Killing Joke – Revelations

I guess I'm in the minority as well because I like this album just fine. Always liked about half the songs on it and most of the rest have grown on me over time.

Their first album is their best album words words words

I can’t believe I’m in the minority here but I’ll just state that this is by far my favorite killing joke album and the American pressing mastered by STERLING is heavy and awesome. Very immersive and wonderful deep soundstage too.

I too viewed this as one of the low points in the Killing Joke discography for a number of years but after spending more time with it, the past year or so have seen it really clicking.... TURN IT UP! Definitely been a favorite as of late. Though I believe I recall somewhere seeing it attributed to Fire Dances, I'm thinking this is the first record of theirs with Geordie playing his signature semi-acoustic Gibson

The NME described Big Pauls cymbal work on this album "like pistol shots in darkness" which has always stuck with me. Great album.

'Empire Song' is one of their best. 'The Hum' is also very good.

The rest is pretty meh.

Long time KJ fan since my simultaneous discovery in 1984 of S/T (Malicious Damage) 1980 and “Night Time” 1984.

This is where purist Gatherers will label me a poser in of being a KJ fan: “Revelations”, their third official studio release, is in my humble opinion, a low point in their usual strong offerings. Sporting a cover which would seem to suggest a more “Night Time” oriented thematic or flavor, and having discovered “Fire Dances” and “What’s This For” prior to this one, my expectations may have been too high.

Opening up with the absolutely hypnotic “The Hum” which is still a strong favorite amongst fans, and following up with the energetic “Empire Song”, the album does seem to go downhill from then on, never quite recovering after the fall. I must point out I was never one to be able to appreciate all that “We Have Joy” and “Chop Chop” material that seems to be a stable of reference for many KJ reviewers when comparing new material to these “classic” older morcels, although “The Pandys Are Coming” and “Dregs” do seem to stick in one’s noggin’ long after the LP has finished playing.

All in all, I still consider this album one of their weaker ones in a long, strong line of powerful and meaningful catalogue. Granted personal issues plaguing band did not help matters, as Jaz left for Iceland fearing the apocalypse, and Youth simply quitting the band after this one, but Conny Plank’s production behind the knobs did help make this one a crisp release while remaining quite minimalist and true in style to its predecessors, helping KJ remain a band which just kept getting better as the musicians themselves were getting tighter and more proficient in their roles. If you enjoyed KJ’s earlier efforts then this one may be right up your alley. But for some odd reason, it just did not click with me.