[kj] Weighing in on the US Edition (re-send)

[gathering@misera.net]

Hmmmm...seems some posts I sent earlier today didn't make it through. Ah 
well, time to repost again then. Pardon me if you've gotten this twice

So, after furiously rifling through every conceivable "import section" in the 
bigger stores and every remaining specialty shop in NYC (their numbers are 
dwindling like those of the
great beasts on the African plain) since the album's UK release, I'd come up 
empty, almost resigning myself to wait for its proper release or try the 
Internet. Then, as fate would have it......

Walking up to Madison Square Garden to catch the Iron Maiden/Motorhead 
(and...er..Dio) gig, I briefly popped into Academy Records on W.18th street as a 
lark......when lo and behold......HOLY SHIT, THEY HAVE IT. I picked up -- for a 
paltry $8.99 -- a copy of the US edition (must've been pawned by some rock hack 
reviewer). "Bonus Track 11. Wardance". Apart from a cut-out in the serial 
box, it's official (nowhere does it say "promo only, not for re-sale"). I bounded 
smugly up to the counter and purchased the fucker, somewhat embarassed that I 
was purchasing a Killing Joke album whilst wearing a
Killing Joke shirt like Johnny Fanboy, but FUCK'EM!!!!!! IT's MINE!!!!


       I'm still only wading into it, but here are my initial 
impressions......

       1. This has been a bigger topic of discussion on The Gathering, but 
the US edition does *NOT* include the tracks "Zennen," "Future Shock," "Inferno" 
nor "Tailspin." The "bonus track" is "Wardance". Thanks for playing. Those 
other tracks may be scattered between the UK and Japanese editions.

       2. The cover art is -- I'm sorry to join the choir here -- flatly 
indefensible. I was hoping for maybe a little more diversion on the inner booklet, 
but it's only the same image repeated in different hues.....(think Technique 
by New Order, only less elegant). In other words, it's a blinding dayglo 
nightmare. I know album covers aren't the meat of the matter, but thinking back to 
some of the brilliant covers of this particular  band's past, it's sort've a 
mystery how they ended up with this. I know, I know -- maybe they just decided 
to scale everything back and keep it simple....but simple doesn't have to 
equate with stupid or half-assed, right? This album deserves a better sleeve.

       3. In terms of the tunes, I've already weighed in on many of them: 

       (a) I think "TD&RS" is fucking great. 

       (b) I've cooled significantly on "Total Invasion" and "Dark Forces". 
In fact, those two are my least favorite tracks on the album (ranking lower 
than "Loose Cannon" actually).
They're still fine songs, but they're not nearly as distinctive nor immediate 
as some other selections here.

       (c) "Asteroid" is both fantastic and infuriating at the same time 
(something about the "told'ja so!" way Jaz sings "ASSS-TA-ROOOYYYYYYYD!" sorta 
bugs me), but the riff is chuggtastic and the pace is exhilerating. 

       (d) "Implant", again, is fucking genius, and does indeed out-Motorhead 
Motorhead. 

       (e) "Blood on Your Hands" is *SIMPLY BRILLIANT* and completely 
restores my faith in this band. 

       (f)"Loose Cannon" is....well..."Loose Cannon," innit! I believe we've 
milked dry the topic-cow of this song.

       (g) "You'll Never Get to Me" was a surprising corner to turn, and I'm 
still wrapping my cerebellum around it. Definetely has the elegiac flavor of 
the Democracy period. 

       (h) "Seeing Red" is, like "Blood On Your Hands", absolutely 
magnificent.

       (i) "The House that Pain Built" isn't my favorite. Starts off 
promisingly enough, but the bits where they speed up recall the Atkins era, wherein 
the band seemed to try to compete with the hardcore corps. Killing Joke can be 
stealthy, but the breakneck pace of hardcore doesn't really suit them, I find. 
This track is, admittedly, kind've a headache.

       (j) Regarding the new rendering "Wardance," I still prefer the first 
version.

       4. Regarding the Very Metal Sound here, I'm torn. I've always been a 
fan of metal, but when I initially discovered the celestial majesty of Killing 
Joke (circa "Eighties"/"A New Day"), I didn't connect them with metal in the 
slightest. There are certainly "metallic" elements to their music (more so the 
first album than anything until Extremities), but I'd never call them a "heavy 
metal" band. Part of the genius of Killing Joke, however, is their elusive 
nature. The Punks claim them. The Post-Punks claim them. The Industrial scene 
claims them. The Goths claim them. The Metalheads claim them. Meanwhile, they 
belong to no proper 'scene' other than their fucking OWN, thank you very much. 
Geordie's guitar is the defining element each time, and he's back on the 
power-chord chug here for most of the proceedings, rather than the sinister "bell" 
chime (though that reared its head as recently as "Aeon," let's remember). If I 
had to guess, I'd suggest that the band feels that this "harder" sound better 
suits the sentiments  being expressed on the album (more desperate the hour 
equates with more anxious the sound, maybe?) The argument could also be made 
that being that this is essentially yet another 'comeback' album (their own 
fault for being away so long, mind you), they feel the need to out-"oomph" the 
Nu-Metalers currently making the `rounds. I'm just fucking relieved there's no 
rapping on it.

       5. Jaz's vocals.....all stripes on this one. It's great to hear his 
sonorous tones on, say, "Blood On Your Hands" and/or "You'll Never Get To Me". 
The shouty, phlegmy, screamy style is also in abundance, but at least there's a 
diversity of style.

       6. Would've liked to have seen Raven get a bit more recognition.

       7. Dave Grohl definetely adds a punch that has been sorely missing 
from the band since the brief Atkins period. I'd prefer it if next time they all 
recorded together and not piecemeal (Grohl's drums weren't added until the 
very end, in an entirely different studio).

       8. Overall, I'd say I'm pretty pleased. It's definetly an album I can 
see myself returning to more than Democracy and Pandemonium. The low points 
are largely forgivable for the most part, and the high parts are fucking 
celestial and rank with some of the band's best work, I feel (I'm talking 
specifically about "Blood on your Hands", "Seeing Red" and "Implant").

       Anyway, therewith my two euros.

Alex in NYC
Home: vassifer@earthlink.net