Pandemonium is the ninth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 25 July 1994 by Butterfly Records. The album marked Killing Joke's return after a four-year hiatus, the longest the band had taken since it was founded. It also featured the return of founding member Youth, who replaced Paul Raven on bass.
Content
The vocal tracks for "Pandemonium", "Exorcism" and "Millennium" were recorded in the King's Chamber of The Great Pyramid of Giza. The session was filmed by director Shaun Pettigrew and features in the Killing Joke documentary The Death And Resurrection Show (2013) which also details alleged paranormal experiences during the recording.Coleman, Jaz (2013). Letters from Cythera, p. 378. self-published.
Frontman Jaz Coleman considered Pandemonium to be a conceptual album on the external influence of Arabic music, which was spread throughout the album. It also incorporated his perspective on life, which is apparent in songs such as "Labyrinth" and "Pleasures of the Flesh".
A track called "Hallucinations of a Cynic" was also recorded, but left off the album.Hämäläinen, Jyrki "Spider" (2020). Killing Joke: Are You Receiving?, p. 143. Milton Keynes: New Haven Publishing. .
The title track, as well as "Communion" and "Whiteout", would become live staples of the band.
Release
Pandemonium was released in July 1994 by Youth's record label Butterfly Records.
The singles "Millennium" and "Pandemonium" both reached the UK top 40 and the album is the band's best selling work.
It was reissued in remastered form in 2005, featuring two additional tracks: a remix of "Another Cult Goes Down" and an experimental dub remix of "Pandemonium". The original version of "Another Cult Goes Down" has remained unreleased.
In 2020, Spinefarm Records reissued Pandemonium as part of the band's 40th anniversary.
Reception
Pandemonium has been generally moderately-well received by critics.
Kerrang! magazine wrote, "Gargantuanly heavy, catchy and hilarious at turns, Pandemonium yokes pounding slabs of techno-metal to Coleman's cosmic visions, to exhilarating, trance-inducing effect". Trouser Press described it as "a significant upgrade from Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions".
The Guardian described the album as a return to form for the band.
Track listing
Personnel
Killing Joke
Jaz Coleman – vocals, synthesizer Kevin "Geordie" Walker – guitar Martin "Youth" Glover – bass guitar, production, mixing
Additional personnel
Geoff Dugmore – drums Tom Larkin – drums Larry De Zoete – drums Hossam Ramzy – percussion Said El Artist – percussion Aboud Abdel Al – violin Matt Austin – programming Paddy Free – programming
Technical
Greg Hunter – production, engineering, mixing Ron Saint Germain – mixing Sameh Almazny – engineering assistance Natalie Heath – engineering assistance Matt Howe – engineering assistance Sheldon Isaac – engineering assistance Mike Coles – cover design
Charts Chart (1994) Peakposition UK Albums Chart 16 U.S. Billboard Heatseekers 39
References
External links