Killing Joke's followup to their debut album is in many ways a superior effort-- the sound worked on the first album is honed and refined for this one-- "what's THIS for...!" FEELS like the followup to the debut, but there's a bit more consistency-- the material doesn't quite reach the peak of the first album but all of it is of a higher quality.

Opening with a tribal tour-de-force, the first three songs-- "The Fall of Because", "Tension", and "Unspeakable" are one after another more and more compelling-- with Geordie's swirling punk guitars, Youth's funky bass lines, and Paul Ferguson anchoring everything on the drums, vocalist Jaz Coleman can paint his picture of the collapse of society. "Unspeakable" in particular, about a housewife commenting on the "color scheme" of a mushroom cloud, is totally brilliant and begins introducing variety in vocal styles-- the first shades of things to come. The record in general is actually a bit smoother than the followup, maintaining the tribal/dub/dance feel that was so well illustrated on the previous record but losing some of the sort of proto-industrial sounds.

Admittedly, the album for me dips a bit after this, a couple of the songs are a bit overlong and drag (the otherwise superb "Butcher" and "Madness", which would have benefited from an outside producer pulling the plug 2-3 minutes earlier), but there's still the superb, tribally driven "Follow the Leaders" on the album, another Joke classic.

This remaster, well worth the investment, upgrades the sound to superb effect-- the record is much louder and in-your-face and direct, but more to the point, a lot of subtlety and sparkle in the playing comes forth-- as I write this, I've got "Unspeakable" playing right now and the roundness and detail of attack to Youth's bass tone is something I've never heard before. Ditto for the high pitched synth in the background of "Butcher"-- I don't think I even knew it was there. This is pretty prevelent throughout the album-- the mud has been cleaned up in the sound. The recording is augmented by three bonus tracks, two dub mixes (of "Follow the Leaders" and "Madness") and an old b-side, "Brilliant". I'm not much one for remixes (dub or otherwise), but "Brilliant" is gem well worth having. I'd never heard it before, its quite uncharacteristic for Killing Joke, a breakneck beat and funky bass groove and odd-ball grunting and squealing noises on top that I think is a guitar (its really quite hard to tell). It is kind of curious that it was included on this album as it was the b-side to "Empire Song" from "Revelations", but whatever, I'm glad to have it. Add to this expanded artwork by the original artist, and you've really got quite a nice package.

This album is a real gem, and one of the best the band ever put out. The band was way ahead of their time, and like their debut album, this one could have been recorded yesterday. Maybe not as good a place to start as the debut record, but ultimately a more satisfying recording.

Every single KJ's work is worth listening to (and some a bona fine masterpiecess), but this one is simply in a class of its own. Every single rock band ever formed has been under some kind of personal delusion: from The Doors shamanic nonsense to the Offrspring's faux punk rock aesthetic, everyone had its own pretense, its own personal way to nobilitate their own musical effort. All - except Killing Joke. They never pretended - they lived to the extreme consequences (musical and human) their relentless pursuit for the definitive energy-in-art. And not, we're not speaking of taking loads of (...), reciting the Lord's Prayer "au contraire" or posing as a street thug. No sir - they REALLY mean it. They looked to that energy inside themselves, and what they found was probably more of what they had bargained for. "What This For" may not be KJ most complex work, but is their most terryfing hour. It's simple, alien, monstrous, entertaining (almost every single track will send you in a frenzied spin), ironic and cruel. It was (20 years ago!) the thing poor (...) like Korn or (... forbid) Marilyn Manson have tried to do and always failed to do. It's the thing every black/occult metal band has dreamed of, but you'll not find any occult mumbo-jumbo (expect the Alesteir Crowly quote in the title of the opening track "The FAll of Because"). It's a record with an immense sound, almost derisively played almost completely in a single take (except the vocals) and self produced with a raw energy that no producer has captured since (with maybe the exception of Steve Albini). Each song is memorable - even if the band hated "Follow The Leader" - but some are outstanding. Some (like "Tension" or "Exit") are warlike tunes you could kill for. Some (like "This Is Madness", a Last Poets quote, or "The Butcher" are eerie and discordant). Sone (like "The Fall Of Because") conveys a feeling like you're watching your last evening on earth. But one - the aptly titled "Unspeakable" gives you a brief glimpse of the abyss. It's (literally) an "unspeakable" feeling of dread, the Thing You Are Most Afraid Of But It Fascinates You, whatever it may be. I managed to see the effect of this songs on a huge but sparse audience in Italy back in 1982. Three quarter of the punters where shivering, one quarter (mee included) was fascinated, like a butterfly spiraling towards a flame. I remember a girl sobbing desperately outside the club, and saying that she didn't wanted to see'em anymore, neither to hear one more note of their music. I understood her feeling completely, but I couldn't help being hooked by what I've seen and heard. Many years have passed - years of excitement, sorrow and struggle, for each one of us, KJ included. They have released many fine records (Revelations, Fire Dances and Extremities being my favourites), and it's probable that we'll hear of them again soon. But I still wait for "What's This For" successor. I just can't help...

