KILLING JOKE- MMXII

Spinefarm US
2012

Sometime between October 1978 and early 1979 in Notting Hill, London, England a band was unearthed. It was dug from the ground and brought to life by some unknown and unseen force. Killing Joke is what it would come to be known on although this was certainly no joke...not in the least. Once "Turn to Red" was issued in October of 1979 (the band's debut EP was only a hint of what was to come as 1980's "Killing Joke" set fire to the world) Killing Joke was on the move. Here it is October of 2012 and we find ourselves staring blankly into the eyes of the band's fifteenth studio album and wondering just how it is this band can be so spot-on relevant to this crumbling world around us? This is the work of a band that has reached deep within to craft a deeply moving album that depicts the end of the world as we see it. This world is dark and dying and in the hands of Killing Joke music is just the perfect tool to showcase the collapse. Killing Joke give us an album that is heavy and harsh and unnerving. It's classic Killing Joke with metal and mechanical forces equally fighting for extreme control. With the original lineup of Jaz Coleman, Geordie, Youth and Big Paul working together as one untied entity we are presented with an album that explores themes that are "political, anti-capitalist and forward-looking". Album 15 bows down to no person and no thing. It translates the feeling of emptiness and loss so many people are feeling in the wake of record unemployment, poverty and hopelessness into a battle cry. The roof is one fire and Killing Joke are fanning the flames of discontent.