Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Before: I have no point of reference for this album other than the Wikipedia saying it’s post punk. Interested to listen. After: I dug this one. I feel like it really put me in it's place and time. It feels rebellious and moody and experimental. I love the chunky guitar and bass tones, and the vocal distortion really elevated the performance. Some of the lighter synthier stuff like the song Bloodsport sorta took me out of it. There were moments I was hoping the record would lean heavier but it instead went the opposite direction. I guess that's why it falls more into post punk than punk. 3.5/5
I thought this was a really cool record. I love the DIY/raw feel to it. I love that they recorded it live. The way they use the synth feels ahead if its time for coming out in 1980. This definitely feels like it could be pretty influential for the bands coming out of the most recent post-punk scene. I think since it was recorded live without dubs, it tends to lack a bit of depth when it gets into the repetitive jammy sections which can make those parts a bit boring. I like the hints of hardcore sprinkled in there. Honestly some parts kind of reminded me a lot of Turnstile. I bet if this came out today with more modern production, it would be a hit. Overall this is a pretty cool vibe. I think one other criticism I have is that the drummer isn't great. I noticed multiple times where they were off a little and sounded a bit amateur. It was most noticeable in S.O.36
My first exposure to Killing Joke was the poster in Ferris Bueller's room. Ferris Bueller is still to this day the coolest white high schooler in all movie history. This is a band that I've always admired, but never really had the chance to dig into. Not a lot of kids my age had Killing Joke on their iTunes in the early 2000s, so it was always a band that I was aware of and interested in but never took the plunge. I really enjoyed this record today. It has all of the heavy, dark, nihilistic style of their contemporaries (Joy Division and Fugazi come to mind). But its a little more interesting to me than Joy Division. The vocals are deep and poignant, and the bass is kind of turned up louder than it probably should be. But it all comes together in this really cool industrial sounding way. Also, the effects they use with synths and keys are really fun. They're never overbearing but they just add a really cool moving element to the record that's really fun. Certainly not 1 to 1, but the effects kind of remind of how Turnstile uses dream pop elements in a lot of songs. I had a blast with this one today!
3.6
I am slightly disappointed? There are some stand-out tracks but the album seems divided between its punk and industrial influences.
Jaz cool
Another album I had to listen to while driving. Not much to say here. Industrial rock hits really hard and this delivers.
Not bad musically, just largely uninteresting. My favorite was honestly probably Change which wasn't even on the original album. Bloodsport was a nice instrumental. Most songs followed the same pattern of a few random lyrics followed by the name of the song said over and over again and then some instrumentals. That's a fine formula. Nothing great though.
Interesting mix of alternative and punk rock. Feel like I should listen to this one again.
3/4 nice British bloke
01) Requiem - 7,5 02) Wardance - 7,0 03) Tomorrow's World - 6,5 04) Bloodsport - 7,0 05) The Wait - 7,0 06) Complications - 7,0 07) S.O.36 - 6,5 08) Primitive - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,88 (69/100) Current ranking: 414/669
I love this album. It’s dark, it’s harsh and „Wardance“ is one of the greatest Post punk hits.
I really enjoyed this. I had a misconception that this was a punk band. Glad I was wrong! Instead I got this post industrial rock beauty. Favorite track: The Wait
6.5/10
This was okay, not really my style.
It's not bad. But I'm pretty sure I've written, in my bedroom, better songs than some of the ones in here. But I didn't even record them because I thought they were not good enough. Maybe I'm just not a fan of this genre.
Listened to before: No Granted, this mix of post-punk, metal and industrial sounds very unique, even today. In 1980 this must have been highly innovative. Also I love Jaz Coleman's dialect and the cover is fantastic. But sadly, that's were it ends. The songwriting does not work for me and it is just not my sound. Sorry, but pass
Top track: Change
Best Song: Change. That underlying groove had a really great tension to it. This kind of underlying, latent energy that felt ready to explode at any moment. Slight disappointment that they never really did anything interesting with it. Worst Song: Wardance. I'm sure that vocal effect seemed cool at the time, but for me it was just annoying. Overall: Totally ordinary punk rock. Neither hated it nor loved it.
Best Song: The Wait I enjoyed this overall. It probably isn't part of the permanent rotation but I've heard MUCH worse on here. 4/5.
A stunning debut. This album needs to be played at an extremely high volume to be fully appreciated. You can hear all the bands that the influenced, too. I don't fully understand what I just listened to, there seems to be a lot of rage in it. I'll need to do a deep dive into the lyrics to appreciate them more. Musically though, just brilliant. Love it.
It's good British punk.
Requiem - 5/5 Wardance - 4/5 Tomorrow's World - 4/5 Bloodsport - 2/5 The Wait - 5/5 Complications - 3/5 $.O.3.6. - 4/5 Primitive - 3/5 Change - 3/5 Average score: 3.7/5 (rounding down)
Feels like being trapped in a factory where the machines are slightly off-beat. Respect the influence, but I was bored out of my mind.
Punk rock with synth. Nothing particularly notable or appealing about this album.
Hit and miss
Dug this a lot. Some heavy, mixed with some bad-ass dance metal, which is a weird juxtaposition I presume.
I think I’d like this more if it weren’t for the vocals
schon nice, versteh warums in da liste is aber not outstanding to me
Liked it.
Deserving of a Relisten after learning more about punk and "post punk"
Meh.
Ehh was not a fan of the singing definitely cool just not for me
Lovely. I really like the first track. Punk x Hard Rock. A 4. Second track also sounds great. Continues like that. Will be a 3 nevertheless.
It started out ok and ended up being pretty repetitive
Didn't hate this, wouldn't listen again.
Maybe the biggest discovery of the 1001 for me is that I'm really into industrial krautrocky post-punk. This one slaps just right in that same sweet spot. Gritty but groovy. Pretty much all the tracks are bringing some heat. Fave Tracks: Requiem, Wardance, Bloodsport, Complications, Change 5/5
New forms are being worked out in this,pulled together by some bold riffs, pace and the savagery of intellectuals. Never heard them before despite their being a big influence on my beloved Big Black: you can really hear this on “The Wait”.