"Whats THIS For...!", the answer is playing over and over again. Killing Jokes second offering to the world see's them developing their sound. The guitars have shed their former sludgy sabbathesque, and adopted a stark industrial squall. If fact stark is perhaps the single world that best sums up WTF. The music invades the senses like a burning light as it conjures up apocalyptic visions.

"The Fall Of Because" opens the album, with its clanging mechanical rhythm, and the album doesn't let up from there. There isn't a bad track on offer here, and the lyrical content is perhaps the best on ANY album I've ever heard. Jaz Coleman savages the world around him, in such a visceral manner the fainter hearted listener should beware of it. From "This Is Madness" which attacks the religious right to "Butcher"'s slamming of the world leaders with the rather prophetic line "crawling for oil they were bleeding for gold", "Whats THIS For..!" simply confirms the fact that Killing Joke were then, and still are ahead of their time.

If you desire music that confronts and challenges, you'll be hard pressed to find an album that surpasses this one.

This is numero uno. They should have split up after this because they never bettered it. A monster dub electro record with bits of Glitter band thrown in. Wonderful noises and experimentation going on in the background, especially on 'Madness.' They would rarely be this free form again. Avante-garde vocals of yelps are thankfully in the background whereas later on Coleman's pompous personality would dominate. Memorable drumming from big Paul sounds like a herd of elephants stomping through your living room. 'Fall Of Because' makes me think of a T-Rex for some reason. A friend of a friend used to break up his furniture to this record which tells you all you need to know. Unbeatable. Unspeakable. Buy now or forever hold your peace.

Killing Joke's followup to their debut album is in many ways a superior effort-- the sound worked on the first album is honed and refined for this one-- "what's THIS for...!" FEELS like the followup to the debut, but there's a bit more consistency-- the material doesn't quite reach the peak of the first album but all of it is of a higher quality.

Opening with a tribal tour-de-force, the first three songs-- "The Fall of Because", "Tension", and "Unspeakable" are one after another more and more compelling-- with Geordie's swirling punk guitars, Youth's funky bass lines, and Paul Ferguson anchoring everything on the drums, vocalist Jaz Coleman can paint his picture of the collapse of society. "Unspeakable" in particular, about a housewife commenting on the "color scheme" of a mushroom cloud, is totally brilliant and begins introducing variety in vocal styles-- the first shades of things to come. The record in general is actually a bit smoother than the followup, maintaining the tribal/dub/dance feel that was so well illustrated on the previous record but losing some of the sort of proto-industrial sounds.

Admittedly, the album for me dips a bit after this, a couple of the songs are a bit overlong and drag (the otherwise superb "Butcher" and "Madness", which would have benefited from an outside producer pulling the plug 2-3 minutes earlier), but there's still the superb, tribally driven "Follow the Leaders" on the album, another Joke classic.

Shortcomings aside, this album as a real gem, and one of the best the band ever put out. The only possible complaint is that it sorely needs remastering (Edit: There is now an imported remaster available with bonus tracks, and the sonic upgrade is well worth the extra few bucks investment), but the band was way ahead of their time, and like their debut album, this one could have been recorded yesterday. Maybe not as good a place to start as the debut record, but ultimately a more satisfying recording.