Disco de Killing Joke: “Hosannas from the Basement of Hell”

After reading some of the negative reviews from listeners below -- and consequently wondering if my eyesight was failing -- I felt like I had to jump in here and defend this LP, which I think will easily be one of the Top 10 LPs of 2006 when all's said and done.

First thing's first: Killing Joke have been around almost 30 years and have gone through various phases. Some folks like the New Romantic, dance floor-ish KJ of the mid- and late-1980s; some like the MINISTRY/KMFDM-sounding Killing Joke of the mid 1990s; others prefer the original era of Killing Joke from 1978 to 1983, the incarnation that toured with JOY DIVISION and had much in common with GANG OF FOUR, PiL, UK DECAY, AMEBIX, and others, but who always kept their own, distinct noise above that fray. During those ambitious years, KJ virally influenced almost every punk-related genre you can imagine: post-punk, heavy metal, punk, hardcore, crust, industrial, and more.

This KJ release is not for those who want every Killing Joke song to sound like their 80s dancey "Love Like Blood" from 1985. Instead, "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell" is an amazingly angry, driving, thrashy LP that has a lot more in common with the kinds of angry hardcore punk bands KJ inspired over the years more than with their industrial or techno-nightclub-y accolytes (though there are hints here of that element, too). In fact, "Hosannas" *boasts* that it is a relatively lo-fi, back-to-the-roots affair. And it's a qualified and amazing success: It was recorded on an 8-track studio in a basement in the cold dungerons of Eastern Europe. The album bleeds with urgency and ferocity of a like KJ listeners haven't heard since their first LP's "The Wait." In fact, the "Hosannas From the Bsements of Hell" LP finaller heralds the return of the Killing Joke of "The Wait," and at times has much in common with MOTORHEAD, VENOM, and AMEBIX -- or, for the more esoteric, even modern doom-y crust like TRAGEDY or P.E.S.D. -- as it does with their earliest material.

Remember, KJ's 1980 "The Wait," a song METALLICA covered only 6 years after its release, and which is also a fan favorite at live shows, inspired the dark sub-genre of punk known as crustcore: AMEBIX, early NEUROSIS, etc. So, when you buy "Hosannas," expect to pulverized along those lines. DO not expect the cleanliness of "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns," or to swoon to stuff that sounds like THE CURE. Expect a fiery armageddon: The album is as apocalyptic as the times singer Jaz Coleman sings about in his lyrics.

Highly recommended for fans of the 1978-1983 era of KJ and for fans of modern metallic crust.

The 2003 selftitled album came as a fresh wind and blew me away with it's power and fury plus i had no idea Killing joke was back though i should have known better with this band,always when you have kinda forgotten about them they come back with something awesome.This new album,Hosannas From The basemennts Of Hell is somethinge else,This Tribal Antidot takes it off nicely but it is in song nr.2 that the band really get's going on all engines and dont let you off the hook until it is over with the amazing Gratitude in the end.After listening to this album relentlessly over 2 month's i have come to the conclusion that this is Killing Joke's best album to date!!! and i have all the studio albums,it is amazing how they manage to keep their edge and fury,after 27 years they come up with something so insane but yet brilliant,this album should be played loooooud,best songs are the title song and Judas Goat,i rank them among the best the Joker's have ever done,but trust me on that there is not a dull moment on this one!

Resurrection Jokers

Killing Joke's "Hosanna in the basement of hell" is a return to form. This is a cerebral album with pure undiluted savagery, occasional manic laughter, sarcasm, and dancing tribal beats, Killing Joke are back with a vengeance. One of my favorite tracks here is the Kashmiry's Led Zep style "Invocation", with beautiful violin and orchestral arrangements; here Jaz uses his voice in his versatile 2 tones fashion, one I like to call the Jekyll and Hide style, the one moment raw and the other beautiful, in case you didn't know, Jaz is a big Led Zep fan; listen to his orchestral arrangement of Kashmir. When away from his band mates, Jaz Coleman conducts philharmonic orchestras, ironically even in Prague where this album was recorded. With Hosanna in the B O H, as stated in their sleeve note; Killing Joke have

