Killing Joke-nightime

Killing Joke-Nightime(1985) Killing joke in the mid 80s were in this strange position as they seemed to be out their on their own in terms of sounds. At the time the big indie bans like New order, Cocteau Twins, the smiths all had their unique style of music. With Killing Joke they were no different but they were obviously formed at the time of punk, then rode into the post punk scene. Then when all other bands decided to stop or break up Killing Joke kept on going. The fact is as well that they were always on a major label but you would not have thought it due to their style of music. In 1982 the band sort of broke in two and then reformed with different members and the style seemed to featured more dominant drum sound into the mix, personally I like the Fire dances album which is an almost experimental style sound. If any of you reading this want to check out the ferocity of Killing joke at this time check out the 1983 appearance on the tube, especially the track Frenzy. Anyway going back to 'Nightime' the album was released shortly after the track 'Love Like Blood' for all purposes this will always remain the main track Killing Joke will be remembered for. It achieved chart success. At the time that track in its kind of classic rock format probably introduced a lot of people to the sound. Its the tracks that were not singles that I love about the album. The Album starts with 'nightime' and then goes into 'Darkness before the Dawn'. All though the album that was released a year later called 'Brighter than a 1000 suns' the sound of both albums is similar, all though the synths are more upfront on the original mix. The album then goes into the singles 'Love Like Blood' & 'Kings and Queens'. 'Tabazan ' is a song about sex, but in a killing joke kind of way. Then it goes into 'Multitudes' and 'Europe and then finished with the track 'Eighties' a song which instantly dates due to its title. There was an interview I heard with Jaz Coleman in about 1986 and he did predict many things that happened many years later. I always remember that he recommended people buy property at a timer when people weren’t and predicted many things. He semmed a visionary in his thinking and of course his bands sound. Killing Jokes sound was a mixture of so many different influences , part of me thinks that the bands like Pink Floyd, Sabbath may have influenced them before the punk scene came along and that was maybe the catalyst to start things. The Sound of Nighttime is the sound of a band rising to greater things , a band independent in thinking and sound , independent at the time in terms of experimentation and major label in terms of backing at that time. Nightime is a truly brilliant post punk album.