I love the sound and the energy of this, I just find the songs themselves unmemorable. Bumped up a bit to honor my pre-teen fondness for the later, excellent "Love Like Blood"
LOVE. One of the 1st goth bands, even tho they had a punk twist, def an early goth band. All music has origins, this band is part of a whole genres start.
Holy shit! I always thought these guys were metal or something adjacent, but they’re more post-punk/industrial. I really dig it. “Requiem” is so good. Will be looking into more albums of theirs.
Wasn't expecting much from this. But was really surprised at how good it was.
The wait carrière it to à 2! Some nice moments here and there
Cool fun interesting. Solid hard rock album
picks: wardance, the wait
Is it wrong to say that I felt like every song on this album sounded the exact same? I mean obviously not every song sounded the exact same, especially in the second half which was a nice change of pace compared to the first half Also, despite being remastered (and this might just be me), the vocals on a number of songs did not sound like they were mixed very well (too quiet) Had a decent time with a few songs but pretty forgettable otherwise Favorites: None Honorable Mentions: None
First track Requiem is amazing. Reminded me of Gang of Four in places but I liked the more industrial edge this had.
M/v
I love the industrial nature of it! The vocals are for me a bit hit or miss, but the general drive and aggression I really love. Becomes a bit repetitive here and there.
This was a little all over the place but in a good way. Sounds way before it's time. 3/5
I had high hopes, but too heavy and impenetrable for me...
A big blast of nothing. It may be an early innovation in post-punk, but I’m glad things moved on.
One of the more listenable post punk albums we've had!
British rock de nuevo
Sorry not my thing.
The Cars but they saw Sabbath one time and made an album based on that.
This is a comparative step up from yesterday's punk album. I kinda tuned it out but I remember thinking it was pretty decent.
Killing Joke are a band I'd heard of largely through reading interview of other bands and seeing who is touring with bigger bands. They're constantly listed as influences to bands I like and bands I appreciate more than actually listening to. It was nice to finally hear them, and I'm not even disappointed like I usually am with these things. This album's opener is the best track by miles. "Requiem" has a great groove, and interested chord manipulation, and nearly industrial energy without being so negative that it's depressing. The feeling of that track is present throughout the album but Requiem really puts it all together the best. You can see why bands like KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, and other pioneers and banner wavers of Industrial rock/metal always cite Killing Joke; it's all the root of the sound of those other bands. It's when they get more intense like in "Requiem" or "The Wait" that they're at their best. honestly if they stuck to minor keys and sped it all up a bit I would like this even more. "Complications" and "Primitive" are also pretty good but those are more punk songs kind of crossed with something like the Cure? It's good whatever it is. I liked this.
My favorite album art so far. I was expecting this to be British hardcore punk and although surprised by the synthy post punk, I was not disappointed. It's weird and experimental and they sound British.
Very good early industrial sound
These post-punk albums always surprise me. The vocals are never good, but the musicianship almost always exceeds expectations. Killing Joke is no exception. It's not perfect, it's a strong 4/5. Bloodsport kicks ass!
*** I am not convinced. No
Not really my style tbf. Pretty repetitive, but overall okay. I will say, the fact this came out in 1980 is pretty cool, innovative for the time.
2/5
This sound isn't for me
Want
чета играло пикало мыкало я ниче не понял
Nice instrumental, incomprehensible vocals
Another album that I spent my formative years getting high with friends. Arguably among the most formative albums in creating. Industrial music. What is now considered post-punk is really the gateway drug to so much of modern indie music. Listening now, it still rocks, but thinking about bands who created this shit in 1980 gives perspective on how innovative this shit was.
4/10 - it was alright
meh
I mean I am only a couple hundred albums into this thing but this album really is one of the 1001 I NEED to listen to? I don't buy it, someone explain.
Æ trodde ikke æ kom til å like det, men så va det perfekt for dagen – litt høst, ganske neddempa, men med en intensitet i bunn. Æ vet ikke om postpunk kommer til å bli min foretrukne sjanger framover, men det her va på ingen måte avskrekkanes.
Cool sound, not bad!
Decent but not thrilling
3.5? Interesting different kind of genre, like pop metal or something
3+
Enjoyed this, one to return to. Requiem is a good track
Favorite Track: Tomorrow's World
Wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but I really enjoyed it. It has a simplicity to it that I find really amazing. Everything is tight and to the point, nothing is in excess. Will definitely be adding this album into a regular rotation.
Rating: 7.5/10 Very good post-punk album with plenty of driving, groovy riffs. Also great bass work and drumming throughout this entire album. Overall very fun to listen to.
Groupe et album connu. J'adore le morceau 'The Wait' (+2), qu'on m'avais fait découvrir dans les années 80. J'ai acheté l'album plus tard, mais ... j'ai été plutôt déçu. Les autres morceaux ne sont pas vraiment au même niveau, et l'album est plutôt répétitif. Je vais continuer à faire tourner mon morceau préféré en boucle ... =>3/5
Killing Joke is an album that i absolutely love. Let's get one thing out of the way, this is a hard album to get into as it really tries to experiment especially during the first half. It can be tough to get into due to the experimental melodies and the singer's robotic voice. But when it gets to The Wait, that's when things really start to get good as it and each song after it is just so enjoyable to listen to. There is so much to like including the great guitar riffs, the crushing basslines and even the singer's voice feels less robotic at this point. A lot of these songs also have super catchy melodies which really add to them. It isn't an easy album to get into but if you stick around, you are in for quite a treat. Best Song: The Wait Worst Song: Wardance
Meh. Un post punk bastante ruidoso que se hace bastante pesadito (y eso que es corto).
Would have preferred the instrumental version, but overall fine.
There are a few songs that I'd give a 4, but not enough of them.
Just fucking noise. Felt like when you walk into your kids doing music class Awful
Noise
3 stars At first listen it felt like something that was for me. I like noisy guitars and post punk. I’ve never been much for industrial and after repeated listens this started to not sound as great to me. Still a good album, but a little grating.
I could not find a single thing that I liked about their music
it's very difficult to understand why this is included in the 1001 best albums of all time. it's average and makes me wish to listen to throbbing gristle. much more like this and the game' over
Great pick! Another band before there time for sure.
I only really knew (and love) the song Eighties by Killing Joke. Good record hinting at the harder industrial sound to come.
This was great. Not sure what I was expecting but the combination of post punk and Industrial really worked for me. WarDance was a real stand out for me.
Liked this way more than I expected to. Vocals get a little tiresome after a while, but overall I'd be happy to listen to this one again.
Every time you think you've heard the most three start possible album in the world, another one is even more three stars. There's very little to say about this to be honest. It was some music that happened until it stopped happening, and life was the same as it was before it happened.
Solid UK punk Album.
Like the Soul Coughing of rock. Pairs well with Chevelle. Really like the first 2 tracks.
Killing Joke is way more industrial than post punk! I know there's not a huge difference, but my point stands. The electronic touches are great and not overwhelming. Killing Joke effortlessly alternated between the whimsy of punk and the fun, driving sound of industrial. An interesting listen, one I haven't heard much in 900 albums. I found myself more and more interested by the creativity, but just not enough to revisit again, thus not quite a 4.
Full on proto-industrial vibes all the way back as far as 1980. It wasn't bad by any means, in fact, I baseline enjoyed it. The guitar riffs are pretty catchy, albeit sometimes a bit repetitive. But in any case, I don't really think it needs to be on this project as essential listening. A weak 3 for me.
Actually really enjoyed this
Added 7-29-25
7/10
7/10
I really love the mix of industrial and post-punk here, two genres I really love. The album perfectly straddles the line between aggressive and infectious. It's harsh as hell but still danceable.
I’m not sure what I was expecting from them but this was surprisingly good . Does get a wee bit samey and his voice can be annoying. But overall a good listen and I can see how influential this was. A surprising 4
Well this was far, far better than I expected it would be Maybe it was because I was listening to it whilst working out but the repetitive riffs and drums absolutely hit a sweet spot for me Primitive in particular was great and sounded like something Interpol might have come out with 30 years later
Ups and down. The more instrumental, riff-based songs ("Bloodsport" "The Wait") are pretty excellent. As for the others, when it's in more of a punk-y/post-punk-y vibe rather than a grimmer/metal mode, I think it's more effective. It's not scary music, though it wants to be, but it is enjoyable. Their insistence on constantly using echoes is tiresome, however.
I've heard this band brought up a lot in relation to other bands I love, such as Siouxsie and The Banshees and The Cure, so I was excited to check this out. There is definitely a similar edgy, gothic post-punk feel that is also present in those bands, particularly their earlier songs, so not shockingly, I enjoyed this too, though not as much as the aforementioned bands. I wish there were half ratings here, bc this is a 3.5/5 for me, but I will have to officially give it a 3/5. I am definitely interested in checking out other music from this group!
Nothing to hate I guess, but pretty unremarkable.
Pretty forgettable punk album. Good energy but nothing really stood out to me.
Really liked this.
Everything about this album rules. It feels fresh and relevant after all these years, even though there have been hundreds of bands that have sounded exactly like this since this album came out. Just an excellent record.
Boring and uninspiring...
I Love "Love Like Blood", but the debut Album is for me inaccessible
I did not find one song to love on this album. 🥲
Not bad, hadn’t heard this before. Can see some influence on later post punk bands. A little one note in places.
Oh wow, finally some english post-punk from the 80s in here! But hey! This one's rather good. Heavy, dark and abrasive. Music like it's coming from an expression of geniune concern about the state of things rather than its edginess being a coat of ~art~. "The Wait" is a keeper, otherwise not really my cuppa tea, but I fully respect this.
Killing Joke is no joking matter
There are fun elements I like here , the atmosphere and heavy metal synth esque mood is appealing , but for the most part the melody doesn’t do enough for me to make it ultimately worth it
The sentiment behind the name “Killing Joke” – a contrivance of Jez Combes’, who explains it with reference to a dying soldier realising he is a pawn in the game of “a cunt” – is one of something apprehended too late. It’s funny – though not necessarily “ha ha” – that sometimes one might realise that it’s better to have never realised anything at all; a joke’s a joke whether the punchline realises it’s the punchline or not. Across their self-titled debut, Killing Joke present a whole load of no laughing matter. Chunky, metallic edged riffs (“Bloodsport”). Vocals forced to sound like an anchor being dragged through gravel (“Wardance”). Repetitive bass lines that drive just as hard as the often militaristic drums (take your pick!). The whole thing’s war-coded, a theme that will repeat across Killing Joke’s discography. But then, too, there’s the opposite. Guitars that find moments of uplifting melody inside the structures they build for themselves (“S.O.36”, “Complications”); vocals (and keys) that wind in and out of the melee sweetly, even gently (as in the chorus of “The Wait”); drums that let themselves get carried away (“Change”). Judged solely on its merits, this is a fantastic album. It’s a focussed collection of justifiably angry post-punk tracks that never lets up. And while the full variety and canny intelligence of the songwriting are fairly obscured by some of the self-restrictive stylistic choices made, it seems no amount of chugging can camouflage the radiant charm of Killing Joke. Judged in the context of where it came from and what it went on to inspire … a word like “masterpiece” might even be apt. From entire musical sub genres to global musical entertainment platforms (I’m talking about Metallica there; their cover of “The Wait” is so bad that it actually sounds like a Metallica song) – Killing Joke’s impact is as felt today as it would have been in 1985. With all that said, it’s perhaps worth mentioning that I started listening to Killing Joke only relatively recently – odd, really, since there’d been ample opportunity for me to dial in to just how brilliant they are for more than 20 years now (disputes about the provenance of “Come As You Are”’s opening riff being well-publicised and all). It’s everything as it should be, perhaps; the time was right for me to develop that nascent enjoyment of goth and industrial tinged post-punk. I’d finally heard enough to help me put Killing Joke in their rightful context: peerless in so many respects. It’s a realisation had better late than never. And thank god; it’d be a real shame if the joke was on me.
Not quite
I can see where this album fits in the general UK post-punk scene. I don't personally think it compares well with other giants such as Joy Division and Magazine. I also see where their influence spread out to other bands. It's generally a heavy album, but Jaz Coleman's vocal delivery is rather too declamatory for my taste.
This is what I’m talking about. This restored my faith in finding something great on here.
Okay rock album, nothing stands out to make them seem different than others
I was shocked!!! It's not at all what I expected it to be, in fact ... I LIKED it!
i want to rate this 3.75 stars…that extra .25 really makes a difference in my mind. probably i could learn to like this a lot if i listened to it enough. but i can’t really see myself doing that.
This was more pleasant than I was expecting and I didn’t mind having this on at all. But I am getting a bit tired of all the late 70s/early 80s British punk because for the most part they don’t really sound that distinct from each other to me.
Not bad, but not my preferred genre. Fine enough to play in the background while working, but I don't see myself going back to this one. Favorite tracks: - Requiem
I hated the first few seconds of this, but then it wasn't terrible for a bit, but then I started to hate it again. There's just a lot of repetition in the songs so they seem to just not go anywhere for a really long time. There were some interesting moments but not enough of them to warrant another listen.
Nope
pedaltone huere cool in requiem. s ganz tönt irgendwie scheisse. aber au geil. aso qualitätsmässig. haha de vocalfilter bi wardamce isch jo geil. aber irgendwie passend hässig. huere dark wardance. findi auno geil. ehner immer s glich aber d strophe sind gnueg hässig dases de stampfig refrain rechtfertigt. punkigi songs mit bitz synthi element funktioniered huuere. tomorrows world wär ohni die klaviertön easy eintönig. so isch no cool. ha gad denkt etz chlntsmer denn bald mol uf de sack goh aber s riff und de synthshit uf bloodsport plus de slappy bass sind maad geil. oke es isch eeehner lang s glich aber finds trotzdem no geil. hui gad chli über d troubles glese wegem cover. det war nicht gut und ich weiss nüüüüüt drüber. complications sehr en metal-style riff wenner tüfer wär chönts fr thrash metal sii. de bass isch echt au geil durs band. hui s.o.36 DDR red? nochrichtesprecher? song nöd sooo geil bis uf de bass ide bridge wo en geile oktavsprung macht wo mega synkopiert isch. verstoh au nöd was de sprecher seit. de song isch nochme klub ider ere postkeitzahl in berlin benannt? dude redt afoch dure. okay. ich glaub es goht drum dass afoch dütsch gredt wird. egal was.
aso d wikipediasiite hyped schomal chli uuf. s bild isch au ganz krass d produktion findi schono geil, het öppis ungfilterets okee es isch reeecht punk, v.a. vergliche mit anderne post-punk bands hahahaha wardance isch wiild tomorrow's world findi recht es cools riff COMPLICATION ISCH EN BANGEEER, weiss nöd was anders isch aber hammer s.o.36 passiert halt nöd gad vill aber s isch iwie schono cool? iwie chli d atmosphäre vom lied find de bass hebt guet alles chli zemme weiss nöd, iwie hetsmer echt na gfalle sind jz nöd iwie insani banger songs aber die ganz atmosphäre vom album hetmer entsproche, chli fun, aber au düster...es git glaub es 4i
Powerful rock, good riffs, heavy sound. Like it!
This was a pretty good album, I hadn't heard of them before but it was decent!
Lo he escuchado de pasada. No me ha parecido malo, pero tampoco me ha hecho mirar qué canción estaba sonando para guardar alguna.
Внезапно Turnstile звучат как Killing Joke здесь. Итс окэй. Мне нравится эта *примитивность* и линейность их музыки. Лучшая песня - Primitive.
Bogstandard Punk.
This holds up well. I never would have thought it was recorded in 1980. It lacks lyrically and is pretty repetitive, which was not helpful keeping me awake on a roadtrip.
Nope. Unlistenable
3.75 “It got slagged off by everybody and then eight years later we were told it was a ground-breaking record. People are fickle and you have to stand by your own creations.” - Jaz Coleman
Experimental goth punk.
4/5
TWAS A GOOOOD ANGRY ALBUM FOR ME. REQUIEM WAS MY FAVE
I’ve heard of this but never listened before. And it’s a no from me dog.
Never heard this record before. Will absolutely be listening again. Really raw sound. Some catchy stuff, some noisy stuff. Really good listen.
Extremely heavy metal- fun riffs but a bit much for me.
Alright, alright.
post punk is fucking awesome
Just the right amount of edge for post punk.
This band was not at all on my radar, and I’m a little upset about that. I spend a fair amount of time listening to “classic” punk, but maybe this leans too far into Metal or Post-Punk and that’s kept it out of my algorithms? In any case, it’s a joy to get to discover this after a week of albums that meandered through less interesting genres. Musically, this feels surprisingly well put together for a group of kids playing live-to-tape in a studio in 1980. It certainly feels like a band comfortable in their sound, and I’m very interested in hearing more of their discography to see how that develops more over time. Albums like this are why I started this project.
I'm a Fan. Requiem sets the tone wonderfully, but there's bangers on there like The Wait, Bloodsport and Primitive. You can hear so many bands that this band influenced, Nine inch Nails, Nirvana, Faith No More... and the guitar tone Geordie Walker gets, in 1980, sounds fresh now. cracking listen.
Horrible
1980 was a weird year in Britain. We’d come out of the 70s into a bright, new future of yuppies and royal weddings, but there was a distinct sense that society was rapidly splintering with the Thatcher government busy driving a wedge between the haves and the have nots. There were grim times ahead. This is a fascinating snapshot of a transition point in music, moving from punk to the darker side of new wave and an industrial/proto gothic sound, influencing later bands like Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden. I think this was probably overlooked at the time, especially in comparison with Joy Division and there is some great electronica here too. Excellent stuff.
I might prefer the other S/T from them (realeased 23 years later, very heavy and powerful, with an almost psychedelic twist), but this is first class. Their unique (especially at the time!) blend of post-punk & proto-industrial, with the prominent figure of Coleman, is fantastic and genre defining. You can feel the huge influence they had on other bands. Coleman is a genius in his own way.
Good thumping backbeat throughout the album. Liked it more than I did listening to it first time around. You can really hear how this would go on to influence a lot of different types of music in the following years and decades. The production is really sparse, which lets the band focus more on doing their sort of post apocalyptic jam out music. Still, they made a much better album a few years later down the line.
# Album Name: Killing Joke # Artist: Killing Joke # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Pretty good debut. Not for everyone though. The album lacks lyrically but musically is good. Few good tracks with requim, wardrance, bloodsport, wait and change I'll be coming back to this one. An acquired taste for sure # Top Tunes: equim, wardrance, bloodsport, wait and change # Would I listen to it again? Yes
also ok
fine
I saw that this was post punk and already decided in my head that I wasn't going to like it. Despite that, the album turned out to be pretty good. Not anything like what I expected. Nothing that I found groundbreaking, but it's easy to see Killing Joke's influence on styles and bands in the early 90s.