their first engineer on board, Mark Lusardi , 26 years ago Lusardi mixed their earliest recording with old analog tape of the late 70's era, now used to recreate the feel of the band in its rawest and most youthful form giving this recording a somewhat vinyl feel, one can hear that the whole thing feels like a glued and fused band. The new album's concept works wonders, especially when you take a look on the inside sleeve and check out the painting, a disturbing painting of barbarians with fused weapons to their limbs, depicting the agony and madness of war. The music fits the art work, this is no coincidence; Killing Joke's concepts are no mere accidents. I feel that Jaz voice is as close as his earlier works and in some case even more energized, contrary to what some critics have said. Jaz singing has never been about refinement but rather about drama, except for "Brighter than a thousand suns".

Most songs are gems, there's a particular song which takes you right back to the "Follow the leaders" area, "Majestic", this is a master piece with hypnotic guitars, and awesome riffs. Not since "What's this for" has KJ made anything quite this intense.

"Gratitude" the last song, (so good in fact that it should have been their first track); here, Jaz is singing through some narrow funnel or perhaps even his hands cupped over his mouth, a brief descending synthesizer where a sudden halt sits between some avalanches of drums creates an punctuating and awesome riff typical of KJ.

Geordie's gritty and distorted guitars are the KJ trademark and are in evidence throughout this album.

Benny, the young drummer is the new blood in the band; he adds his own stamina to push forward trans-like and metal-like induced beats that manage to merge the early KJ feel with a good measure of today's modern sound.

There is a revival of bands from the 80's era, with Bauhaus currently touring, the Sisters also playing live, The Editors decent debut, and a movie about the life of Ian Curtis is on the verge of being done (no, not the 24 hr party people). In the midst of all this, Killing Joke is the "Light Bringer" as the song puts it. Many bands have come and gone, but KJ proves once more that originals never die; they just get better with time.

Mostly for KJ fans (you won't be disappointed). For new comers; hear what you've been missing all these years, Killing Joke's "Hosanna" will grow on you, and transport you where angels fear to tread!

If you've liked Killing Joke in the past, don't be put off by a few of the bad reviews that are posted here. [...] This is probably KJs best release since Pandemonium. You will not find much melody here. Nor will you find virtuoso guitar solos and the like (go listen to your old Yes albums, if that's what pleases you). You will find, however, overt sexual/tribal hooks accompanied by an overlay of industrial-metal-rave cacophony. While most musicians their age, and most people for that matter, are willing slaves to the military-entertainment complex, these guys still have a finger on the pulse of an anger and resistance that must be maintained at all costs.

Hosannas from the Basement of Hell is being touted as a return to form, but Killing Joke left us in fine form with their last album (2003's untitled effort,) so it's more accurate to say that the group is staying the course they set for themselves way back when "Millennium" came out.

Once again, we are treated to a series of extended exercises in bludgeoning repetition and dense riffage, but with a stronger emphasis on melody this time around. Jaz Coleman still favors the trademark throaty bellow that has dominated the Joke's sound since a brief dalliance with melodic singing in the mid 80's, which is too bad, because his 'singing' voice is very effective in the few spots in which it can be heard here.

Sonically, Hosannas echoes the aforementioned Extremities album, particularly with the respect to the welcome re-surfacing of Geordie's more processed guitar sound, but where Extrimeties dabbled in complex song structures and tempo-changes, Hosannas sticks to simpler arrangements. It's also worth mentioning that the song "Majestic" cannibalizes a whole chunk of Extremities' "Intravenous." Is this bit of self-plagiarism a sly reference to the past, or did the Joke just forget that they had already written that part?

Song-wise, there is plenty to like here, but little new ground is broken. "This Tribal Antidote," the title track, "Majestic" and "Judas Goat" are all solid, but they wouldn't have sounded out of place on any of the Joke's last four albums. Far from being a knock against the new record, this verisimilitude goes to show that the well being drawn from by the band has yet to dry out, even if we may never hear the equal of "Love Like Blood" or "Let's All Go (To The Fire Dances)" again.

This album may not be the Joke's finest (my vote would go to Night Time ), but the force of their collective personality is undeniable, and they have managed to produce a work on par with all but their most inspired output. I plunked down full price for it without breaking a sweat, and feel as though I've been handsomely rewarded.