Killing Joke
Lord of Chaos EP
(Spinefarm)
 

THE artwork and video for the new Killing Joke release is based around a childlike cowboy figure, his face a cross between the Milky Bar Kid, theatre puppet and world leader. Complete with Stetson hat, missile in hand plus bullet belt, staring straight at the viewer, smiling.

Surrounded by classical images, suggesting the four horsemen of the apocalypse, fires in hell and a celebration of renaissance painting. All blended elements filtered through a heightened technicolour prism.

The design is by Mike Coles, who has created many of Killing Joke’s iconic sleeve designs. Often part political protest collage, part surrealist comedy, always memorable. As potent as the music it represents. As a band Killing Joke remain one of the most relevant of forces.

The starting point for Lord of Chaos is based around notions of current fears. Vocalist and composer Jaz Coleman sums up his current thinking; “I’ve never known anything like the time we are living in now; not since the Cuban Missile Crisis but now in comparison we have multiple flash points, Lord Of Chaos is about complex systems failure, when technology overloads and AI misreads the enemies’ intentions.”

To that end, the title track itself works around slow brooding guitar lines from Geordie Walker, introduced by a pulsing synth chord. Geordie’s sonic signature over driven with chainsaw-like bass heavy multi-tracked effects, takes the song’s prominent role.

Anchored by kick drums, whip cracked snares from drummer Big Paul Ferguson and bass player, programmer Youth underpinning, the foundation for Jaz’s unique vocal delivery, a harmonic counter point to guitar.

Jaz’s formula, a hybrid well-thought-out combination of Wagnerian operatic leanings and Motorhead’s Lemmy. A desperate plea and interpretation of current chaos. After war-torn lyrical ideas, subtle echoed verse, crystal cave like at points, the chorus opens up to full effect with epic long held notes, double tracked; “Flash points everywhere, And everybody’s scared, Complex systems failure, And the lord of chaos is in.”

Produced by the band and mixed by Tom Dalgety, the sound, full of refined space and clarity, always with a power driven narrative.

Total, the second track, a Killing Joke up tempo masterclass complete with haunting Gothic atmospheric synth textures. Also included are two reworked titles from the 2015 album Pylon, remixed by Dalgety and Nick Evans. Big Buzz (Motorcade Mix), a full-on techno disco inferno celebration and Delete In Dub (Youth’s Disco 45 Dystopian Dub). The latter getting the full trip dub remix treatment.

Another essential addition to the Killing Joke canon, the band are are touring the UK in March and April, with a new album expected later in the year.

For tour dates visit: killingjoke.co.uk/tour