Very good
What happens when you mix joy division with RATM’s attitude, and I’m all here for it
If you want to listen to bad 1980s car chase music, then this is the album for you.
Enjoyed this. Can't quite give it four stars but still quite good. Could have used some editing.
Never heard before. Enjoyed.
no comment
Kinda meh but I enjoy this type of music in general
Unremarkable. There's nothing here that made me want more or have any desire to come back to it.
This is a pretty cool album. Giving some punk a little melodic and harmonic touch. It’s easy to see how this album’s influence bridges to some of the killer 80s and 90s underground rock.
You know, I figured an industrial post-punk album would be directly up my alley. Industrial metal is a guilty pleasure of mine and the idea of this brooding dark album was too interesting to pass up. But after listening to this, I’m a little conflicted here. I feel the dark vibes are there, but weirdly I don’t feel enough of them. Some of this was catching, but most of this was a bit monotonous. I just don’t think this clicked with me, which is a little disappointing. It wasn’t bad, but I was kind of hoping for more. Favorite track: The Wait Other hits: Bloodsport, Wardance, Complications
This was a little Primitive, but felt like Tomorrow’s World.
A key industrial album that (and here's the important bit) doesn't forget tunes and/or groove. Throbbing bass, electronic beats and burbles and existential vocals and themes. It isn't for everyone, but does it deserve to be here? Yes. Best Tracks: Requiem; Wardance; The Wait
a little more Metal than is my usual taste but fun otherwise 3/5 #musicsky #albumsky #musicchallenge
I want it on the record that Killing Joke rule.
Raw energy and catchy. Love it!
I'm not a punk guy. But this wasn't actively bad. The worst thing about it is the vocals, but at the same time they're deployed so infrequently as to make most of the songs very dull and repetitive. Would it kill these guys to bust out some melody? The rhythmic stuff is good to be fair, but each songs goes nowhere. It's like they came up with a bunch of riffs and then said "if we play each riff repeatedly for 3 minutes or so that's a finished song"
So badass. Gets me hyped that’s for sure.
I went into expecting to hate it. But I enjoyed biking at night with this in my ears. Rock and roll
gitarren? ja. drums? ja. lärm? JA.
Schon cool, dieser Post Punk
Weirdly I had Atomizer yesterday and have some similar feelings about this one as a forerunner of industrial rock. The rawness of the guitars and the bleak, almost dystopian political lyrics are pluses. I quite like the synthy elements too, combined with the considered heaviness of the songs this has a really interesting sound which must have been pretty ground breaking in the post punk era Between a 3 and a 4 but I think just about a 3 as I probably won't revisit this. It belongs on the list though
01/06/2025 This was a good album, I'm surprised that i enjoyed it.
girls will see this and say hell yeah hell yeah
Not my type
Post-punk supremacy.
boring
I actually enjoyed quite a bit of this. The music was good, almost groove rock. It reminded me of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or a more assertive BJM. The vocal variation were a bit odd, some of it sounding like Lenny from Motörhead, and others like The Cure’s Robert Smith buried in the background. Key songs: SO36, Primitive and Requiem. This one is getting listened to again!
Random thoughts: * I was jamming to this. * I really was digging the repetitive groove that this rocked out to. * I guess they are the god fathers of industrial rock. I could see a little of Pretty Hate Machine in there. * I might pick this one up again if I’m in the right mood. Nice to learn about some of the influences of more popular bands.
Been listening to this list long enough that I'm finally to the point where good music is not strictly enough to get a good score from me. This album is fine, but there are a ton of other groips from this 2-3 years I've enjoyed more, so I don't know if there is really anything here to boost it's score. This does have some rock infused with dated 80s synths which gives it a bit of a unique feel compared to those more typical alt rock bands. My favorite was Change.
Killing Joke was a British post-punk band that combined a range of elements into their very influential music. At the time of its release, their debut album found modest commercial success, and received limited critical attention. Retrospective reviews have become increasingly positive, as the wide-spread influence of this band has become clear. Killing Joke started with the amped guitars and scream-like vocals of metal, added rhythmic experimentations from funk, and then used electronic effects extensively. The result is an interesting fusion that foreshadows much of the alt-rock/funk, grunge, and industrial of the 80s and 90s.
Industrial music is good bro. This is crazy for the 80s i think idk actually i wasnt alive back then
Grinding 80s rock. Nothing stood out to me.
Something I've wanted to hear
5/22/25. Pretty solid post-punk here, the first track grabbed me right away, and loved the track Primitive. I can see how this album set the foundation for a lot of later bands I like.
