When Killing Joke released their self-titled debut in 1980, it was a milestone in the post-punk era. Not only was it darker, uglier, and dramatically different from just about any other music emanating from the U.K. at the time, but it managed to strike a chord with both Mohawks and long hairs. Perhaps inadvertently Killing Joke created one of the first conduits for punks and metal heads to merge. Bands as diverse as Metallica and Alcohol Funnycar have covered killing Joke's songs. Killing Joke have never thought twice about tweaking their sound. From the minimal-sounding dance hit "Eighties" to the heavy throb of their last record, Pandemonium, they were always searching for new means of expression. There were certain elements that were constant--including Jaz Coleman' s hoarse, shouted vocals and Geordie's abrasive guitar--but only their first two records are really very similar. Their latest release is, in fact, a step away from the heaviness of Pandemonium and brings to mind some of their more melodic work of the mid-to-late '80s. There is still plenty of venom in this tireless band, though, particularly in tracks like "Savage Freedom," "Democracy," and "Another Bloody Election." --Adem Tepedelen
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