Killing Joke tour & new album

[gizzard]

http://www.killingjoke.com/

New Killing Joke Album ’2012′
February 7, 2012
April 2nd sees Killing Joke release their new album, ’2012′, on Spinefarm Records / Universal.

2012 is the perfect year for us to be releasing an album that is as dense and as dark as the surrounding swirls of madness in the world. At a time when the news is fast-forward and the planet seems to be descending into madness, who better than Killing Joke to reflect this?

The album’s key is the end of times, an age of flux, a shift in consciousness…

“I can’t see the point contemplating extreme life extinction – it’s good for nothing. It’s nihilism in the absolute even considering it.” – Jaz Coleman

This kind of thinking sets the tone for this powerful record, with 2012 and the state of flux the key issue…

“It’s in many different calendars – the great unveiling, the sky and the earth coming together. It’s a significant date. In the autumn, there is a major planetary alignment, and on that day I’m doing this rock festival, ‘A Party At The End of The Earth’, which is going to be in New Zealand. Everything is speeding up. It’s not just our minds shrinking. We are heading towards the Eschaton and no-one really knows what’s going to happen.”

The album reflects this dark vision, but Jaz Coleman sees the great change in a more positive light – the dawning of the Age Of Aquarius…

“All the remote viewers I know, myself included, cannot penetrate beyond. This year is about getting our collective dreams in order, restoring the biosphere, the idea of well-being as opposed to economic growth, the idea of partnership and co-creation with fellow human beings, moving away from national boundaries and more towards what Schiller and Beethoven were saying in some of their work.”

The album’s themes are political, anti-capitalist and forward-looking…

“If we can concentrate on what it can be, the dream of clean streams, of re-forestation, of permaculture, of disengaging all the banks – identifying all the majority shareholders of the top 100 corporations and dismantling them. If we start dreaming of a fairer system and defining what an elite should be – an intellectual powerhouse and not international bankers.”

Jaz laughs that wild laugh and stares.

“This is what I’m touching on with the songs; ‘Fema Camp’ is about the concentration camps they have been building in America; ‘Corporate Elect’ needs no explanation; ‘Rapture’ is the way I perceive a Killing Joke concert – it’s a spiritual experience for myself to get into that state of grace… music is the theme of mantra. I’m not into organised religion at all, but I’ve always liked what Fela Kuti did in Nigeria, playing music like it was a temple. Maybe we will evolve into a time where we will be performing for ritualistic and spiritual reasons alone and not for monetary reasons?”

“There’s a song called ‘On All Hallows Eve’, which is about my belief in ancestor worship, backed up by quantum theories that there is no death. You only ever remember the time-line that you are alive in – you can’t remember being dead because you never were. ‘Colony Collapse’ is about what’s happening, what’s going on out there. ‘Poleshift’ is the first track on the album and about the potential polar shift of the earth’s magnetic field, its erratic behaviour, and also the polar shift that will be needed.”

The 11 album tracks are an avalanche of sound that is empowering whilst jolting you awake. They are as fascinating as chatting with Coleman, as he talks of future humans living forever but with no emotions, and of the Age Of Aquarius and the cycles of time, the shift in the earth’s electro-magnetic field, the end of extreme capitalism, the Arab Spring and how his trips to Cairo to record music have added to his belief that when Cairo falls everywhere else follows…

’2012′ is possibly Killing Joke’s best album ever, and fittingly Mike Coles, long-time Killing Joke collaborator and artistic genius, has completed the artwork.

To celebrate the album’s release, Killing Joke will be streaming the track ‘Rapture’ as a taster on YouTube
‘2012’ is a dense and multi-layered work. Killing Joke have never sounded so intense. The songs are great washes of sound – a death disco with huge slabs of guitar that soundtracks these dangerous times.

‘2012’ is an end-of-time album that somehow finds moments of optimism in the downward swirl of the planet.
Finding hope in the apocalypse, this album just could be their masterpiece.

‘2012’ formats & track-listing
CD/Digital Album
1.Pole Shift
2.Fema Camp
3.Rapture
4.Colony Collapse
5.Corporate Elect
6.In Cythera
7.Primobile
8.Glitch
9.Trance
10. On All Hallow’s Eve

Double Coloured Gatefold Vinyl
SIDE A:
1.Pole Shift
2.Fema Camp
SIDE B:
1.Rapture
2.Colony Collapse
3.Corporate Elect
SIDE C:
1.In Cythera
2.Primobile
3.Glitch
SIDE D:
1.Trance
2.On All Hallow’s Eve

Itunes Album
Itunes exclusive track
11. New Uprising

[Blackbeered]

Very interesting piece that - can't wait to hear the album.....another new one so soon....

While I can't always agree with Jaz's points of view - sometimes I don't even get what he's on about - he is always very thought provoking and never dull to listen to/read about.

For example the line about "....belief in ancestor worship, backed up by quantum theories that there is no death. You only ever remember the time-line that you are alive in – you can’t remember being dead because you never were. - a subject of great interest to me and a possible theory to "what's next".


I am wondering about the need to release the vinyl on a double though......two (and three) songs per side You'd be forever turning the record over

Btw, here's the taster of Rapture that was mentioned........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCsRwRYXFkg

[Hammer]

Thanks Gizz and BB.

New track sounds immense.

[Alias]

Btw, here's the taster of Rapture that was mentioned........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCsRwRYXFkg

Bloody hell, that sounds just like Killing Joke.

Nice one.

[Rodney Blackstaff]

Rapture is fecking brilliant!!!

Easily the best thing I have heard all bloody year, just wish I had booked more fecking gigs!!!

Loyalties severely tested this March!!!

Rodders

[APOLLO79]

Rapture is fecking brilliant!!!

Easily the best thing I have heard all bloody year, just wish I had booked more fecking gigs!!!

Loyalties severely tested this March!!!

Rodders

[Rodney Blackstaff]

Rapture is fecking brilliant!!!

Easily the best thing I have heard all bloody year, just wish I had booked more fecking gigs!!!

Loyalties severely tested this March!!!

Rodders

Kicking meself now mate!!!

[mantheylovetohate]

They're out in Europe at the same time as the MiB, maybe you could take in one out there...

Rapture sounds great- start reminds me of the live version of Do The European!!

[Rodney Blackstaff]

They're out in Europe at the same time as the MiB, maybe you could take in one out there...

Rapture sounds great- start reminds me of the live version of Do The European!!

Gent might be a starter!!!!

[SHE SHOULDNT DO THAT]

Rapture is fecking brilliant!!!

Easily the best thing I have heard all bloody year, just wish I had booked more fecking gigs!!!

Loyalties severely tested this March!!!

Rodders

secunded, i am suffering the same dilemma.

[Rodney Blackstaff]

Rapture is fecking brilliant!!!

Easily the best thing I have heard all bloody year, just wish I had booked more fecking gigs!!!

Loyalties severely tested this March!!!

Rodders

secunded, i am suffering the same dilemma.

I feel tour pain!

[jem750]

Already missing the MIB on the 16th in Brighton as tickets booked for Killing Joke months ago!