À l'aube des années 80, le punk commence à battre de l'aile et une nébuleuse de groupes va se détourner du punk originel pour soit un punk plus radical qui deviendra le punk hardcore soit un punk plus froid, gothique à l'étiquette post-punk. Étiquette post-punk qui progressivement englobera de fil en aiguille la cold wave, le goth-indu pour enfin être avalé sous un nouveau terme fourre-tout, celui de New Wave. L'année 1980 fut marquée par l'émergence d'une nouvelle décennie, par l'usage des synthétiseur et des boîte à rythmes, mais aussi par la déflagration sonore d'un premier album éponyme celui de Killing Joke. Formé à Londres à la fin des années 70, le quatuor composé de Jaz Coleman (chant, claviers), Geordie Walker (guitare), Martin "Youth" Glover (basse) et Paul Ferguson (batterie) ne ressemblait à rien de connu. Leur musique, brute, hypnotique et chargée d'une tension palpable, se situait à la croisée des chemins entre le punk finissant, le post-punk naissant et une urgence tribale quasi-industrielle. Véritable déclaration de guerre musicale, l'album reflète les angoisses d'une époque marquée par la Guerre Froide, la crise économique et la montée du conservatisme. Dès les premières notes de "Requiem", le morceau d'ouverture, l'auditeur est happé. La basse lourde et vrombissante de Youth, véritable colonne vertébrale du son du groupe, s'entrelace avec la guitare métallique et dissonante de Geordie, créant une atmosphère à la fois menaçante et dansante. La batterie de Ferguson, martiale et précise, ancre le tout dans un rythme implacable. Et puis, il y a la voix de Jaz Coleman, possédée, incantatoire, parfois hurlante, prophétisant un avenir sombre et chaotique. Les thèmes abordés sont à l'avenant : la paranoïa, le contrôle social, la désillusion, l'imminence d'un désastre. L'album est une descente aux enfers sonique où chaque titre apporte sa pierre à l'édifice d'une angoisse collective. "Wardance", avec son riff de guitare iconique et son rythme frénétique, est un appel à une danse macabre, une transe guerrière face à l'absurdité du monde moderne. Coleman y scande des paroles qui résonnent encore aujourd'hui par leur pertinence. Des morceaux comme "Bloodsport" ou "The Wait" (qui sera plus tard repris par Metallica, preuve de l'influence transgénérationnelle du groupe) continuent d'explorer ces territoires sonores hostiles. La basse de Youth est souvent mise en avant, non pas comme un simple accompagnement, mais comme un instrument mélodique et rythmique central, créant des grooves hypnotiques et puissants. La guitare de Geordie, quant à elle, est unique : elle ne cherche pas la virtuosité démonstrative, mais tisse des textures sonores abrasives, des riffs anguleux qui lacèrent l'espace. "Complications" et "S.O.36" (nom d'un célèbre club berlinois) accentuent la dimension sombre et industrielle de l'album. Les claviers de Coleman, discrets mais essentiels, ajoutent une nappe de froideur synthétique, renforçant le climat anxiogène. On sent l'influence du krautrock allemand, mais digérée et régurgitée sous une forme beaucoup plus agressive et primale. Killing Joke ne cite pas ses influences, il les absorbe pour créer quelque chose de radicalement nouveau. La production, assurée par le groupe lui-même, est rêche, sans fioritures, capturant l'énergie brute de leurs performances live. Elle contribue à donner un sentiment d'urgence et d'authenticité à l'album. Le premier album de Killing Joke est un jalon essentiel dans l'histoire du rock. Il a posé les fondations d'une carrière longue et sans concession, faisant de Killing Joke l'un des groupes les plus respectés et influents de sa génération et bien au-delà. Un classique absolu qui avec sa puissance, sa noirceur et son refus du compromis, continue à fasciner et d'influencer des générations de musiciens, du metal industriel au rock alternatif en passant par la techno. Un beau 4 sur 5.
8/10 This was a pleasant surprise. Post punk fused with metal and industrial. Really has a vibe and goes with it. Production is top class and it could be from any time right up to now. Best: Requiem
Is this called Goth Punk? Is that a thing? It’s my thing. Why put out an instrumental song? Seriously? Especially if there could have easily been lyrics added to it. It’s all there. Don’t half ass it people! Anyways. This is decent. Enough to make me listen, maybe enough to make me return to them at a later time. I get the relevance of them. I’m not sure who they may have influenced that has been in the mainstream so I can’t even say these guys sound like someone else. You’re on your own with this band. My words can only take a person so far. choice cut: S.O.36
How come most of the post punk albums on this list are so bland and boring ? 4/10 fav song : The Wait
I was hoping for something better even if I liked war dance, the rest was not great
New Wave Heavy Metal? Lots of droning beats. Emphasis on droning. Favorite songs: Bloodsport, Change and Requiem
It's "post punk", and I can tell it has roots in punk but it isn't quite so raw. That said, any 5 seconds of any song will pretty much tell you what any other 5 seconds sounds like... identically. They have some decent riffs, but you can't just repeat the same riff 60-100 times and call it a "song". I didn't dislike it, but I won't really be looking to listen to more, so rounding down to a 2.
Just ok...a bit repetitive at times.
Fascinating time for music, and throwing up albums like this. Post punk - and post disco, with some of the funk retained, but the sound turned brutal. Throw in some Krautrock, some almost-new-wave synth, and even some metal (The Wait), and somehow it sounds great and cohesive, if also very bleak. Great find.
this was a new band for me. enjoyed it
Good old fashioned Punk through and through. Not really my cup of tea but not the worst thing I have heard either. It feels difficult to rate since its not a genre I listen to a lot or enjoy listening to.
Another album I wasn’t too familiar with but really enjoyed.
Just alright, I would say. Honestly I'm not into rock unless it's near the fringes of the genre, and this is more typical.
I am disgusted with myself that I'd never sat and listened to this before. I'd hears covers of Requiem and The Wait, but my god, this is glorious. The Cure if they weren't afraid of distortion. Thrash metal crossed with drum machines crossed with dub atmospherics. Brutal and beautiful and awesome all at the same time. Love it.
Idk, this was ok. I listened to it while walking around Asda, I don’t know how much that added to the experience. I feel like.. this is the kind of music that you can see how it helped pave the way for other stuff and is important because of that, but nothing really stuck with me. I feel like the songs just kind of happened to my ears. That said, there were some melodies and bits that I enjoyed and if they’d developed into something a bit… MORE I would’ve enjoyed it more. SO36 was cool, also Requiem. Yeah, I feel like I get it but I don’t really get it. I think i would’ve been the kind of person who got it in 1980.
A classic.
I feel the energy, but the music is not my cup of tea, too aggressive, raw and rough, too straight and simple.
3.125
I think what this album does best is bridging the gap between punk, post punk, and post hardcore, with it tastefully blends elements of all 3 without being too messy. It doesn't blow my mind, and the production is also not the best, but I still think it represents a lot of great genres reasonably well.
Enjoyed Wardance. The Opening of Tomorrow's World is great too. Bloodsport is another great tune. They kinda sound like an early Rage against the Machine, cool sound. Wish I had discovered these guys sooner. Definitely think this album is better than some other metal bands of the era.
This album sounds like Metallica being conceived in a rainy London alley under Cold War dread and cigarette smoke. “Complications” manages to sneak in an actual groove, and “Primitive” and “The Wait” deliver gritty, punk-fueled energy that I don't hate. The rest belongs in a museum—one with barbed wire, strobe lights, and a strict No MAGA Hats policy. Respect is due, but I won’t be streaming “S.O.36” unless I’m trying to clear a Proud Boy rally like the US military blasting Twisted Sister at Noriega in Panama ca. 1989.
