Customer Reviews

Brighter Than 1,000 Suns

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

By the time this album came out, Killing Joke had already been around for 7 or 8 years. Their first four albums are full of tribal rhythms, abrasive guitars, and lyrics that tell of an impending breakdown in the social order. With the release of "Night Time", the predecessor to "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns", Killing Joke didn't really "go pop" as much as they just decided to convey their messages in a new musical format. "Night Time" and "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" are less tribal, with more of a dance groove to them and tighter song arrangements. Jaz Coleman's voice sounds the most somber on "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns", which comes as no surprise, since most of the lyrics reflect on the erroneous nature of the human race and the coming apocalypse, which Coleman has devoted years of his life to studying. The first several tracks are the strongest- "Twilight Of The Mortal", "Adorations", and "A Southern Sky" are particularly catchy. While not as incendiary or groundbreaking as their first few albums, "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" is an important step in the evolution of Killing Joke. Definitely pick it up if you like atmospheric rock music with solid grooves.

I have heard Killing Joke for more than ten years before I finally purchased "1000 Suns". It was the first time that I realized there was another side to the band. Keep in mind, this cd bears all the heart and soul of the Killing Joke, basics that have always made the band who they are. Haunting, melodic, insightful, perhaps-prophetic, musicians with harsh, dreary images and messages to bring out.

Degradation, destruction of humanity and society, among other themes loom throughout the cd. It should be of no surprise considering it was the late-80s, things were going wrong and
values were shifting. Funny thing, this cd could still fit in well with today's society, to a certain extent. "Twilight Of The Mortal", "Love Of The Masses", and "To The Village" envision
wordly destruction with irreversible effects.

Much of 1000 Suns has a hooky, esoteric sound, probably the most melodic of all the other KJ albums. Seriously, don't let the smooth sound fool you, there's some real deep, dark stuff here.
"Adorations" and "Sanity", the singles that were popular at the time of its release, remain some of my all-time favorite KJ songs. They're moody, drifty, and always pleasant to listen to.
And "Exile" is a fitting end to a moody, drifty, pleasant cd.

Certainly, Jaz Coleman and company would shift gears again on their next release and they were right to do so. This type of KJ mood and sound couldn't be topped. Hence, by the end of the 80s, they would take some raging, chaotic steps forward. 1000 Suns was and is the peak of the band's smoother period. It will leave anyone wanting more after first listen.

I first heard this album when it was released, since then I've listened to it countless times and never tired of it's beauty. I know that many disagree, but for me it is the best KJ album, critics tend to complain that it sounds dated, or that the increase in synth and reduced guitars make it a weaker album. While I also love KJ's grittier sound, I feel that the purity of the music on BTATS never fails to leave me speechless - and tracks such as Chessboards & Rubicon have just as much energy and edge as anything else KJ have done, just in a more refined form. If this wasn't enough, the lyrics on BTATS are way and above anything else I've had the pleasure to witness ... and could stand alone as poetry in their own right. As a whole the album has a spiritual Icy ethereal feel - like a truth that cuts through anything in it's path. I'd love to be able to get this across better, but this CD touches me in a way that I just can't capture in words.

This particular Killing Joke album was my first brush with the band - and definately the most impressive brush. For those of you becoming familiar with KJ as of recent - Millenium, Democracy - do yourselves a favour and purchase this disc - it will save your wretched soul. The first time I heard this disc it became permanently imbedded in my inner conscious. It is one of those discs that I would have in my possesion were I stranded on that ubiquitous desert island. I recall that very late night drive in the dead of winter to the frozen lake of the Midwest. My friend and I had been out carousing and decided that the Lake was our ultimate destination. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns was spilling forth from the car stereo like a haunted memory that I couldn't recall. It hooked me and has never let go. Let's just say the music fit the cold and desolate blackness of that winter night very well. I will never forget that encounter with KJ and will never be without Brighter Than a Thousand Suns. If 'Chessboards' does not move YOU, nothing will.

This is a future-looking album that finds KJ between their militant/aggressive early LPs and their viciously heavy 90s-present releases. This one has a cold-war Euro feel to color the atmosphere...the cd release has some brilliant bonus tracks--"Goodbye to the Village" (an anti-globalization song way ahead of it's time?), "Victory", and "Exiles" (not on the orig. LP). Lyrically the songs have a somber tint despite the catchy vibes of the music. Check this out and discover a solid 80s LP, which-when looking back-is rare indeed...

As you can see in other reviews, the opinions on this very unique effort are strongly divided. Several friends have called this the 'Flock of Seagulls' album for its lofty synth sound, yet they soon are drawn into the stellar beauty of this album.

I scoffed at it for several years until a friend coerced me into playing it on a late-night road trip. Then it grabbed me - the sheer lucid, philosophical feeling one gets in the wee hours of the morning. I don't know what these guys were up to when they recorded this, but I always envision a mountain retreat rife with meditation and then quick into the studio to capture the mood on tape. Play "Exile" or "Wintergardens" at this time of night, and you will certainly feel the indescribable lucidity that radiates from this album.

Not a good starter Joke lp, but very important to anyone who realizes they have a soul.

I personally own about half of Killing Joke's material, and *Brighter than a Thousand Suns* is my favorite of them. Jaz Coleman's keyboards crossed with Geordie Walker's non-intrusive guitar are truly an eighth wonder of the world. Though many might not enjoy the sound of 80s synth-pop, the cynical edge & social awareness of this album may make up for it. Seeing as how Killing Joke is one of the world's rare intellectual bands, it is nearly impossible for their material to be substandard. So, even if you don't like the sound, you may still respect the album. If you're expecting a lot of the guitar-heavy, throaty vocals from most of KJ's material, this album may surprise you. But give it a chance.

Now, I know killing joke has punk rock roots and 90% of their albums are hard rock or punk, But if I was them I would never have ventured away from the sound they had on this album and the nighttime album. Every song on this album (sanity, chessboards, and southern sky especially) has fluidity and sound quality far superior to any of their harder albums. I wish they had more albums like this. The vocals are in their element and the synth is more prominent than in other albums. I am a huge fan of all types of music from 80's to death metal, and this this is the album that is my favorite by far.

This is Killing Joke's poppy side. Poppier than Night Time! There are great songs to listen to here: Adorations, Chessboards, Sanity, Love Of The Masses, Wintergardens, Victory, Twilight Of The Mortal,... The only song I did not like is A Southern Sky, it has the cheesiest chorus I've ever heard! Ha ha, but don't let that discourage you from buying this album, it is a very solid follow-up to Night Time and way better than the awful Outside The Gate. Great for any music lover's collection and money well spent!

Besides one song that is cringeworthy as soon as the chorus appears, "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns" is a melancholy, powerful, melodious, and heartwrenching album. In between "Night Time" and "Outside The Gate" in terms of musical evolution as well as discography, it continues the poppy and dancy direction the band was hell bent on at that time in its career, and has many of the attributes of 80s new wave, or synth pop, or whatever you want to call it, but is far beyond simplicity or song hooks for the sake of them.

The lyrics aren't a walk in the park either, as the Joke, depending on the album, put the time into their lyrics they put into their words. As an aside, whoever put the concept for their video for the song "Sanity" off the album together is a genius, because he (or she) took imagery from the lyric and captured the feeling of the song perfectly. Some of Killing Joke's videos are very bad, as is the case with most bands, but some, like the one for "Love Like Blood" off the aforementioned "Night Time" album and, again, "Sanity," are deep and thoughtful. Just like "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns."