(From The Works, "Your Total Entertainment Magazine" from the UK, April 2006.)

Killing Joke

Hosannas From the Basements of Hell

Publisher    Cooking VInyl

Out                April 3

Rating          **** 

Despite having been around for 25 years and having a massive influence on a whole host of bands, Killing Joke are little known outside the post-punk and metal scene. Bands such as Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails and Metallica owe a huge debt to Coleman, Raven and co., with Nirvana nearly ending up in court after having ripped off a Killing Joke guitar riff for Come As You Are.

With their latest album, the band certainly hasn't lost any of its bite: in fact Hosannas may be their hardest, most industrial and Gothic work to date. On the title track the bass and drums are as pulsating as ever with heavy, distorted production staying true to their early 80s material, and Invocation builds like an industrial Kashmir, complete with an elaborate string arrangement.

The Verdict  Harder and more complex than they once were, but this bites and snarls as any Killing Joke record before it.

JPG