Grainy Post Punk Rock that is heavy on the bass and sounds industrial. Not bad - unconventional. For enthusiasts.
It’s not bad. I was overtaking cars. vibing with the album.
You ever start telling someone the plot of a movie you really like when you were young to try to get them to watch it with you? I did this once with the movie Black Knight, starring Martin Lawrence. I said “so Martin Lawrence 2001 gets transported back to the medieval ages…” and they cut me off saying “so that’s like the whole movie right?” And it was. Solid film, but there is nothing else to it than Martin Lawrence is now just in 1600 England. You get it, you know the type of humor and shenanigans that will unfold, the love interest, the villain, the resolution, etc. Anyways 3/5
not my style. i could see how this perhaps set the stage for like rock operas, kinda? like a coheed and cambria almost, i guess. i dunno, all in all this wasn't really my jam but i guess not everything is going to be
Definitely less punk than I thought it would be, but that wasn't a bad thing. Seemed ahead of its time as far as most 1980s rock is considered. Enjoyed a couple that have been added to my library, and maybe I'll come back to give it another listen in the future, but for now I'm fine with surprises on shuffle.
Not bad, but not great. I was vibing with some songs, but then there were long stretches of mediocre boredom. High 2, Low 3. Cool album art!
-this is a pretty interesting album. not quite what I expected, a lot of very abstract noise stuff that I really liked -admittedly I couldn’t get into every single song on here, some of them kinda slogged on for too long -I think the highlights for me were the abstract vocals on a few of the tracks. really cool shit -Favorites are Requiem, Wardance, and The Wait
In the coolest way
Pretty good
Industrialne, buntownicze i mocno osadzone w sobie. Tylko niestety, do mnie to nie trafia. Doceniam podążanie własną ścieżką i łączenie gatunków, ale dla moich uszu to nadal bełkot, chaos i hałas. 5/10
English post-punk, industrial, gritty. Very modern for early 80s. Melodic and gripping.
The best thing about this is the album cover
#93 - not the energy I was expecting from post punk. This is just kinda... Boring? Muted? Not for me
This one grew on me. Hated the first couple songs, but could really see the appeal on the B side. The Wait opening guitar riff and beat sounded so much like the beginning of the Beastie Boys Sabotage I actually googled whether it was sampled on Ill Communication. Complications is a pretty awesome traditional punk song, showed that Jaz is a great punk vocalist when he is not over doing it. Primitive was also an interesting, cool track. 2 stars for side A and 4 for side B
Good post punk.
For what era this came out it's pretty stellar. Would it be something I'd ever listen to again? Nah.
Kanske en fantastisk skiva om man ger den chansen och lyssnar in sig, men på första lyssningen tar den inte riktigt tag. Fyra
I was really expecting this to be a meh 3, but I had a lot more fun with it than I expected, and I ended up listening to part of it again this evening just because, so it deserves more than a 3. Best song was "S.O.36" which weirdly reminded me a lot of Bowie's "Girl Loves Me" from ★, which obviously came much later than this.
3.5
Quite pleasantly surprised by this. There were several tracks that had a very definite Hawkwind flavour to the music. Combined with punk style vocals made for an interesting mix. Probably not something I would buy, but an interesting listen.
Fantastic energy and attitude
Class stuff. Funny how I listened to a lot of contemporanious stuff as well as influenced by this band, bit not this band. It's a case of too much around and not enough time. Still now I have heard the whole thing and not just the singles, it's excellent.
Kind of enjoyable kind of not. I’m stuck middle of the road on killing joke.
Noisy, slightly punky. Fine, I let it wash over me although the riff of the opening Requiem was a strong start. Not going to re-listen to this, though.
Neat
Didn't expect it to be so groovy. Banger album.
Not great, but not the worst. Probably won't come back to it.
I had known about Killing Joke for a long time. But I only heard their music much later. I can remember having a lot of fun with it. I feel the same way about this album. It certainly won't be one of my favorites, but I will definitely listen to it from time to time. The sound is perfect as an accompaniment for endurance performances. 4/5
Sounds late 80s, like the Jesus Lizard, Big Black, Nomeansno, etc. But it's years older. I like it, but some songs are too monotonous. Favorite song: requiem
chill
nice enough
Not excited from the get-go. I do not enjoy this music. I want to turn it off, but will continue listening for the integrity of this project. 6.5 songs in - is it over yet? Why are there 13 songs?
I don’t actually think this is a bad album at all, but I was not in the mood to listen to this yesterday so it felt like a task. I liked The Wait and Change, but beyond that I think I just zoned out whilst doing work for legal. The sound is cool and I’ll probably listen to it again another day.
i cant tell with this album is the best thing ive ever heard or sucks so bad. its either a 5 or a 2. i will compromise and give it a 3. the wait is my fav song off of it. i will need to relisten.
makes me feel like a punk and/ or goth alternative teen in an 80s movie, depending on which track you listen to. finally starting to get some cool variety in this challenge!! in all honesty, i thoroughly enjoyed this-- an energetic sound that's got some edge to it; i can appreciate that! it just got old pretty quickly as the tracks kinda start to sound too similar/ get repetitive. in terms of musicality, it's pretty simple and nothing (playing-wise) reeeally stood out to me that much, which is why i'm rating it as low as i am.
Not bad.
I can see some hints of future genres in this album, mainly industrial and grunge, so there’s a good argument in favor of its inclusion on this list. I couldn’t really get into it personally, but that could just have been my mood at the time. All in all, not bad, may need another listen.
I’m generally not a fan of punk rock, but like the mainstream classics. This was a pleasant surprise. Solid punk guitar edge with talented bass and drum musicians. The occasional synthesizer accompaniment was interesting but not out of place. I will definitely be returning to this album.
Hell yeah. I liked this album from the opening notes. It's a great mashup of different punk styles. The lead singer's vocals have that Clash-style English snarl, a lot of tracks have that big cavernous post-punk sound, others have a new wave style, and a few songs even border on hardcore. I love the energy. The use of synths adds color to a lot of songs, and helps Killing Joke stand out from other punk bands from this era.
Surprisingly heavy artsy rock. The drums hit pretty hard and the overall vibe is a cool one that makes me want to hear more. I feel like while listening to this there was a cohesion while also not entirely knowing what would be coming next, which was great. Cool album cover too.
