I keep swearing to myself I will not review an album before
listening to it for a few days at least; you should give it time to settle,
shine, grow on you. Every now and then though, you get that one album that
blows you away from the word ‘play’. You put it straight on repeat, only to
realize it will never stop growing, so you might as well share the good news
now…
Here comes “Absolute Dissent”, the new offering from Killing Joke, an
album you will want to buy in every available format (and there will be quite a
few on the market), a piece of work that not only you wouldn’t dare steal from
Bit Torrent, but makes you want to hit those chaps at HMV who decided a track
is worth a mere 40p. Well, not THESE ones, sorry! Some products just don’t
belong to this modern day musical Primark you’re trying really hard to set up…
From the opening title track, “Absolute dissent” dissipates all
uncertainty concerning Killing Joke’s much anticipated comeback; the first
original line up reunion in 28 years is not just another quick cash stunt, but
a more than dignifying celebration of their 30 years career. We’re up for an apocalyptic
start with ‘Absolute Dissent’ and the following ‘The Great Cull’, twelve
minutes in total of Killing Joke at their very best. Can a rock song be
memorable without being commercial? Here lies the answer, with a chorus that
stick in your head from the very first listen but is nowhere close to any
consumed sell out formula. A bit catchier and maybe more destined to attract
new adepts is ‘In Excelsis’, already showcased in Killing Joke’s recent EP, a
taster of this delayed full length for impatient fans.
‘European Super State’, the leading single to be released in
September, it’s kind of disconnected from what we’ve listened to so far yet
interesting, with a dark Eighties atmosphere to it. Really curious to see
Killing Joke’s fans reception for this singular piece. Personally, the one that
really takes my breath away is ‘The Raven King’: six and a half minutes of
musical awesomeness that I’m just not good enough to describe, and the fact I’m
not allowed to share this gem with the rest of the world is just plain cruel. ‘The
Raven King’ is one of those tracks that should conclude an album, as anything
after it just struggles in comparison.
We find again that haunting 80-ish sound on ‘Here Comes the
Singularity’, just before the remarkable ‘Ghosts on Ladbroke Grove’ finishes
off “Absolute Dissent” as gloriously as it did for the “In Excelsis” EP; maybe
still the best song on the album, or maybe I’ve just been listening to it too
many times… But can it ever really be ‘too many times’ when something is this
good?
Look out for single ‘European Super State’ out on Spinefarm
on 6th September and most of all to over an hour of new Killing Joke
music coming into your life on 27th September; “Absolute Dissent”
will be released on a number on formats, including double coloured vinyl and a
Deluxe 2-CD package, featuring a bonus disc showcasing Killing Joke cover
versions from bands such as Metallica, Helmet & Spinefarm labelmates Dead
By April, whose version of ‘Love Like Blood’ was recently released as a digital
single.
