Killing Joke are a post-punk group from England. Formed in 1978, the band stood out with their unique form of industrial-rock, incorporating quasi-metal flavor with Jaz Coleman's savage vocals. If you've never heard Jaz Coleman, afterward Scott Kelly might just seem tender in comparison.
Killing Joke influenced basically every rock band that you're too cool to listen to anymore (fun fact: Killing Joke was in the process of suing Nirvana for plagiarism before Kurt's passing...Later on, Dave Grohl would go on to drum their entire 2003 second self-titled album), though the group never received huge success, possibly in part to their controversial nature, multiple line-up changes, etc.
Their latest album in 2006, 'Hosannas from the Basements of Hell' (interchangebly referred as '..Basement() of Hell'), is probably my favorite Killing Joke album
(that I've heard...dudes have 13 studio albums).
The album was recorded in a dark basement studio in the Czech Republic, also apparently with old 70's equipment to add to the atmospherics -- dark equipment too, of course.
The result I think is one of Killing Joke's most refined albums from a songwriting standpoint, yet one of their most unhinged works from sanity.
If you haven't heard Killing Joke, this is a great place to start and a great representation of what Killing Joke does best -- namely dark, pounding grooves for Coleman to exercise his demons over.
I love the cover too...awesome piece from Victor Safonkin.
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