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Showing posts with the label Killing Joke

Laugh At Your Peril

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  Killing Joke - Killing Joke [SPINE515292 UK 2020 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Malicious Damage Records in October 1980. When the sad news of Geordie Walker's death broke over the weekend, I thought about a Killing Joke megapost over on Digitalia in tribute. Before that happens (when time allows), I have decided to produce a whole new rip of the band's classic debut album for a substantial upgrade to my March 2021 rip. I am regularly sceptical about modern vinyl pressings, however the British division of Spinefarm Records have actually done a great job with the fortieth anniversary mastering of the debut Killing Joke album, even if it was pressed at GZ Media. I ripped my original a few years back and it is not in great shape, so I was constantly on the lookout for a better copy ...I am pleased to say that this new black vinyl pressing sounds great. The almost danceable Bloodsport is always my go to track and the whole album track clocks in at an impressive dy...

In The Eighties

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  Killing Joke - Night Time [EGLP 61 UK 1985 24-Bit FLAC] The preceding singles warned us to expect anthemic, commercially polished alternative rock for the American market and that is exactly what we got on Killing Joke's fifth studio album, Night Time . This was Killing Joke before Jaz Coleman morphed into Alice Cooper's little brother and it was also a Killing Joke without Youth, although stand-in, Paul Raven does unleash one of the most memorable basslines of the decade on Eighties .  This is a brand new rip from penguinflight 's immaculate copy and easily tops my efforts for the first attempt on ESWA 2.0 in March 2018. Enjoy! A1  Night Time A2  Darkness Before Dawn A3  Love Like Blood A4  Kings And Queens B1  Tabazan B2  Multitudes B3  Europe B4  Eighties

Killing Time

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  Killing Joke - Killing Joke [SPINE 515292 UK 2020 24-Bit FLAC] I am regularly sceptical about modern vinyl pressings, however the British division of Spinefarm Records have actually done a great job with the fortieth anniversary mastering of the debut Killing Joke album, even if it was pressed offshore. I ripped my original a few years back and it is not in great shape, so I was on the lookout for a better copy ...I am pleased to say that this new black vinyl pressing sounds great. The almost danceable Bloodsport is always my go to track and the track clocks an impressive dynamic response level of DR15 here. I've held the levels in moderation throughout so you can really crank this album up loud. A1 Requiem A2 Wardance A3 Tomorrow's World A4 Bloodsport B1 The Wait B2 Complications B3 S.O.36 B4 Primitive

Hyper Tension

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Killing Joke - What's This For...! [EGMD 5.50 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC] The second Killing Joke long player in high resolution 24-bit FLAC ripped from an original vinyl pressing. Killing Joke were much less experimental with the second album, relying on their heavy rhythm section of Youth's bass and Paul Ferguson's tribal drumming, topped off with Geordie's stabbing guitars. The debut album was always going to be a tough act to follow and they struggled, however I am not saying What's This For...! is a poor album ...it is just not as good as the first. A1  The Fall Of Because A2  Tension A3  Unspeakable A4  Butcher B1  Follow The Leaders B2  Madness B3  Who Told You How? B4  Exit

War Dancing

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Killing Joke - Follow The Leaders [EGMDX 1.01 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC] Ripped from penguinflight's immaculate original 10" single at an ear crushing volume .....the needle was almost jumping out of the groove at times! The dub version was a particular favourite at goth discotheques in the early/mid-eighties. A1 Follow The Leaders B1 Follow The Leaders (Dub) B2 Tension

Better Red Than....

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Killing Joke - Almost Red [12WIP 6550 UK 1979 24-Bit FLAC] The debut Killing Joke single Turn To Red was originally released on their own Malicious Damage label before being picked up by Island Records as this expanded 12". Almost Red  (with its Moroder'ish disco intro) and Turn To Red are nothing like what was to come, these tracks are best described as dub influenced electronic punk - perhaps the early Island Records deal was a good fit, however Are You Receiving is much more punk rock and Nervous System ploughs much the same dub-punk vein as what The Clash were doing.  A1 Almost Red A2 Nervous System B1 Are You Receiving B2 Turn To Red

The Joke Isn't Funny....

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Killing Joke - Killing Joke [EGMD 5.45 UK 1980 24-Bit FLAC] Any album which kicks off with the anthemic singles Requiem and Wardance has to be considered a classic ....right? To me, these two singles define Killing Joke at their very best. I also count the disco-punk instrumental Bloodsport and the Berlin-influenced S.O.36. as personal favourites. All ripped here from an original 1980 pressing of this fine debut. A1 Requiem A2 Wardance A3 Tomorrow's World A4 Bloodsport B1 The Wait B2 Complications B3 S.O.36 B4 Primitive

Good Friends?

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Brilliant - That's What Good Friends Are For... [LIME 7-001 UK 1982 24-Bit FLAC] Youth departed Killing Joke after what appeared to have been a monumental fallout and went on to form Brilliant and Empty Quarter, in which he flirted with dance music. Good Friends was the first Brilliant single and is considered as a tribute to his former friends in Killing Joke, which ironically features Paul Ferguson on drums. The a-side is very Killing Joke, however the b-side hints at a move into indie-pop-funk, a genre in which Brilliant were eventually set out their stall. A1 Good Friends B1 Push