Killing Joke (2003 album)

Killing Joke (also known as Killing Joke 2003)[1] is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Killing Joke, released on 28 July 2003 through Zuma Recordings. It was their first album in seven years, following Democracy in 1996, and their second self-titled album, following their debut in 1980. The album was produced by Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill and features Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl on drums, a long-time Killing Joke fan. It peaked at number 43 in the UK Albums Chart.

For Killing Joke's first self-titled album, see Killing Joke (1980 album).

Killing Joke
Studio album by
Killing Joke
Released28 July 2003 (2003-07-28)
Recorded2002–2003
Studio
  • The Beauchamp Building (London)
  • Grand Master (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length59:28
Label
ProducerAndy Gill
Killing Joke chronology
Democracy
(1996)		 Killing Joke
(2003)		 Hosannas from the Basements of Hell
(2006)
Singles from Killing Joke
  1. "Loose Cannon"
    Released: 17 July 2003
  2. "Seeing Red"
    Released: 6 October 2003

Background and recording

Vocalist Jaz Coleman and Dave Grohl originally intended to title the album Axis of Evil, in reference to the political lyrical themes: "It's the beginning of the American Empire. They're taking over the world. That's what's happening, and here we are at the heart of the fucking enemy. I never thought I'd see the day."[2] The Death & Resurrection Show, the title of the opening song on the album, was also a working title.[3]

Bassist Paul Raven had recently met Grohl, who expressed an interest in working with the band.[4] According to Coleman, "The original idea was to have three of our favourite drummers play on the album, Dave [Grohl] being one of them. We also wanted John [Dolmayan] from System of a Down and Danny [Carey] from Tool. But when Dave heard the songs, he said, 'I want the whole thing'".[5] Dolmayan worked with the band during early recording sessions, but the drumming on the final album is entirely by Grohl.[6] Grohl declined to be paid for his work.[4] The drum recording sessions took 5 days in March 2003.[7]

During the recording of the song "Asteroid", Dave Grohl commented on the album:

It's the first record I've ever done where the drums come last. Usually drums are first. It's nice, though, because once you put the drums down and all the percussion is done and everything, it's done. You have a finished song. And also, all the programming and stuff that Andy is doing, the rhythms that they came up with are great. It's not conventional "rock drumming", it's not like conventional rock rhythms. It's challenging. Everything is a challenge.[8]

The album was produced by Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill and recorded at his Beauchamp Building studio in London, except for the drums, which were recorded at Grand Master Studios in Los Angeles.

Bass guitar is played by original member Youth and other long-time bassist Paul Raven. Youth said "The reason we brought Raven back in to do one track was because I didn't want to tour it. He was prepared to tour it but wanted to be part of the album if he was gonna tour it".[9] Guitarist Geordie Walker originally claimed to have played "half the bass on the record."[4] but later said "Not much at all. I think I just added a lower bass-line to 'Loose Cannon'."[9] Grohl did not play live with the band; the drummer on the supporting tour was Ted Parsons, formerly of Swans, Prong and Godflesh.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Alternative Press[12]
Blender[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[14]
Mojo[15]
Playlouder[16]
Q[17]
Rolling Stone[18]
StylusA−[19]
Uncut[20]

The album received positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator website Metacritic, it holds an average review score of 79/100, based on 15 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[10]

Joshua Klein of Billboard awarded the album an 80 out of 100, noting that "Grohl's furious playing fits perfectly with the wall of rage erected by Joke vocalist Jaz Coleman and fellow founders Geordie Walker on guitar and Youth on bass".[21] John Robb of Playlouder wrote that the album "may well be the best rock record you'll hear all year".[16]

A negative review came from Rolling Stone, who awarded the album 2 stars out of 5 and wrote that "all the humorless gloom and doom feels oppressive after a while".[18] Q also gave a score of 2 out of 5, stating that the album was "patchy".[17]

