BBC in Concert - Killing Joke

Though barely recorded four years after their first live release, Ha, BBC in Concert was not released until 1994, as a tie-in with the reunion album Pandemonium. Nonetheless, the recording hasn't aged a bit. Though the band was slicker, depending more on synthesizers and less on full-throttle guitar crunch, the music remains as aggressive and intense as ever. Part of that is due to Jaz Coleman, whose seething venom is unabated, even on some of the more polished tracks. Guitarist Geordie remains the lynchpin of Killing Joke's sound, though, churning out guitar lines that are simultaneously intricate and intense. The bulk of the material is drawn from Killing Joke's commercial breakthrough mid-'80s albums Night Time and Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, selecting most of the standout tracks from those records (though curiously, not including their most famous song, "Eighties") as well as a smattering of early classics. The recording was originally aired on the BBC, so the sound quality is pristine. For both fans and newcomers, this excellent album is worth hearing. ~ Victor W. Valdivia, All Music Guide