Killing Joke : "Pylon"

Expectations are always high when it comes to what I want from my favorite bands. Killing Joke is one of the most influential bands ever, so you expect them to deliver. They do. They deliver an album that aligns itself with their length career which has touched upon everything from new wave to metal. Some things are pretty constant here like Jaz Coleman's voice which is smooth over the frantic rock driven by Youth's bass line feels more organic than most of their out put since "Pandemonium" .  There are still flourishes of futuristic effects passing over the mix. It would put them more pack to their punk roots , but  the riff  carries more of a drone. They get heavier for "Dawn of the Hive" . It has the tribal post-apocalyptic chug that would not have been out of place on the soundtrack for the last Mad Max movie.  The chorus backs off and gives a breather before they return to the hypnotic hammering that hold more finesse that how a metal band would approach this, though they  more than capable lock into a more militant industrial which they display later in the song.

"New Cold War"  is more melodic than either of the first two songs , though it also finds Jaz going into more of a roar in places. The disco hi-hat in Jimmy Copely's drumming has become a staple in post-punk, here it is used in context none of the newest crop of  post-punk  bands are forward thinking enough to imitate. The song is layered with so many darkly reflective sounds that this almost dancey element gives it the sense of movement it needs. The upbeat "Euphoria" continues to set this album apart from their more recent output. The chorus to this song is not over blown and the melody is allowed to coast with the atmosphere that has even more of a dancey propulsion than the previous song.

There is weird yet taunt groove to "New Jerusalem" where Coleman's vocals take on a an almost rap-like cadence in their placement, the build the song  busts into is more intricate than just stomping on the distortion. There is a lot going on in there. Kevin Walker's guitar tone at times is more metallic, but the use of effects works perfectly in the over all mix of the songs. "War on Freedom" oddly has a more upbeat vibe to it to the commentary of Big Brother using things like facial recognition software to slowly impose upon us. Its midway into the album that I come to terms with the fact this won't be as heavy as "MMXII" , which isn't bad it's just different. Killing Joke has never made the same album twice and they are not bucking that trend. "Big Buzz" continues this trend with another upbeat almost punk like tempo. Coleman's lyrics give a wink to his mystic interests as he quotes Crowley's Book of the Law exclaiming " every man and woman is a star".

They get more metal with "Delete". The vocal line coasts over the more aggressive guitar work. They are one of the few bands that can approach this kind of cerebrally heavy sound and bring it to you such dynamic variance.  This is something that even bands they have influenced like Ministry  have not been consistent with and Killing Joke has been doing this since 1978. "I Am the Virus" finds Coleman adding a harshness to his voice on the chorus. "Into the Unknown" closes out the album, this song is heavy in some sense , but not metal. There is some interesting interplay between the synths and guitar. It is going to take a few listens for me to really absorb this but on my initial listen I have no problem rounding this one up to a 10 as the band maintains their sound, but refuses to become a retro act and rehash what they have already done.  If you eve wonder why I can be so harsh on even supposedly iconic bands, when you have a band like Killing Joke who is still putting out music that finds them continuing to expand themselves musically then why should I accept less?

Interview : Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke

If you have read my review of Killing Jokes' incredible 2012 album, then you already know the high regard I hold this influential band, so it was a special honor to talk to Frontman Jaz Coleman.

Wil...I really love the new album. How was the process for this different now that you have been in this for 34 years?

Jaz...It was different, for the last album, it only took two weeks. For this one, it came in stages. When you are making records back to back its important to take your time. Normally, Youth has an idea and we jm on the structure of those songs. This time, I went back with Jordy and picked it apart. There were different sessions. We try to maintain the standards of our work.

Wil...Has your work in recent years in classical music influenced the songwriting process with Killing Joke at all?

Jaz...Not really. They are two separate camps. It's a different approach, and I don't let them bleed over.

Wil...I think your work on the new album is one of the best vocal performances of your career. What do you attribute this to?

Jaz...what the music conjures up. I originally didn't want to be a vocalist, so I started off as the keyboardist and was nominated for the position. So I attribute it to hard work and attention to detail. Breathing and quitting smoking helped. 60 concerts in a row can really bash your voice. They don't give a fuck and can do it, so I have learned a lot of exercises and tricks of the trade, like steaming.

Wil...Speaking of touring demands, I know you guys were slated to tour with the Cult and Mission U.K., but dropped off. Is this because it seemed like too much of a nostalgia package?

Jaz...It didn't seem fair to Killing Joke to be the third band on a bill at venues we had just headlined. I don't have much time for Billy, but Ian is a nice enough chap. But nice guys aside, they play such abysmal cock rock.

Wil...Have you guys given thought to going out with one of the bigger bands that you have influenced, like Tool or Ministry?

Jaz... We have never had the vision of being a stadium band. I don't like playing for more than 5,000. There is no intimacy. Playing rock star has never been important to me. Being an experimental band, you don't have the same success, but what you get is longevity.

Wil... The 2012 album is coming out in America next month, but has been out in Europe since April. Was this Spinefarm's decision, or what factored into that?

Jaz...by the time I got to the sixth album, it is something I accepted. We couldn't get released in America until 95 with Pandemonium. We have been indifferent to reviews. Albums are now seen as massively influential, but when they were released, the press was slagging them. I'm grateful for where we are at because when you think of stardom and other people's lives... I mean, just think of Kurt Cobain... How miserable.

Wil... I know a lot of your beliefs are based on a Rosicrucian system, and when I think of that, I think of Golden Dawn and the whole transmutation of the threefold being and spiritual alchemy, who do see that connect with your musical process?

Jaz...Tantra, unification, kundalini. The mantric chant and music are connected to sexual liberation. Sexual repression and fascism go hand in hand. There are very different layers of physical needs. Enlightenment can not occur without opening the pelvic region. The judeo Christian moral codes have become no longer relevant. The music of the 60s brought about a sexual revolution. Take the pill, and have sex for pleasure. It's the rhythm of rock; the rebellious nature is an important function. Sex is not just for procreation; the idea of the nuclear family is becoming obsolete.

Wil...I think that is why, I know at least currently in the States we are seeing a boom in polyamory.

Jaz...Absolutely, it's changing. Education is key. It doesn't end with schooling. Self-educate. Looking at the mystery of Killing Joke, we are many things: producers, musicians, artists, composers, an occult master, and architects. I'm very proud of what I have done. There's glory, gold, and influence. We have never been a band with number-one singles, but we have had an influence. Everything material fades, but influence lasts. I have never been a material person. I carry everything in two bags. I'm very nomadic; there is a lot to learn living in so many different places.

Wil... in 2012, the lyrics that really stood out to me were on the song "Colony Collapse" and the line..." changing our emotional development." I see how America is putting itself to sleep with social media but in the bigger picture, how do you see this relationship with technology?

Jaz...the transhuman agenda, nanotech, and biotechnology. What might extend life might cause us to lose all emotional faculties. The ability to feel and cry homogenized. The defining aspect of humans is our humanity. That is traded in. I don't own a computer or a cellular phone. Things I want to learn, I search for. I want to use books because the Internet doesn't provide all the details that come from the search. It took Sarah Brightman seven months to find me and the bass player of Guns N ' Roses tried to find me for six

Wil...does this self-imposed isolation have a meditative quality that aids your creative process?

Jaz... My creative process is I take myself to the edge with exhaustion, not sleeping for three days then I go in and argue with my band mates. It's the extreme options coupled with earnest debate that breaks the wall.