppy drum beat and Jazz’s wailing vocal. Multitudes follows and has a very similar riff to Love Like Blood but the song is a lot darker. The choppy riff of Europe is next, and leads us into the final track – Eighties. An absolute monster of a tune with a killer riff and that unmistakable chorus – it is an anthem for a generation .
Another in the category of everyone should own one, and if you don’t then why not?
9.5/10 from the Grooveman.
