Killing Joke
Absolute Dissent

THE REVIEW

Key to the historic transition from punk to new wave and a fundamental pillar in the renewal of today's rock, Jaz Coleman's Killing Joke release a new album, confirming they are one of the rare active Anglo-Saxon bands that remain true to their stylistic line, as well as maintaining dignity and decorum despite the ups and downs of a heavyweight career.

Bereft of the late Paul Raven (RIP), Coleman and company return to the spotlight with "Absolute Dissent", an album that from the cover speaks volumes about the ideas and ideologies they have long embraced and elaborated on without diluting the approach; on the contrary, rekindling over time a willingness to discuss that has continued to express itself with devastating energy (especially from "Extremities..." onwards). And even though this new work has a less aggressive and screaming breath compared to the 2003 "Killing Joke", the content remains in line with this ensemble's sociological—and political—roots endowed with brilliant insights and a highly imitated sound design.

From the very first tracks, the impression is of a journey back in time, rediscovering shadows and lights of at least four or five previous albums, bringing back a certain melodic and melancholic vein to mix with the rhythmic outbursts they had recently accustomed us to. Even electronic contaminations appear intermittently to underline that their music never had preconceived notions of communication and that nowadays everything is cleared and permissible to attribute an atmosphere or sensation to a song.

Thus, alongside the syncopated hymns of "In excelsis" and the title track "Absolute Dissent", we find the techno-industrial foray of "European Super State" and the wild tarantella of "Endgame", up to the new millennium punk-rock "Here comes the singularity" that closes the record. A total of 11 tracks that offer no respite and are abundant with distorted guitars and compact bass, with Jaz's voice increasingly distorted reciting his nervous esoteric ceremonialist litany. Quite distant from certain interminable epic resonances we found in the previous "Hosannas from the basement of hell" and closer, as mentioned, to that melancholic post-atomic melange typical of other albums, where the image of a world devoted to corruption and catastrophe seemed to find in Killing Joke its most realistic and disillusioned storytellers.

Of course, it is not easy to objectively evaluate the work of artists who have influenced the rock scene for thirty years and who, obviously, have today been joined by a large number of followers and imitators. While on one hand, the propelling force of their style manages to engage and keep the flag flying high, on the other, there is no doubt that there aren't many spaces left for experimentation and renewal. "Absolute Dissent" is a good album that does not betray the fans and can seduce neophytes; but in a complete perspective, it cannot hold up to comparison with other titles from a rich and glorious discography.

More interesting, in this sense, is an analysis of the lyrics, to which the music seems to bow to support their communicative impetus and allegorical undertones, demonstrating that on this level Killing Joke have indeed been imitated, but as their motto states "semper imitatum, numquam idem".