Pandemonium is the ninth studio album by English post-punk band Killing Joke, released on 2 August 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.
Pandemonium | ||||
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Studio album by Killing Joke | ||||
Released | 2 August 1994 (1994-08-02) | |||
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Length | 62:37 | |||
Label | Butterfly/Zoo | |||
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Killing Joke chronology | ||||
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Singles from Pandemonium | ||||
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The vocal tracks for "Pandemonium", "Exorcism" and "Millennium" were recorded in the King's Chamber of The Great Pyramid of Giza.[citation needed] 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.[1][2]
Frontman Jaz Coleman considered Pandemonium to be a conceptual album on the external influence of Arabic music, which was spread throughout the album.[citation needed] It also incorporated his perspective on life, which is apparent in songs such as "Labyrinth" and "Pleasures of the Flesh".[citation needed]
A track called "Hallucinations of a Cynic" was also recorded, but left off the album.[3]
The title track, as well as "Communion" and "Whiteout", would become live staples of the band.[citation needed]
Pandemonium was released on 2 August 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.[2]
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".
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Kerrang! | 4/5[6] |
PopMatters | 7/10[7] |
MusicHound Rock | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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".[6] Trouser Press described it as "a significant upgrade from Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions".[9]
The Guardian described the album as a return to form for the band.[10]
All tracks are written by Killing Joke (Jaz Coleman, Youth and Geordie Walker).
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Pandemonium" | 6:42 |
2. | "Exorcism" | 7:26 |
3. | "Millennium" | 5:34 |
4. | "Communion" | 6:56 |
5. | "Black Moon" | 5:19 |
6. | "Labyrinth" | 5:55 |
7. | "Jana" | 4:06 |
8. | "Whiteout" | 5:43 |
9. | "Pleasures of the Flesh" | 5:42 |
10. | "Mathematics of Chaos" | 7:24 |
No. | Title | Length |
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11. | "Pandemonium" (A Thread of Steel in the Suspension Bridge of Time and Space Mix) | 9:18 |
12. | "Another Cult Goes Down" (Portobello Mix) | 6:19 |
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Chart (1994) | Peak position |
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UK Albums Chart | 16 |
U.S. Billboard Heatseekers | 39 |
Killing Joke | |
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Studio albums | |
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Singles |
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Related articles |
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