Customer Reviews

Pandemonium

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Over the years Killing Joke has released very dark and industrial sounding albums (the first ones) and more polished rock albums (Night Time, Brighter than a Thousand Suns). As the previous release (Extremeties...) indicated Killing Joke has darkened their sound once more in th early 90s. 1994's Pandemonium is the absolute peak in the band's rich history. While the atmosphere of the album is very dark, KJ has combined this with middle eastern and oriental musical influences giving a very spiritual atmosphere to the album, especially on the 8 minute title track and "Communion". Tracks are very long and reveal themselves after repeated listening. 2 Singles were released from the album: "Pandemonium" and "Millennium". Although the singles weren't very succesful or radio friendly (even though "Millennium" has very catchy riffs), the CD singles of these tracks are a complete new journey into the music. The Pandemonium single has 7 versions of the track (among which more guitar oriented versions) and the "Millenium" single even contains two 9 minute hypnotic ambient and dance remixes, providing an expanding experience of this masterpiece.

The simple truth is that Killing Joke were a wholy unregonised band of there era. While they had some fans among the critics (noteably John Peel) they were never overwhelmingly succesful. Why I have no idea. Pandemonium is disputably there best effort as a whole. Though the camps among fans are firmly split on this, each album virtually has its own backers as the best, however over all their debut and Night Time seem to be the most popular ones. Pandemonium crushes with brute power wrapped in melody. The rythmic dance beat preceded such bands as NIN and did it better by far. The most amazing about Killing Joke has been there lyrical content. Never has such a band be so confronting and passionate. On "Millennium" Jaz Coleman takes a look around at the world and concludes it might not be far off to the apocalypse (a favourite subject of his). "Jana" deals with HIV AIDS, and is the most passionate dark songs I've ever heard on the topic. Coleman's vocals are unique half Ozzy wailing half Strummer splutter, and simply magnify the terror of the music. The concluding track "Mathematics of Chaos" is a sumblime piece of insane rage focussed cynically at a world that its on the brink. This is the sound track to the apocalypse.

This album isn't Killing joke's most groundbreaking by far,but don't let anyone fool you...KJ was there before Ministry, before "Here to stay" by Korn and before all the Nine inch nails and White zombies inbetween.Don't believe it? Listen to their 1st album and then look at the date they recorded it(1979!).But this album is,in my opinion,their most mature and their most technically competent,the greatest realization of what they were ever trying to achieve musically.It's a return to form...after influencing everyone from the aforementioned Ministry to Nirvana,
and having gone through a lusher more Euro dance oriented phase,I guess Jaz Coleman decided it was time to get back in on the act that he was a pioneer of anyway....brutal industrial metal.But this album is no mere retread,no simple self reference.
I hope this doesn't sound bombastic,but this album is an incredible juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern. Its the middle east...from Sargon I to Saddam Hussein...in all its mystical glory, Its pre-millenial dreadfulness, its apocalyptic overtones. The opening track "Pandemonium" (best track) picks up where "Kashmir" by Led zeppelin left off...Hard hitting metal with a mystical middle eastern rhythmic underpinning.Drum machines,gloomy synths,thrash riffs AND traditional middle easern instruments and rhythms...what a combo.A work of rock and roll genius from a decade (the 90s)that wasn't known for giving us much of anything genius or anything new.

I doubt that you have heard any music like this. It's dark and overpowering but has a musical quality that mesmerizes. I'm in a mood to listen to this only rarely, but then, it's perfect. This is one of those rare episodes of creativity that few bands manage. I can only hope that Killing Joke will continue to explore the fringes.

Though not as freaked-out as the earlier stuff, this album kicks a lot of ass. It's more in the style of industrial music. Very bass-heavy and dancey, sporting similar-sounding guitars as the debut. The lyrics as always are doom-prophesies and weird occultist poetry of sorts. The production may be lacking at some points like "Mathematics of Chaos", but the songwriting is top-notch. "Jana" is one of their most truly beautiful songs.

NOw this is an incredible album. The Joke had been away fore away and came back with this most incredible album that is a mix of hard rock and their older style. This is probably their best album overall. The sound has not aged and the music is very dark and melodic.

After a messy few years filled with trouble-- including the loss of original drummer Paul Fergeson, a Jaz Coleman solo album forced out by the record label as a Killing Joke album (and rushed to be finished at that), and a disasterous reunion with industrial drummer Martin Atkins that broke the band up, Killing Joke looked done for good. But when guitarist Geordie called original bassist Youth while assembling a "best-of" compilation (the superb "Laugh? I Nearly Bought One!"), they talked about working together again. The result, after getting in touch with vocalist Jaz Coleman, is probably the strongest Killing Joke album in a long time.

"Pandemonium" is really a reflection of what the band members have been up to since the last time the three of them worked together-- the more industrial edged sounds of the previous album ("Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions") and side project Murder, Inc. (Martin Atkins-assembled group of all the KJ members past and present minus Coleman) is apparent ("Exorcism", "Black Moon"), but so is the Middle Eastern music that has so heavily influenced Coleman's compositional works ("Pandemonium", "Millenium" and "Communion" in particular, all among the best of the Killing Joke catalog) and the Youth's techno/ambient production work ("Labyrinth" and the relentless "Whiteout"). Its really a standout album-- sort of tribal Killing Joke sounds meets Middle Eastern percussion meets industrial. Lyrically, Coleman is largely concerned with his belief that the world will reduce into tribes (a theme that would reoccur on the followup), although some songs are far more human in nature-- notably the swirling "Jana", about a woman with A.I.D.S. There's a couple moments that aren't particularly exciting ("Pleasures of the Flesh"), but these are few and far between.

This album is essential for any Killing Joke fan, or any industrial fan, or anyone interested in genre-fusing music. Its a great record, highly recommended.

This album to this day still kicks ass. I like Fire Dances, NightTime, and the 2003 album alot but this record takes the cake for heavy groove layden songs. Bad ass. Killing Joke rules.

When I first bought this CD, I think I was somewhere in the neighborhood of 13. I couldn't comprehend such music at the time, and buried it in my closet for the past seven years. Now, I realize the importance of different influences in the pseudo-industrial genre, where I believe this will be pigeonholed. Killing Joke is by far one of most unique bands I've heard. The eastern influence seems very heavy at times, as well as a touch of metal(exorcism) and their own past with the progressive/punk scene. A must-own for anyone who knows who Raymond "Pig" Watts is.

when this album hits its mark, it is utterly monolithic in its scale and intensity. tracks like millennium, exorcism and pandemonium represent killing joke at their height. however, many of the other tracks are surprisingly weak by comparison. all three of the above tracks were also released in multiple single formats with various combinations of remixes, etc. i'd have to say that while this album is an essential for the killing joke completist, the singles will probably get more play on your hifi.