In 2005, Killing Joke was ranked number 355 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[22]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Jaz Coleman; all music is composed by Geordie Walker, Youth and Andy Gill

No.TitleLength
1."The Death & Resurrection Show"6:56
2."Total Invasion"5:28
3."Asteroid"3:24
4."Implant"5:18
5."Blood on Your Hands"6:00
6."Loose Cannon"4:12
7."You'll Never Get to Me"6:19
8."Seeing Red"5:27
9."Dark Forces"6:26
10."The House That Pain Built"6:13
US CD bonus track
No.TitleMusicLength
11."Wardance" (re-recording)Coleman, Walker, Glover, Paul Ferguson3:49
UK CD bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."Inferno"3:38
Japan CD bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Inferno"3:38
12."Zennon"5:38

Personnel
Killing Joke
Additional personnel
  • Andy Gill – additional guitar feedback
  • Katie Summers – voice (track 2)
Technical
  • Andy Gill - recording engineer, producer
  • Jerry Kandiah - recording engineer
  • Nick Raskulinecz - recording engineer (L.A. drum sessions)
  • Alex Alekel - assistant engineer (L.A. drum sessions)
  • Clive Goddard - mixing
  • Milk - cover design

Charts
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23] 100
French Albums (SNEP)[24] 108
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[25] 65
Scottish Albums (OCC)[26] 50
UK Albums (OCC)[27] 43
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[28] 30

References
  1. "Killing Joke - 2003 (Remastered), Killing Joke". Qobuz. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  2. "Conspiracy of Two". Kerrang!. 12 April 2003. Archived from the original on 9 February 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  3. Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie (10 April 2003). "Nirvana Pay Back Killing Joke". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 9 September 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  4. "Guitar UK". anirrationaldomain.net. Archived from the original on 7 September 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. Heller, Jason (30 October 2003). "Knock 'em Dead: Killing Joke's Ghoulish Rock Has the Last Laugh". Denver Westword. Colorado, United States. Archived from the original on 9 February 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. Engleheart, Murray (4 November 2003). "Tension Makes the Joke Work". Drum Media. Archived from the original on 9 September 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  7. Hämäläinen, Jyrki "Spider" (2020). Killing Joke: Are You Receiving?, p. 162. Milton Keynes: New Haven Publishing. ISBN 978-1912587407.
  8. "Jaz Coleman & Dave Grohl – On Studio 2003 – YouTube". YouTube. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  9. Bryans, Chris (2020). A Prophecy Fulfilled. Prestatyn: This Day In Music Books. p. 167. ISBN 9781838078324.
  10. "Reviews for Killing Joke [2003] by Killing Joke – Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  11. Jeffries, David. "Killing Joke [2003] – Killing Joke | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  12. "[Killing Joke review]". Alternative Press: 116. October 2003.
  13. "[Killing Joke review]". Blender: 118. October 2003.
  14. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  15. "[Killing Joke review]". Mojo: 103. August 2003.
  16. Robb, John (26 July 2003). "Killing Joke - Killing Joke". Playlouder. Archived from the original on 25 July 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  17. "[Killing Joke review]". Q: 102. September 2003.
  18. "[Killing Joke review]". Rolling Stone. 18 September 2003. p. 74.
  19. Mathers, Ian (14 October 2003). "Killing Joke – Killing Joke – Review – Stylus Magazine". Stylus. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  20. "[Killing Joke review]". Uncut: 102. September 2003.
  21. Klein, Joshua (5 August 2003). "Killing Joke: Killing Joke". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 August 2004. Retrieved 4 January 2020.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  22. Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten (in German). Rock Hard. 2005. p. 68. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.
  23. "Dutchcharts.nl – Killing Joke – Killing Joke %5B2003%5D" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  24. "Lescharts.com – Killing Joke – Killing Joke %5B2003%5D". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  25. "Offiziellecharts.de – Killing Joke – Killing Joke [2003]" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  26. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  27. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  28. "Killing Joke Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
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