Killing Joke

Really interesting backstory to the recording of this album having it done with a raw feeling like they intended. Standouts for me were Changes and Primitive. Great grit. 3.5/5 leaning towards 4 but only 2 songs on the album knocked my socks off.

El disco no es que no me haya gustado, de hecho tiene momentos que dan mucha motivación. Es muy instrumental para mi gusto, pero demasiado oscuro. Los momentos aburridos aburren mucho

2.5

Overall, a bit meh of an album, nothing really exciting, but it was pretty alright having it in the background, it's just that it wasn't fully enjoyable. It may have been a bit more popular back then, who knows.

I’d never heard of this band but I really enjoyed this album. It felt ahead of its time. This is like punk meets new wave. I think Complications was my favorite track.

great guys. just never really got into the music they make.

What Killing Joke do here is really sick, and I have qualms, but let's talk about the good first. This album has such a great aesthetic. The combination of industrial grinding, and riffs that veer between post-punk and something almost like hard-rock does a lot of good here. The sound is relentless, buzzing, and crudely mechanical. It ends up with an appeal almost like metal in some regards. Which makes sense, it's influenced an awful lot of metal bands. When I said I have qualms, it's weird because I can't pinpoint a lot specifically. Basically, the way it falls out, I love pretty much all of side 2. But there a couple of the songs on side 1 where the formula doesn't gel together in a way that I've really fallen in love with. But this isn't Killing Joke's fault. This is still a pretty fantastic album, and even now sounds unique. With the exception of maybe Big Black, I don't think any other industrial tinged rock band really captures the genuine, distinct darkness of the original industrial movement.

I may have enjoyed this when it was released. Not doing much for me now.

There was something in this Whilst i didn't love it, with a few more listens i might be able to define why

I came into this only knwoing a couple of tracks off the album. I have been missing out on an absolute post-punk classic. Very little to fault on this. Every member contributes to leave this feeling a complete work.

I've heard of Killing Joke, but never really listened to them before. I liked this quite a bit; most tracks were moodily interesting. A couple misses, but on the whole a strong theee

Tremendo, me encantó bro. 4.5? 5?

I ended up really liking this.

This wasn't bad per se- just boring and too long.

*no real music only screaming, and irritating noises

When I read the Wikipedia description of this record as some kind of underground record from 1980, I ask myself wtf? This record was a huge hit in Vancouver, particularly in the clubs. Wardance and Requiem were all over CITR and I picked up a copy at the time. All that to say, for a debut record full of a mix of Adam & The Ants drum sounds with a mix of goth and funk, this is a pretty great mix of sounds. While people try to pigeon hole this record into industrial music in the vein of Cabaret Voltaire, this was pretty danceable, particularly the dub versions which were super popular in the clubs. Remarkably consistent overall with no bad songs. My favorites tend towards the latter half beginning with The Wait and Complications and Change (which followed Complications on the Canadian/U.S. release). This album has aged remarkably well and as a snapshot of a particular time that was the post punk explosion in 1978-1981 still is an interesting listen. I should also note that the iconic cover photo probably drove sales as much as the music. The real lesson of punk rock was that fashion, media and image were really important. When bands stumbled upon the combination that accentuated their music then success was pretty much guaranteed. Killing Joke was but one of many examples from this brief period of time. 4/5

Only listened once but really like it. Reminded me a lot of The Clash with maybe a splash of Ministry? Will be coming back to this one.

The worst punk album weve had so far.

I will be spending more time with this one. Sounds like where Joy Division would have gone in an alternate universe.

I like the description from Spotify: "Heavy and slow..." I'm more of a fast metal kind of guy but I still have appreciation for the pace that Killing Joke employs. I'm discovering a higher appeal to these kind of tracks I wouldn't give a second thought to because of this OAD challenge and I'm happy for it. I can imagine myself never giving these tracks a chance. I wonder how many songs are out there that would be my absolute kind of music that I won't know because they start and build upon a pace I don't generally listen for. Like A Friend by Pulp is an example of this. One of my absolute favourite pieces of music with a pace and build up is wouldn't immediately gravitate to. Killing Joke isn't my cup of tea or can of diet soda but it's making think about how I should be treating music and taking chances when discovering new albums.

Cool industrial metal, with little lyrics (at least it felt like little). Def makes me want to check out more. Great for what it is

Not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would! Nice stuff 4 ⭐️

Pretty decent album. First track was great and then didn’t keep the energy

I enjoyed this a lot

I like the killing Joke, enjoyable album this

This is the kind of album where I would absolutely not seek it out but if a friend put it on in their car I’d be jammin along. I’d give it a 3.5/5 if I could but 3/5 will have to do

"Requiem" was passable. The rest didn't do anything for me. Maybe on another day.....

Love it, such a classic

I kind of liked that. Was vaguely familiar with Killing Joke from a few select songs, but none from this album. Need to give a few more listens.

Good Album

3.5

Pretty good, like a psytrance but in heavier guitar tones

Honestly not sure what to make of this one. There's some cool elements that definitely influenced a lot of the stuff I listen to now, but feels like the things I enjoy by other bands were executed better.

Good introduction to a legendary band

Really cool. Tons of attitude, with a scrappy and raw production. "Change" makes me see how the Chili Peppers would be inspired by Killing Joke. Was about to say "Requiem" reminds me of early Foo Fighters but now I'm thinking Dave covered it since there's an early Foos song with the same name.

it was bad, liked changes

This is a post-punk album with industrial elements, interesting combination. The sizzling/melting guitar riffs are mean and pack quite a punch, classic post-punk throbbing bassline, as well as the mechanical, rigid drums. The choruses don't tend to be too good, but the other parts well make up for it. Highlight Song/s: "Wardance" and "Complications"

Pop Clash?

Requiem Wardance The Wait Change

4.5

listened to 2 songs and had enough

Great Songs: The Death & Resurrection Show, Total Invasion Good Songs: Asteroid, Implant, Blood On Your Hands, Loose Cannon, You'll Never Get to Me, Seeing Red (Full Version) Mid Songs: Dark Forces, The House That Pain Built Bad Songs:

Good instrumentals but not a fan of the sound of the vocals. Likes: Wardance, Change

This was like KMFDM but without any talent. I hated it. I really, really need to catch a good album soon, because this list is just terrible so far.

Cool and pleasingly dark.

this is insane for 1980 there is so much of it that sounds like newer metal riffs. insane. It was still just fine though.

“You got something Nasty in your mind Trying to get out Do a war dance” Slow, heavy, and influential. I knew I was getting some flavour of Post-punk with this but hadn’t anticipated the quality. The riffs are absolutely huge and you feel totally absorbed in the mood and the philosophy that the band wants you to experience. A prescient precursor to the full spectrum of heavy music that would follow “Killing Joke” is an essential listen for fans of any kind of Metal music.

I guess it's the bridge between punk and goth, but I can't say I enjoyed it much.

Definitely not what I expected, i.e., more melodic/experimental. Sounds way ahead of its time.

Interesting mix of harsh rock with electronic sounds. energic, rough, intense. not chill for today

Arme Joke. Padoempats. In het begin van deze lijst, of laten we zeggen het eerste kwart, leek het alsof we om de 3 albums post-punk kregen. Ik was er toen na een tijdje wel klaar mee. Nu is dat een stuk minder en daardoor valt dit album eigenlijk wel lekker. Die eerste track is een goede binnenkomer. Verder is niet het hele album allemaal even spannend, maar er staan wel wat lekkere tracks op. Verrassend. Ik geef gewoon 4 sterren.

I think I can understand their appeal, it's creative and different, but it isn't really anything I like.

Cool brit punk. I enjoyed

One of the greatest debuts in rock history!

3.5/5

Some of this was cool. Some not

I wish I had known about this album in my youth. I'm quite sure it would have been a favorite.

Good stuff

#39/1001 🇬🇧 First listen to this album, although i have heard later stuff and seen them live in a tiny venue in my hometown on their reunion tour - they were brilliant. This seems an album ahead of its time, setting the template for the likes of Ministry, Faith No More and NIN. Heavy distorted guitars, pounding drums and bass overlaid with doomy vocals. The band self produced this record and its no suprise to see the careers that Youth and Jaz Coleman went on to have although the music would be diverse and in stark contrast to the bleaker industrial sounds here. Loved this - not my normal saturday morning with a cup of coffee listen. Best tracks: Wardance, Complications.

I do truly love post punk, but really did not find much yo enjoy here. The majority of the album is the same lifeless unchanging riffs repeated over and over again. This style can be done very well, but yhe execution here was off. The makings of a great band are here, but overall I'm quite unimpressed

Lovely stuff

Great, Bloodsport is on the running playlist!

Lovely stuff, “Primitive” remains a great song, thanks for sharing RGP.

I merrily judged this one by its cover. Cover is sweet, album sweet.

Took me a while to rate this one & I kept coming back to it. Highly enjoyed the general crunchiness (for lack of a better word).

I’m a quite serious post punk enjoyer but it’s just ok. or even not ok. Still 3/5.

I really am just so weary of all the albums with this EXACT sound on this generator. I don't think it's a bad sound (I don't like the vocals, but the musicianship is kickass). I'm just starting to not get very excited about albums like these because I know that I'll just get another one three days from now. I will still, obviously, give it points for the amazing musicianship as this album deserves.

I didn’t know this, but I really enjoyed the post-punk, proto-industrial sound. Thrilling vocals, angry instrumentation (in the best possible way). 3.5?

Pretty good. Some fun danceable songs, which I didn’t expect. Also some harder songs. Overall enjoyable.

This isn’t good, in my view. But you really can see how you probably need to get through this to get to Nine Inch Nails.

Essential and highly influential post-punk record that paved that walked so that Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Godflesh, and Helmet could run.

Pretty decent but nothing really grabbed me

This either a high 4 or a low 5. I can’t figure it out. Requiem is a 5 easily and every other track bounces from around 4 except primitive that’s a three. Complications might also be a 5. They have some garage rock tendencies that detract from the otherwise wonderful bass lines and drone marching drums. Guitar work is moody and when used right pulls the songs together to create a dark atmosphere. The occasional synth helps too. Pretty good.

AI Prompt: Make generic rock music from 1980

The Wait is good, but Metallica made it uuuuge.

The only killing joke is listening to this album amirite?

I just don't like metal

Bom álbum! Essa mistura de som cru Post punk com elementos industriais é bem legal. Celest Phoenixcall.

Some cool moments, some of the punk and proto industrial elements were interesting but this was largely forgettable and too one-paced

Punk rock excellence.

The only Killing Joke album that I've paid attention to was the excellent Night Time, so I was really glad to be reminded to check out their other albums too. Well, this is just as good, albeit different in style, as Night Time. The industrial rock approach is really tasteful and blends seamlessly with their post-punk that can almost sound like dark synthpop at times. Great stuff

It's very surprising to get a good album around here once in a while. Sounds like a punkish take on Gary Numan's Tubeaway Army and I enjoyed it a lot!

This is how I expect dystopia to sound like. Excellent sombre, but energetic music!

Jamás había escuchado a Killing Joke y no entiendo porque. Suenan cool, se me hizo un disco bastante bueno hasta eso. Lleno de texturas pero a su vez muy simple y efectivo. Un estilo que definiría como interesante, arriesgado, atrevido y bastante vanguardista, aunque sin perder de vista la línea del rock ochentero. Me gusto.

Killing Joke are an odd one for me. I’ve known them for decades, have seen them live, but have only ever owned one of their albums and rarely actually listen to them. So going back to their debut was interesting and fun for me as I’m not sure I’d listened to it before, although I knew a few of the songs. I enjoyed this and will probably go and give more of their catalogue a long over due listen.

Kind of expected to enjoy this more - some of the songs went on bit

One of those bands that I know by name but have never really listened to. This was really good, and will definitely return to it.

No joke, this is utterly fucking terrible.

This was quite enjoyable, could've done with some more singing but otherwise quite nice to listen to. 60/100.

Started off with annoying vocals and. I'm not even going to finish that thought this album really annoys me, the instrumentals are incredibly promising then theres some throat cancer ridden invalid screaming complete bullshit over it. For disappointing me I cannot forgive...

As with the last few albums I have been struggling to actively listen to these so its very difficult to give a good critique or rating. This isn't really my genre, that isn't to say that I can't enjoy punk, or post-punk, just that it'd likely be a little harder for me to find music of this type that I'd enjoy. This, to me, felt somewhat typical of its genre, and therefore not too interesting nor overly enjoyable. It wasn't bad to have on at all, just not much fun either. 48/100

Mediocre.

Before: Hhmmm, know the name but don't think they're in any of my favorites by year list. So, let's see, 1980 + Name + Album Cover = Punk / Punkish? Glancing at the track list I see Requiem starts things off. Oh, I think I know this song. During: Yep, Requiem is one of my favorite songs from that year. I have it ranked 89 out of 94, between I Wanna Destroy You by The Soft Boys and Making Love To A Vampire With A Monkey On My Knee by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band. But, I don't have anything else from this band at all for any years. It's highly likely that I've at least skimmed through this and all of their albums. Let's give this one the attention it deserves and maybe I'll find some more gems. It's 4 am on a Saturday, so I've got all day. Wardance is decent but not going to make it on my favorites list. Tomorrow's World is much better. I'm thinking this is going to be a 4 star album. Bloodsport is just OK... After : For me the highlights are: Requiem, Tomorrow's World (which I added to my best of 1980 playlist), The Wait (which coincidently shares the same name as a track from the Pretender's, also released in 1980, but the Pretenders' number is much much better), and Primitive. The rest I could take or leave. Overall, I like 4 tracks a decent amount and 5 just OK. Based on my somewhat strict criteria, I'm gonna have to rate it a 3 as though I do like it overall, this is not something I would seek out to listen too and I would get tired of listening to it after a while. Still, I do think it is a good choice for this 1001 list given it's historical significance.

Brutal. Great guitars and drums. Fierce. Some excellent riffs, but short on songs

I read the wikipedia pages for this album and the band, and I was fully expecting to hate it, but I didn't. In fact, I really enjoyed large parts of it. Musically it was so much better than I was expecting. Like a lot of albums of this type the vocals can often be the big letdown, and while they weren't great they were passable.I really like that it didn't feel over-produced. These are the albums I love discovering, and this site has helped me do this with multiple albums. Time to make another donation to the provider. If you are are user of this site and you haven't donated yet then do it, at least once. Alexander, the guy who provides this fantastic site free-of-charge, deserves that as a minimum. Love to all.

I am all good with punk and metal but this felt like a mess to me.

No.

Certified Fresh Especialmente las últimas

I always read of this band being a progenitor of post-punk… but that’s a pretty wide-open subgenre (Sonic Youth, Wire, and Echo & the Bunnymen in the same bucket?!?). From this album, I hear some industrial/ goth, chugga-chugga hardcore, and maybe a dose of 80’s Brit glam. SY and Ministry (and maybe Mission of Burma?) seem like good ref points.

Techno and repetitive

Excellent album, lots of stuff that I will go back to and listen again. Reminds me heavily of the 80s and evenings with my mates all listening to each others collections

mskakakkaakkakaakakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

The concept of this album is very interesting, being a mixture of industrial with post-punk, that would later lead to the creation of the industrial-rock genre. However, I am not a fan of this album. I do understand and get why it is influential. It is very noisy, distorted and angry while filled with political messages encouraging rebellion. Those aspects I really appreciate. What I didn't is the songwriting and singing style. A part from some songs, I feel the majority of them are composed like mediocre post-punk tunes. The song that stands out the most to me from the first half is 'Wardance' due to the very distorted voice in the verses. Fortunately, I think the second half has some really good tracks. "The Wait" and "Complications" are by far the best ones of the whole album thanks to the very energetic punk riffs and even a tense feeling. In addition, "$.O.36" is also a very interesting moment of the album. Is the longest one and it is very slow, atmospheric, creepy and the most experimental moment of the project. It was difficult to decide on what score to give this, as I'm feeling a mixture of positive and negative emotions, but I finally decided to give it a positive review thanks to the industrial elements I liked and the three songs from the second half that I pointed out.

inoffensive. rock. jammy guitar. no one song stands out but album as a whole is solid.

This was solid. I can always get down with some post punk.

This is great. Very bass forward danceable post punk.

not for me

= the Beatles

It’s like the Clash but more metal

very repetitive and tedious to listen to but i liked it somehow

Another band I couldn’t into. Again, this music is for someone, but not me. I was bored, annoyed, and generally bothered. I zoned out for most of it.

requiem is a great opener this a grat punk record, one of the best I've heard yet Great consistency too, this ones going in the rotation

Really good, a solid 3

Didnt grab me

Nope, didn't like this

Niet mijn stijl. Heel druk.

Not my style. Staccato hard rock something. It sounds OK, but not what I want right now.

This album doesn’t belong on this list.

Saw em live opening for Tool. It was probably not the right place for this band to be performing in the 2020s and didn't go over well with the arena rock fans. In a smaller, grimier venue, especially in their prime, they would be awesome. Good album overall.

This was cool! I like the sounds, ahead of their time. I couldn't figure out where I knew Requiem from at first but later remembered there is a cover of it on the Foo Fighters expanded edition of The Colour and the Shape that I have.

3/5 - I think I liked this, but I think there are other things like this I like more

Okay, that was great - industrial-goth-rock-minimalism-dub... stuff, that absolutely hits all the right buttons for me. I'll admit, if you didn't like the sound of that description in the first sentence then the album will do nothing to change your mind on that, but if you like any of those words then give it a shot!

This has some interesting songs and soundscapes on it. I particularly liked "Bloodsport" and "The Wake". That said, overall I wasn't blown away by it, and there were a number of tracks that didn't do much for me. 3/5

Its ok, listened through one run and all songs sounded pretty similar.

Avant garde punk type

At its best, they sound like the funk punk found on Big Boys' Where's My Towel/Industry Standard. Unfortunately, that's only a couple of tracks. Mostly it sounds like british post punk that often wishes it were heavy metal.

Probably one of the most delightful post-punk records Ive ever heard and am disturbed it took me 31 years to get here.

Did not spark any highlights during my listening experience. I'm aware of the iconic status of this band, though.

Well this is cool as shit! I’m a lover of post-punk, especially when it’s got this sort of dark industrial sound, almost a little metallic, with snatches of melody rising above the murk. Lovely. As a fan of modern bands like Preoccupations (fka Viet Cong) and Protomartyr, it’s thrilling to hear the roots of their sound here. Must-listen #274.

That was disappointing. Coming off the back of Brian Eno/ Pere Ubu (which are roughly contemporary) this was all a bit dull and trudgy. Requiem is the best track but still felt quite plodding. I gave dub housing a 2 and would listen to that over this everyday so I guess its a 2.

Killing Joke I don’t think I’ve heard a Killing Joke song before, and I’ve never quite been sure what they’re like, I kind of assumed they were a metally-grunge band, but based on this album and a bit of reading they are much more of a post-punk proto industrial band, and you can hear the antecedent of NIN in the synth-guitar-drums and the sludgy rhythms. Requiem is a great opener, a little Bowie, a little punk-ish with a great electronic throb. Wardance feels more post punk with its driving bass and plenty of toms, again throwing forward to an industrial sound - the guitar/synth stabs feel very Marilyn Manson, but its relentless groove is excellent. Tomorrow’s World maintains that same tempo tempo, this time with a Cure feel, and that little keyboard riff is naggingly brilliant. It struggles to keep up with that great start thereafter, losing me somewhat with Bloodsport and The Wait. While they aren’t bad, they do feel like inferior variations on those first 3 songs, and that sameness of feeling continues to the end, with only perhaps Complications and S.O.36 standing out from the prevailing style. I suppose if you’ve come up with something pretty unique and exciting then why wouldn’t you hammer that template. It’s a shame that the B-side Change wasn’t on the original track listing as that is a great, Gang of Four style bit of heavy new wave. Despite the tail off it’s nicely concise at 35 mins. And after the excellent first three tracks I thought this was a nailed on 4, but I think it ultimately settles at a high 3. 🃏🃏🃏 Playlist submission: Wardance (but could be any of the first 3)

I only know of Killing Joke via the Nirvana connection and aside from 'Eighties', I'm a KJ virign. And I like this. I like this a lot. 'Requiem' is an excellent opener, nice guitar hook, over chugging chords, characteristically melodic bassline, and it's all rather Britpop-adjacent. Having read about their influence on metalheads like Metallica, it's surprising how unlike heavy rock it is. It feels like a bridge between post-punk (XTC) and 80s gothicism (Sisters of Mercy), although for the best part, the album manages to avoid sounding dated to the 80s. There's admittedly a couple which feel a little inconsequential, such as 'Complication', and the Dalek vocals on the otherwise excellent 'Wardance' are unnecessary; but these songs sit within the overall caliginous feel of the album, never breaking the spell. (What? I use that word most days). And all coming in at 35 minutes, it's an absolute doozy.

This starts off with "Requiem", which I instantly recognized because Foo Fighters covered this song in 1997. After that I didn't know any of the songs. I wish the vocals were clearer. Is it on purpose to have vocals impossible to understand? or am I supposed to be reading the lyrics on my vinyl record when I listened to this in 1980? The music is great. Would get a higher rating if the vocals were clearer. I feel like bands like this have a lot of messages but the message gets lost in the gritty vocals that are not easy to decipher. I think more listens and knowing the lyrics will make this an album worth listening to more.

This was fine. It didn’t really grab me, but I can see the long shadow that it casts.

Did not fully listen

Interesante, aunque a tramos no he podido prestar toda la atención

No, not for me. I just not very good really.

I didn’t much like the Killing Joke at the time they were new, and the decades since then haven’t changed my view. It’s fairly leaden postpunk music and I really don’t like the vocals layered over the top of it.

A little too heavy for my liking. Musically not bad in parts but the vocals were too punkish with repetitive phrases and more about making noise than making music.

Fine but mostly faded into background noise for me aside from a few moments

A very strong start but they don't quite stick the landing.

Repetitive RepetitiveRepetitive

I like the instrumentation on most of this album, and found it engaging and varied. Unfortunately Jaz Coleman's unique combination of singing/blaring/yelling/moaning/bleating significantly detracts from (destroys?) all the tracks he sings on...which is almost all of them

Dark, dark dark. Loved it.

85

A great mix of dark, gloomy new wave with exciting industrial scrape. A unique take on a well-represented genre and era on the list. Awesome record.

Had come across Requiem previously and it's a GOAT. The album is really interesting, keen to hear it again.

Really interesting listen, and this is coming from someone who hates post-punk. This felt more like regular punk than post - but I'm not gonna bog myself down in the labels. Really quite enjoyed this thing, though nothing stood out to me really and I don't think I'd come back to this in a rush.

A really solid album sitting at a crossroads of multiple genres. I prefer their later work, mainly because the music video for Eighties is one of my all-time favourites. Requiem is the stand out best song on here, which leads a fantastic A-side. Complications is my least favourite, but it's still listenable. For a debut, especially a self-produced one, the level of atmosphere that has been crafted here is very impressive. Highlights: Requiem

punk is awesome

Menacing and ominous. Sparse industrial sound with buzzing guitars, drill-like riffs, muffled anguished vocals, clattering pounding drums, and a machinic funk to the bass. A perfect debut that pretty well defined the genre formula. Requiem is such a good song - despairing spirituality in a disenchanted world.

Was a fun album! Head bopping the whole time

Well, I like where this one starts alright. They kinda overdo it with some of the vocal effects here and there, and I can understand why folks criticize the repetition, though that bit isn’t bothering me too much, at least at the outset of the record. I guess that as I move through this record, there are definitely some things going on that I like, but I don’t think there’s enough here for me to feel like I need to listen through it again. It’s decent, but probably not memorable enough for me for it to make a lasting impression. 3.4/5

Nifty punk tones

You know what? I liked this. Not 5-star worthy but I enjoyed this. I'm a big Kaiser Chiefs fan and this album sounded like KC might have gotten a lot of early inspiration from it. I like that dirty, industrial sound this album has.

This one started rough but there a couple of these songs actually rocked in a sneaky way.

The mixing and production is what really stands out for me. The music itself is intriguing, but the listening experience is enthralling. I'm finding I really like a post-punk album if it's thoughtfully produced and not just slopped together like many of them are. Killing Joke clearly had a great vision of what they wanted this album to be and I think it was executed superbly.

This album did not start off great for me, mainly due to the singer. Honestly can't really get into his voice. But it evened out by Bloodsport, and the album was generally good the rest of the way through. Shout out to the songs The Wait for its very Beastie Boys-Sabotage-esque riff (honestly you could sing Sabotage over it, and it'd work) as well as the Ministry-Thieves-esque riff to Change. Probably the two highlights off the record and proof that this is influential (since those riffs were basically lifted for Sabotage and Thieves, lol).

Cold, mechanical post punk with riffs that worm their way into your brain. This is both aggressive while also being relatively accessible. Maybe the most notable thing about it is the almost industrial guitar tones, which were definitely novel in the genre at the time. Underneath those tones though the songs aren't all that special. Many of them use the same riff for most of the song; I like how the repetition drills the guitar into your head but it does make the songs feel as they don't go anywhere. Take away those tones and this might feel like a pop album. In fact, the synths on the opener make it sound almost like a new wave song. And of course it succumbs to the early post punk trope of having a slow, plodding overlong song that goes nowhere. A nice listen, but the genre has done better.

Pretty cool album! I didn't really listen closely to the lyrics, but I think they were mainly themes that I would support and enjoy. "Post-punk" might be my favorite type of punk (maybe?), and I liked how this was pretty heavy.

Such a pump up album. 3.5 for me! Will bump this during workouts.

7/10

3.5/5

Pretty fun. Can hear the influence to this day

You can definitely hear the foundations of industrial rock and heavy metal.

Saved by driving guitar and drums.

Gôtt det var länge sen det var nån New wave eller hur Dagge? Här får vi rätt ordinär postpunk som möjligen flörtar lite med goth. Onödigt hårt och aggressivt emellanåt. "Complication" överlägset bästa låt (särskilt som "Change" inte är med på originalalbumet), där är det gôtt vev på gitarren och driv i rytmen. Annars glömmer jag gärna det här, känns lite fritidsgårdsofärdigt. Väldigt svag tvåa

Joy Divisions avlägsna hårdrockskusin? Men pendlar mellan nästan olyssningsbart (War dance, Tomorrows world) och helt okej (Bloodsports, Complications). Sånginsatsen är överlag dålig. Och de hårddistade gitarriffen rätt trista.

Helt okej. Mer punk än New wave vilket naturligtvis är bra. Ganska lite som sticker ut dock. Saknar en rökare med hitspotential. Stark tvåa.

Roligaste post-punken hittills.

First listen

Maybe on a second listen

This feels so much like the soundtrack to some post-apocalyptic/dystopian movie from that period, like "Escape from New York", "Running Man" or "Mad Max"/"Road Warrior" or the like, all of which would have benefited tremendously from the grind of Killing Joke.

An alternative approach.

Not my favorite

angry, and gloomy

саунд вайбовый получился, претензий не имею.

I very much enjoyed this album! It was new wave, punk, and goth rock and I loved the vibes and sound of this album. This album had a badass and careless attitude to it and I dug it the whole time. I feel like I’ve been sleeping on Killing Joke but I’m definitely going to listen to more of their albums/ music in the future. So rad!

Killing Joke is a band that has never stopped evolving. They've built on their sound for decades, consistently putting out new and interesting material for over 30 years. Their eponymous debut is the starting point of that evolution, and dammit if it isn't a good foundation. One thing this record has going for it over most other post-punk bands on the scene at this time is the riffs are just so groovy. It keeps this really dark and ominous sound throughout, but at the same time invites you to bounce along to it. The effects they get out of the synths are also very interesting; though they'll push it further on later records, those textures have their roots here, already quite well developed. It really feels like every member of the band is completely in their element, every part being just as interesting as each other and combining to make an incredibly cohesive post-punk sound. Almost every track is a great blend of darkness and drive, with the only track I didn't love being $.O.3.6.. While the singles are great, I think the deep cuts hold their more than people give them credit for. Killing Joke has always been consistent and this record consistently rips.

First listen to these guys, good innit.

I really love the heavy guitar and drums, but the vocals get a little annoying at times. Still a solid album and better than expected.

Perhaps I am a sucker for any band formed in the first or second wake of the Sex Pistols, but I dig Killing Joke's self-titled debut a lot. I do pick up an early Siouxsie and the Banshees vibe, but heavier. I had not listened to Killing Joke prior to this exercise. I am glad that I did.

started out high with requiem as a veritable earworm, but settled into a - albeit enjoyable - drone for the rest of the album. buoyed otherwise by killer gothic aesthetics and danceable tunes, it's a 3.5 erring on 4 for me. highlights - requiem, wardance, bloodsport, the wait, complications, primitive

I really do wish I could rate this higher, but it just DIDN'T blow my mind. I was on the verge of maybe like a high 3.8 or 4 if there was another 1 or 2 songs that really stood out, but nothing really did in the second half for me.

I spent a lot of time listening to Killing Joke wondering if I should be enjoying the album more than I did. It's not that I did not enjoy the album, but this is right down my lane. It is post-punk that mixes genres, has keyboards and seems moderately angry. It's difficult to accurately judge this one for me. It is influential but I just don't know if I liked it as much as I thought I was going to. Perhaps it is wrong-sized expectations or I just did not like it that much. There is some good stuff on here but I can't say I would add it to my burgeoning collection of music. It's very industrial, post-punk and garage rock-y at times. I wish I could give it a 3.5. My favorite tracks were: Requiem Tomorrow's World Complications Change

Listened while running. Had good energy but not the strong coherence I would have preferred. Too much electric guitar focus.

Great one. Was surprised given I didn’t have much history here. Can see why it was so influential. 4.5/5

Almost got into it

This is very generic and not interesting to me. 2/5

I actually kinda dig this. It's almost like an early British Hardcore band. From the name, to the album cover, the instruments, vocals and lyrics it all fits together in this abrasive, aggressive work of art. It feels chaotic, but focused, not aimless.

Yes - post-punk. But so far post-punk that it almost deserves a new iteration of the genre. Added to their originality, Killing Jokes influence on rock and roll is relevant still today. 4/5

30/1089 в этом что-то есть, но не для меня точно музыка то норм, а вот исполнение... обилие рок музыки в этом списке впечатляет

хуйня меня тошнит как и от всех этих рок альбомов

I have dipped my toe into punk music during this challenge and inspired by friends. I thought I would enjoy this album more than I did. I think I’m getting old!

Wow! I loved this! Ahead of its time. Such a great combination of punk, industrial, metal and alt rock - right up my alley and such a good find from this challenge - I'll be back to listen to this one!

