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It’s hard to believe that in these days of all dominating U.S NU-Metal and Grindcore that these shores boasted some of the most innovative and hard rocking musicians on the planet. Weird to think it’s been over 25 years since Killing Joke released their first self-titled album. One thing that immediately becomes clear now is just how heavy these guys are and how much other bands have stolen from their sound. The drums and bass are huge with a massive sonic sound that could flatten forests in a single swoop. The vocals and keyboards supplied by Jerry Coleman are infectious, brutal and otherworldly. There are some really crazy sounds that would sound near comical if it wasn’t so dark. The music conjures up images of a twisted dystopia; a place of futility and despair. Indeed, Killing Joke have very little subtlety about what they do.
The re-mastered eponymous debut album, 'Killing Joke', sounds so fresh it would put Rick Rubin to shame and yet loses not of its brooding presence. ‘Wardance’ is the immediate anthem - simple, effective and bleak with a psychotic chorus. The whole work is bleak and even when a more traditional groovy bass and guitar line are thrown in like on ‘Bloodsport’, it soon degenerates in a moody masterpiece. For metal fans ‘The Wait’ is a surprise (Metallica covered it on their ‘Garage days EP’) and the Joke’s version, is grimmer and broodier than Metallica ever managed. The real gem on this album is bonus track ‘Change’ - in the context of the album, it isn’t quite as dark and is a little more straightforward, but full marks for its inclusion here. The other extras include remixes and a single version of ‘Requiem’, but these are for die-hard Joke fans only.
Next up is 1981’s ‘What’s This For’ which sees them trying to develop their sound and find their niche. One thing that’s apparent is the lack of heaviness in the sound. The drums are still wedge thick as before, but the more harmonious bass has lost much of its grunt. Similarly, the vocals are often doubled and have lost much of the feeling of desperation they had in ‘Killing Joke’. The feeling of despair and heaviness is still there, it’s just not as raw. There are still some strong points on the album, however, ‘Butcher’ begins with a truly menacing keyboard intro that has you looking over your shoulder for that stalking killer. You can really see the influence the Joke have had on bands like Nine Inch Nails in a song like ‘Follow The Leader’ which Trent Reznor has obviously borrowed heavily from. Indeed, the ‘dub’ version of follow the leader’ could fit easily onto ‘The Downward Spiral’. Overall, in terms of a Killing Joke record it’s far from strong and the attempted new direction they were taking at this point diluted much are the vitriol they’d applied to their earlier efforts. Still, it’s a worthy record for anyone wanting to find out the roots of Industrial metal, many Bands owe Killing Joke their thanks.
1982’s ‘Revelations’ was the first time the Joke used an outside producer on a record. Whilst the production is undoubtedly less muddied, much of the feel of the previous two albums is lost. Killing Joke are epic, but Revelations sounds like an average Punk band with longer sounds. The drums are flat and the bass is even further dropped in the mix so it now only hints at what were the ferocious grooves. The vocals and guitars are razor sharp nevertheless, with Coleman never sounding so clear in ‘We Have Joy’ and the mighty ‘Empire Song’. Christ, hearing ‘The Panders Are Coming’ it makes you wonder if Damon Albarn was a big Joke fan in his youth. Once again, the experimentation with sounds and moods is subdued and meandering which they seem to cover-up by becoming more predictable. ‘Chop-Chop’, for example, is like a nursery rhyme in places and is, for want of a better word, quaint. Similarly ‘Chapter III’ tries it’s best to be edgy and there’s some even some ‘The Wait’-esque groove in there, but the grimness is lost. It makes you wonder what was going on at this point - whether the band were tying to become more traditional punk or merely unhappy with progress. Despite this, overall ‘Revelations’ is an album that even the most ardent Joke fan must find hard to fully grasp. 
The re-released long-player is live album ‘HA’ recorded in Toronto in 1982. The production and mix is marvellous with every note definite and clear, yet it retains the ‘live’ feel. The voluminous sound is hypnotic and gives the listener an insight into just how intense a Killing Joke gig must have been back in the day. It’s a juggernaut of sledge-hammer grooves interspersed with manic guitar howls and the insane gibbering of the hopelessly insane. However, tracks like ‘The Panders Are Coming’ make you feel as if you’ve just eaten a Kebab too many after 10 pints with whisky chasers. The drumming is relentless, particularly in ‘Take Take Take’ and all the songs take on a different, more brutal vibe from the recorded version. The highlight is undoubtedly ‘Wardance’ from their first album, which reminds you just how strong and aggressive they can be. This live album sadly needs more tracks and depth – it would have been wonderful to hear ‘Bloodsport’ or ‘The Fall Because’ in all their performed glory. Overall, however, ‘Ha’ makes you feel a little cheated and wanting to wait until they release a ‘best of’ live album which encompasses a full show.
Killing Joke’s impact on today’s music should not be understated. Whether you like anything from heavy metal to punk, it’s likely that Killing Joke had something to do with helping shape that genre in their own small way. Their first album is a masterpiece; and their follow –ups although weaker, can still hold-up against most of today’s post-punk rip-offs and pretenders. Bow to the masters.
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