Always here for heavy use of vocal effects and synths n shit. I like the vocals when they come in and relatively withheld percussion for the time
i dont like men doing punk especially british men
Heavy metal but not really? Not great.
Kinda felt like grating noise. I didn't finish the last couple of songs.
It wasn't pure instrumental, but it felt like it was, and not in a good way.
This is a good, interesting mix of hard rock and gothic rock that I haven't really heard before. A little bit Joy Division, a little bit AC/DC. I think I'll like this more and more over time.
Hasn't persuaded me to listen to punk more often but it is certainly one of the better punk albums presented here 3.5*
The debut, self-titled album by Killing Joke (1980) is a foundational document of post-punk and early industrial rock, distinguished by a tightly wound, tribal intensity that feels perpetually on the brink of explosion. Its primary charm lies in the raw, contained sense of rebellion, which isn't delivered through typical punk anarchy but rather a menacing, mechanical throb—the sound of profound societal outrage channeled into a disciplined, rhythmic fury, making every angular guitar riff and strident vocal line feel like a calculated, urgent protest.
Post punk New Wave? This was before the "Eighties"
Superb
This is #day244 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this one's not the easiest listen, I must admit, not even to my ears. Am I getting old? Actually, I'm turning 35 in a few days, but honestly, I'm just a bigger baby me. I've been on "a bit" of a nostalgia streak lately, diving back into the music of my teens, the early '00s. So much so that my wife recently asked when I was going to listen to something "normal" again (knowing full well I'm into post-punk, new wave, synth, and all that jazz). Now, I know Killing Joke, but they've largely stayed off my radar, aside from Night Time, which is the only other album of theirs I know. Listening to the self-titled debut in the context of the early '80s, I can see why it's considered seminal. The sound is raw, intense, and distinct. Heavy/industrial post-punk begs the description. Not something I'd revisit in full soon, if ever. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day245.
It's just noise
Great find! Never heard of this band (though I was familiar with "Requiem"). Loving this sorta metal, sorta industrial vibe. Will listen to more of this for sure.
Not my thing
Repetitive at times, but some songs still manage to be banging enough!
🍑 besides Complications.
I had heard some of their more commercial hits but not this album. I’m wondering why it was not more popular at the time as it is a decent album.
This was cool
Killing Joke killed it with this killer album.
De har gjort mycket bra genom åren. Detta har jag inte hört förut. Ganska bra.
This album is full of 2 minute songs stretched to 3-4 minutes
6 stars!
I can........sort of see the appeal, but no song really jumped out at me. Just sort of background rock. If I'm going to get a lot of semi-punk albums that all sound the same, gonna be a slog.
kinda barren, minimalist post punkish grungy rock that is similar to the character select screen of a N64 monster truck. pretty repetitive, almost groovy, but not quite. 2.5/5
I first bought this album when it came out and I thought it was mostly boring. 45 years’ distance has not improved my opinion of it. This album has a kind of black metal meets post punk thing going on and you can see how many bands subsequently have been influenced by it; Nirvana, My Bloody Valentine etc etc would all acknowledge a debt. Non of that makes it an intrinsically listenable album.
Honestly pretty funky. Solid listen throughout.
Didn't felt memorable after listening to it. Had few cool songs tho but as a album it didn't moved me. (2.5/5.0)
I like it, but probably wouldn't listen again.
ugfufh
It's crazy how fresh this still sounds, and how low-key influential it must have been
no lo escuche entero asi que boooring pero lo que escuché estaba molón
would it be dumb to give it a 4? ^ this message was left for me when i opened this. I have no memory of this - I'll go with whatever this guy was thinking and give it a half-hearted 4/
Debated on whether or not I would loop this but then I started played their other Deluxe albums with the same name so this is an obvious hell yeah 5 star for me
I had heard of this group but never heard of any of these songs. Not horrible but not great.
I know a couple of their other songs - 80s and Love Like Blood (which is bloody excellent). I was a bit disappointed that they weren't on this album. Turns out this is a really great album, sounds way ahead of it's time. Clear influence on lots of later music - Nine Inch Nails, Ministry etc. Crunchy guitar, grinding bass and growling vocals.
A+ album cover and great band name. Post Punk is one of the greatest rock subgenres because you get the anarchist spirit but you can dance to it. They sound a little like Gang Of Four playing Cabaret Voltaire covers. Dare I say it but this drummer gets wobbly sometimes, though I guess that's part of the charm.
I know I've heard of the band before, but nothing on this album is familiar to me, and I'm not sure I've ever heard *anything* by them before--it's nice to get another unknown from the collection. And while it's not an earth-shattering album by any stretch, I enjoyed it more than I expected to enjoy what Wikipedia labelled as a "post-punk" band (a term that doesn't really conjure up much of anything in my mind, and seems to span a *lot* of territory). I was occasionally reminded of Ministry's take on industrial sound ("Wardance" in particular), and also The Clash's beat-driven sound, but they clearly had their own sound. My favorites were probably the opening track "Requiem" (in part because I wasn't expecting such heavy synths from the get-go), "Bloodsport", and "Primitive" (with a head-banging nod to the B-sides "Change" and "Pssyche" that apparently only appeared on the "Requiem" and "Wardance" singles (respectively)). 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. I can also see why Dave Grohl calls this one of his favorite albums, even if it's probably not going to live up there as one of mine. It's tough to know how to rate this, as it's much more interesting than three stars, but aside from its out-of-left-field-entertainment-value, I'm not sure it's really four star material. But why not reward experiments that actually (and largely) succeed?
I found the music much more interesting than the vocals/lyrics.
Utterly forgettable, like too many of the UK based albums on this list.
Recent albums have been pretty dire so this one felt alright.
Прикольно наверное
Pretty good but not spectacular
I like the basslines in the songs. They seem creative and fun, yet it keeps the rhythm perfectly. Its English post punk. Im not the biggest fan of punk rock but I like the instrumentals in this album. Also I think Im hearing bass harmonics which immediately wins me over. Kinda has some goth aspects which I really like.
What the goonie googoo was this???
Interesting listen. Post-punk mixed with some 70's hard rock and metal mixed with some disco influence. Weird in a good way.