5 - AVERAGE

First spin on an early Sunday morning and I didn't dig this. There is a relentless, mechanical drive here that’s hard to ignore. It starts off feeling a bit cold, but the energy really picks up steam as it goes. Gave it another spin in the afternoon, and glad I did. It’s got an industrial edge but still manages to actually rock. Surprisingly, it didn't annoy me the way similar records have in the past. It’s gritty, loud, and actually kind of compelling. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - Requiem - The Wait - Change

can't get the point

Really liked the first song, the rest of the album just didn’t click with me though. Nice thing about punk albums is the short runtimes

Det kan undre mig, hvad den her type albums laver på listen. Det er ikke som dårligt, det er 80'erlyden, som Joy Division vist stadig er det bedste eksempel på. Måske de her var før, men det er uden numre, der rigtigt bider sig fast. Det får en 3'er, så jeg kan blive mindet om at give det en chance mere.

I prefer later KJ material and while this was a fresh debut the tracks now sound a bit dated and the production quite raw. Some like staples like Requiem and Wardance still cut it and I like Complications but this LP fine rather than great.

The opener was a cool track, but side one was not so great. The production wasn't that good and most songs were just a wall of noise. The second side was great! I could hear a lot of influence on the later 80's punk bands, like Fugazi.

3.1 stars rounded down.

I should probably give this a higher score since it does something unique. I get the whole punk meets ambient vibe. The difficulty of acheiving that blend. It just wasn't really for me

Great album.I have yet to hear a killing joke album I don’t like .

Fiery smooth, all at once

Tónlistin og hljóðfæraleikurinn góður en mikið hrikalega fór söngurinn í taugarnar á mér. Þeir fá samt rokkstig fyrir að hafa flutt til Íslands skömmu síðar í undirbúningi fyrir heimsendinn en enduðu á því að spila hlutverk í að Sykurmolarnir urðu til. Fara þess vegna úr tveimur í þrjár stjörnur

#182/1001. - Dad, what is post-punk? - Well, glad you asked, son. Hand me over that cheap cabernet sauvignon and I'll pour you aswell a drink, you're already 14 after all. Now let's put on the Killing Joke debut and let them explain everything, for I am too wasted to explain it further. Fuckin' smashing, aye?

Ha! beginning notes reminded me of clown core/knower. Was hopeful of some punk, but then the voice sounded surprisingly reverby eighties pop… Kinda like the feel, roughness and it being alternative but never quites get going or grabs me. Saw a description say they are “slow” and I get that, even though it’s an uncommon descriptor of bands/overall feel. Found it kinda boring and draggy. Fav track probably The Wait but rest kinda meh. Probably overlooking how ahead of its time and relevant it was, but 🤷🏻‍♂️

Totally whatever, didn’t seem like I needed to hear this before I died.

Ничем не запомнился. 5 из 10.

Classic 1980 post-punk sound. I don't recall this band but it's very similar to what I'd have listened to at the time. Doesn't hold weight today, though, so really just a flat line 3.0 for posterity.

I appreciate what they are doing, really. And even like some of their lyrics but not my jam. I’m rating a 2 but really probably a 1.5

YAB(P)A Yet Another British (Punk) Album Please show me something interesting! ... Update: meh, did not care for this. All the songs sounded super repetititve. 2*

It was ok. Didn't really hit me. Wasn't bad tho. Just meh to me

Killing Joke is a great name for starters. This album was ahead of itself. Favorited.

I liked it, BUT it was forgettable. Less than an hour after listening I barely remember what it sounded like. Also, I am haunted by giving a great Stevie Wonder album a 3. I guess this gets a 2.

Okay, this one I think was just a straight-up miss for me. And it wasn't even like it wasn't potentially my thing or my style or whatever, I thought the sound had potential I just didn't like what they were doing with the songs. Didn't enjoy this one.

Guter Rock

I'm so close to giving this album five stars, because there are two or three amazing tracks on it. But it is all just a bit too repetitive, so I can't quite justify the five. So four stars it is.

This is definitely one of those classic and influential albums that tends to be overlooked. It’s hard to say exactly who made the first true industrial album, but this one is definitely a top contender, especially when it comes to the heavier, more aggressive side of industrial. At its core, it’s still a post punk record, and you can really hear the punk influence in the raw, stripped down production and the no frills mixing. That rawness is part of what gives it so much energy and power.

One or two were pretty okay idk

Klonk niet slecht maar blijft niet hangen.

Not my thing, shows good premises but that's it

Better than I expected. Quite industrial. Weirdly, I'd just read a piece about Don McCullin, so I immediately recognised the cover shot. I don't much like the aesthetic of the name, but the actual record was a rewarding listen.

Best Track - "The Wait"

This was too hardcore for me. I just couldn’t get through the whole thing

#749. Second day in a row of an artist with popular songs, but on a different album. I'm sure it's 100% intentional at this point and they're fucking trolling me. How else could you explain sooooo many instances of this happening? 3/5: fine

Not as good as I remembered it, but still solid. Fav: War Dance

I'm listening to this for about the 10th straight time. It goes so hard. It's like the missing link between late-70s punk and mid-80s industrial

This must have sounded insane in 1980. It doesn't remotely sound like anything else that I have ever heard from that year. It still sounds insane in 2025. It will still sound insane one hundred years from now. It's a piece of red velvet cake to hear how many bands they influenced. It's easy to understand why so many bands I like cite them as an enormous. influence. While I did not fall head over heels in love with Killing Joke's debut album (they had released an E.P. the previous year) it's very good and a worthy addition to any collection - I will add a copy to mine next month (November) and will take a deep dive into their back catalog. As with almost everything in life Dave Grohl has a connection with Killing Joke. From being a huge fan to joining the band & releasing a well-received album with them some 20 years ago. I DESPISE that idiot saying "living the dream" but Dave Grohl really seems to be living his Rock N Roll fantasy! How big of a Dave Grohl fan are you BTW?

I enjoyed the songs where the rhythm section led from the front, mainly because i’m a sucker for prominent drums. Unfortunately this was mainly in the first half of the album. Overall i struggled to connect either this a bit too industrial, a bit too electronic for my tastes

Sometimes I raise an eyebrow when I see an album pop up, amazed that it would make it onto this list - this was one such album. I did find myself enjoying the guitar work on “Bloodsport” and “Change”, which wasn’t on the original UK release but I had zoned out so much by this point I was barely listening until that caught my attention again. Aside from that, there wasn’t much to be found on this album for me to like. Had I a half star option, it would get 2.5 - as I don’t, and it wasn’t as good as some of the albums I’ve given 3 stars to on this project, it gets a 2.

