This is the best Killing Joke cd in all their years as a vital presence in underground music. Extremities has everything that makes Killing Joke one of the best bands out there, especially the rage and frustration towards the world. It is perhaps their masterpiece, filled with all the right touches from beginning to end. Once the music kicks in, you know that Killing Joke mean serious business.

Jaz Coleman's voice has never been more solid than in this hourlong cd excursion into varied aggression. Many harsh emotions pour out from track to track about such issues as power and greed (Money Is Not Our God)as well as destruction and poverty (Age Of Greed). Coleman's lyrics have never been more passionate and sincere, reacting to the world's problems,"I fill hate...don't be afraid to show your hate".

There is a deep-seeded anger that can't be ignored, listening to Extremities. Raven's bass continues to line in sync with the rest of the band. Geordie's guitars are as fierce as ever, perfect timing. Martin Atkins, formerly of PIL, fills in the drums and pounds amazingly despite the reality that this is the only KJ album he is featured in. "Intravenous" and "Struggle" instantly come to mind.

Deep down, my favorites in this cd are the ones that blend the rage with Coleman's mellower vocals previously heard in 1000 Suns and Outside The Gate. "Solitude" is haunting, esoteric,and filled with desperation. "Slipstream" seems to be a lighter song about time and age, sung to the backdrop of fierce

instrumentation. "North Of The Border" has these great riffs, lyrics, everything, including a nails-on-a-chalkboard effect.

Extremities is a tough-as-nails, poignant, violent response to many things that were wrong with society, and could still be reactive to the current state of affairs in the world. The band were as honest, loose, completely free-willed in their convictions as ever when this cd first came out in 1990. Fifteen years later, it remains Killing Joke's magnum opus.It pretty much sums up everything you need to know about the band.

...passionate, heavy, sensitive, BRILLIANT, melodic, ugly, beautiful, inspirational to all intense, compassionate, hurting and joyful people. This is as complex as the many facets of life. How could anyone who is ALIVE with experience and passion not love this work? If you love what it means to really rock and you use music for strength and energy and DEMAND depth and intelligence in your music then THIS is one for you. I could go on and on but I'll stop here and leave you all with love...

marc

One of the great things about Killing Joke is that there albums vary greatly from each other. From the happy go lucky tribal feel of "Firedances" to the esoteric and almost refined "Brighter than a thousand suns" (recommended) to this amazingly angry and agressive release. The music is packed with true heartfelt emotion that cannot fail to reach you on some level - Highly Recommended.

it's a reissue of an album from the early '90s - a powerhouse of a CD that moves, slams and swings with furious drive and rhythm. Third, it may be the best thing Killing Joke ever did, marrying their love for obtuse rhythm with an unprecedented speed and anger to produce a work of stunning power. And while their convictions occasionally take them a bit over the top - witness the fairly laughable "You are an inspiration to me..." sound bite after "Money Is Not Our God" - it more often lends itself to a blaze of righteous rage (what was that PULP FICTION bible quote? something about feeling "furious anger?" Imagine that concept put to music - with molten guitar and ungodly drumming - and you've got the right idea).

Over the course of the album, the band moves from strength to strength -- ranging from the otherworldly would-be dance song "The Beautiful Dead" to the fantastic speed and anguish of "Slipstream" to the final gotcha! of "Kaliyuga-Struggle," which lures you in with an eerie, almost-soothing two minute instrumental... and then instantaneously segues into the hardest burst of killing music on the album. All in all, this is mighty tasty stuff. Dort, indeed.

Extremities... is the kind of album that you have to respect from a distance. of course, when compared with Killing Joke's first few releases, this doesn't match up. but there is a snarling sense of drive and purpose that cuts through these songs and the album, as a whole, has a wonderfully bleak atmosphere throughout it's running time. a dark grey soundscape of frustration and futile struggle.