I have a very patchy record with post punk albums and this turned out to be no different. It was very much the law of diminishing returns, as I really liked Requiem and Wardance, but the longer the album went on, the more the repetition started to get to me. First it was annoying, but by the end it was just forgettable. Would be a 2.5, but I'm rounding down 2/5

This built so much of what we heard in the 90s

post punk de altíssimo nível tá

não entendi mto bem pq tá na lista, mas é fortíssimo. post punk bem industrialzão, com umas guitarrada BRUTA. pedradaça!! essa capa eh mto foda tbm

Good album, notable for the way it/they would influence “industrial” bands that I loved in the early 90s (NIN, Ministry, nu metal). I also point out how lucky modern music fans, that want to experience ALL music are in the digital age. This album was not available when I was growing up. You had to know someone that had a cool older sibling Will to copy stuff like this.

very meh, 2.5 rounded up

Was cool. Kind of punk, electronic rock type of thing. Don’t know the correct genre terminology.

Heavy mix of industrial and dark energy that tries to pack a punch, but honestly, it’s just not my cup of tea. The repetitive riffs and cool synths have some interesting moments.

Dark and industrial

"Killing Joke" is the debut studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke. The album was self-produced and recorded live in the studio with no overdubs. The lyrics deal with politics, death, hypocrisy, human nature, pollution and exile. The bandmembers were Jaz Coleman (lead vocals, synthesizer), Kevin "Geordie" Walker (guitar), Martin "Youth" Glover (bass) and Paul Ferguson (drums). The album was very well-received critically especially in retrospective and reached #39 in the UK. An oscillating, hypnotic synth which stays throughout the song opens "Requiem." Post-punk guitar. Drums and bass pounding giving this a raw live sound. Coleman's forceful, vengeful and screaming vocals repeating "requiem." Apocalyptic as he's just cattle for the slaughter in this world. "Wardance" continues in that post-punk mode with a ringing guitar but now a dance beat is added. Coleman's throttled vocals are distorted repeating "wardance." Nearly all of Ministry's late 80's through 90's songs can pretty much be traced back to this song and sound. Just fantastic! The first side ends with the instrumental "Bloodsport." The bass really shows its funky side and it's a good example of the band fusing post-punk, funk, dance and 80's synth into their own sound. "The Wait" kicks off side two with fast industrial drums and a charging, heavy guitar riff. Pumping bass. Various electronic noises. A bleak outlook as humanity's path is towards self destruction. A deep, loud bass highlights the closer "Primitive." A distorted guitar riff underlies the melody. What this album needed as an exclamation was chanting and we thankfully get that at the end of the song. This music on this album is heavy, hypnotic, urgent and catchy. The live sound in the production and mix really let each instrument stand out and creates and fuses the aforementioned post-punk/heavy guitar, funky bass, 80's synth and pounding/dance-beat drums into the band's own style. Coleman's vocals are loud, screaming, in your face and sometimes distorted. The lyrics are minimal stressing the bleak outlook theme. This had to have been a very seminal influence on the 80's and 90's industrial music world. This is an excellent album especially those liking harder, heavier and more aggressive music. And even if you don't like that music, you still might like this album.

I have always know about Killig Joke, but never was introduced to them or thought about buying anything by them when I was a teenager. I probably would have liked them. Especially during any transition time shifting from hardcore to industrial. Now though I can just see them as pioneers and tgink they are great, but not be very interested in listening to too much of them

The plodding, chugging guitars at the forefront aren't my bag.

Interesting album, but a lot of the songs drag on too long without a lot of development. Cool album cover and points for creativity in the music. 3.0/5.0: Good

expected more run of the mill post punk so the industrial elements really took me by surprise. a few of the songs dragged on a little too long but most stayed pretty fresh through their runtime.

Not my style. It became extremely repetitive and no one song really stood out to me.

As soon as I saw this album cover, I thought "Oh, this is fucking post-punk again, isn't it?" I swear, this list has way too much fucking new wave and post-punk. I'm tired of it. But you know what? Even when you get too much of one thing, you can still be surprised every so often. I've listened to a few too many mediocre post-punk albums for my liking, but I'm happy to report that Killing Joke's 1980 self-titled debut album is not one of them! I actually really liked this album! It's kind of hard to believe that this was released in 1980. Obviously this is a post-punk album, but I'm also noticing a bit of an industrial rock thing going on here, with a faint hint of metal as well! Fortunately, the industrial stylings remind me a lot more of later industrial metal bands like Ministry rather than the noisy full-on industrial "music" of bands like Throbbing Gristle. I really enjoy this. It's got some great energy. The vocals aren't my favorite, but I wouldn't call them annoying, which by 80s post-punk standards is practically a godsend. The writing gets a bit political, which is usually nice to see, though it's generally on the more basic stuff like "war is bad." As stated earlier, the album sounds great. The bass on songs like "Requiem" is just magnificent. "The Wait" is where you can really hear this thing's influence on industrial metal. Those two songs are just amazing, with the other 6 all being good. I'm impressed. I really didn't think I'd like Killing Joke this much, but I'm very happy to learn of this album's greatness. 4/5.

I like it, but the S.O.36 kills momentum in the listening experience.

Was not 100% present while listening to this, but I did think “cool rhythm” and start nodding my head a couple times, particularly Primitive and Requiem. I’m sure there’s something here, but I kinda wanted to tidy up to Norah Jones vibe this morning and not this

Wardance is cool, I got bored by song 7 and had to move on. I do like a chunky industrial guitar though.

Killing Joke are a great band. They took post-punk and combined it with a more accessible take on the (then deeply underground) industrial movement. Their music set the stage for artists like Ministry and Nine Inch Nails. My only complaint is that this album doesn't contain their best track "Eighties", but it's an impressive debut nonetheless.

3.5 rounded up. Kinda enjoyed it.

Didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Very ahead of its time.

7/10

Dollar store lemmy kept getting worse

Synth rock, quite good. Requiem and The Wait are good songs. 3.5/5

This album is really good. It's very upbeat for a post punk album, and I like the mixture of occasional synths and very reverbed and washed out vocals. 4/5

Good stuff. I hear a lot of early industrial here, which was sorta surprising. 3.4/5

Not for me. I didn’t hate this, but this is not a genre I enjoy.

Not feeling this one, maybe too early for its time

It was decent enough but nothing stuck out to me. Some of the songs went on for a very long time but I liked the post punk sound

I don't have any use for this album. Did not expect more from Germans, honestly.

2.7 1x decent

101/1001 :: Killing Joke - Killing Joke Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 7 Listen before you die: Yes Thanks to the Metallica I had only heard a song or 2 from this album before. Most notably The Wait which the boys covered on the original Garage Days Revisited. I also saw that this album had a 2.99 rating which made me think this was gonna be sub par. Come to find out this album kinda one dimensional but also right in my wheel house. Chunky riffs and industrial beats create something rough around the edges, very lo-fi but also pretty badass. Production could be better, singing could be better but this is a real interesting album. Another album where I’m not sure when I’ll return but in the words of The Terminator “I’ll Be Back”…

Loud and not exactly my vibe but some good stuff

Décent album New Wave. Honnêtement, rendu au 908e album, j'ai perdu en chemin la frivolité qui m'animait, retournant aux racines de mes premières reviews à 1 ligne

Ein kraftvolles Debüt voller düsterer Energie und wütender Rhythmen. Songs wie „Requiem“ und „Wardance“ setzen Maßstäbe im Post-Punk und Industrial. Die rohe Produktion passt zum apokalyptischen Ton, wirkt aber stellenweise unausgereift. Ein wichtiger Meilenstein – aber nicht ihr stärkstes Werk.

Quite liked change, most of it is a little slow. Not totally sparking joy but interesting. Looked it up and change is sampled by LCD sound system who i lovee fave = change

I can safely say that this is the best post-punk album in history. There's no way anyone in the post-punk scene can do better. I've only listened to "Requiem" before listening to the full album. "Self Titled" is now one of my favourite records of all time. What a way to end an average week. 5 stars for "Self Titled".

Post punk industrial vibes that sound foundational in some ways to grunge and other genres. An early-ish departure from the prevailing sounds of the 70s. Nothing I would spin regularly, but it has some redeeming elements.

3 de 5

Never heard of this band. Liked it.

One thing I've learned from this list is that I like post punk a lot more than the average person on here. I enjoyed Killing Joke a lot, but didn't quite love it in the same way as I did with Pere Ubu. I will definitely add it to my albums though.

Fucking bad

не перестаю удивляться, что в 1980 у нас уже был постпанк, вот где люди искусство исследовали) но этот постпанк не для меня

I really didn’t like this one and tbh I don’t entirely get why it’s here personally… but at least it’s not Rod Stewart

I’m getting review fatigue so keeping this one brief! A lot to like, although some of the more overtly ‘gothy’ elements felt a little cartoonish for me.

I knew the name but had never listened to this but I was amazed at how influential this was on so many wildly different artists. I really enjoyed this and can see why it was such an influence.

Liked this a lot more than I expected to. Got shades of ‘closer’ from it and was surprised to see that it was released in the same year. No fuss, and the darker, plodding sound was probably a significant departure from other releases at the time. Would like to look into their back catalog more following this.

Loudest band I ever heard!

Really enjoyed this. Album Zero for so many others that I love.

Not perfect in its own right, but you can trace so many genres back to this sound. Goth Rock, industrial Rock, Grunge and Shoegaze.

Did not like. Industrial grind music. Not for me.

Pretty good stuff... Metal with less distortion! Reminds me of Rush or Cure a bit 3.6

Suena salvaje, pero me aburrió

Ah, an English rock band, just what we needed more of on this list. And a fairly mediocre one. I listened to it yesterday and now I don't remember much except that most of the songs were very repetitive. They found a riff and played it ad nauseum throughout the entire song.

An alright debut album from an industrial rock/metal band that I have little knowledge on. I thought it was pretty boring and went by quick. Some decent tracks, still not my favorite kind of music.

Erg interessant album. Het is kei en keihard, maar toch goed te hebben op de een of andere manier. Soort van rustige headbang. Helaas heeft de zanger soms een epileptische aanval, dat maakt dat sommige nummers voor mij echt een 2 waren. Maar aan de andere kant zaten er ook echt lekkere nummers in. Het eerste nummer bijvoorbeeld, The Death & Resurrection Show, deze zat (geremixt) in Need for Speed: Underground 2. Poah, dat was wel even heerlijk jeugdsentiment zeg. Daarbij vond ik You'll Never Get to Me zo chill dat ik hem aan mijn favo lijst heb toegevoegd. Al met al een heel wisselend album voor mij, wat gemiddeld denk ik uitkomt op een 3.

Easy to hear the influence they had on rock bands that came after.

As debuts go, it seemed they were trying to find the right genre. It did get better a few songs in, but I think they would have benefited from more practice and revision.

Yet another album that is fine, but uninspiring to me.

These guys have influenced quite a lot of musicians I like but I can’t remember what any of this album sounded like immediately after, but I’ll sit with it some more

This actually wasn’t that bad man, I loved the blending of different genres. It didn’t ruin how cohesive the project was which is impressive

Out of all the punk albums I've listened to as part of this project, I liked this one the most. Still not a punk fan though.

Not a huge fan of this flat-sounding punk.

Heavy stuff

I was unfamiliar with this English hard rock/punk rock band until today. I listened to the original release (eight tracks) of this debut album. Most of the songs were unenjoyable, but for those into this genre I can appreciate that they may find it fabulous. It doesn’t quite have enough going for it to rate it three stars. Sorry Killing Joke.

(Per my last email: Well, this isn't solid gold. But that just means the next one is gonna be even better. Like Deal or No Deal.) 1980 seems early for post-punk. Maybe they should rename punk "proto-punk". Anyway, I don't know about this band. I do hear the industrial, but also the metal, and I guess the (post-) punk. It's not quite the optimal blend of those things, mainly because the singing is just not very beautiful, is it? I do like that Spotify has the lyrics to the first song written as "The Requiem/The Requieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem". Lotta "e"s. That's fun. Still, sitting at your classic 2. Too angry, but not angry in a way I can relate to, you feel me? Highlight: 'Complications' (Sounded the most Britpop) Lowlight: 'S.O.36' (cool namesake, yay German, but long, noisily repetitive track)