killing joke (!?)
Looks like they merged the two Killing Joke "Millenium" singles into one for the US release. Lucky us!
Killing Joke - Millenium
BMG 72445-14149-2
Aotearoa Mix
Cybersank Edit
Back To Orion Mix
Cybersank Extended Remix
23 Minutes To Midnight Mix
Dissolving Particles Reaction Mix
Exorcism (A Germanic Interpretation - Unification Catastrophe Mandragora
Remix Edit)
In its original form (the first track), this is a heavy rock track with loud
guitar riffing and shouted, near-distorted vocals. The real heavy bits
remind me of Motorhead actually. If you like that sort of thing (and I do,
occasionally), it's not bad. The more melodic sections are actually kinda
catchy, too.
Cybersank's two versions are almost identical to the original, just adding
some typical industrial sound effects (servo whines, clanks) in places.
The Back To Orion mix is by Juno Reactor, which surprised me until I
remembered that Ben Watkins worked with Youth in the past. The mix is an
interesting meld of "Transmissions"-style Juno Reactor drum programming 'n'
heavy synths mixed with some of the guitar sounds from the original. Nice,
actually; there's a lot of detail in the background synth sounds (something
that remixers tend to neglect since they're in a hurry to bang out the
product). I've often fantasized about adding some metal guitar elements to
a dance track and they've made a good stab at it here.
Track 5 is a Drum Club mix, and it's typical of their dance style: lots of
gated sounds over a standard house/trance drum beat. Some backwards vocals
and the occasional guitar hit from the track are mixed in. Uplifting
progressive trance, I guess you'd call it.
Track 6 is the real bargain: a Youth/Greg Hunter mix which goes way out into
space for heavy droney synths with major filter manipulation going on. Nice
murky drum kit with laser blips for percussion. Space out in full effect -
lovely.
Johann Bley's "germanic interpretation" is of a different song, "Exorcism".
He's given us an aggressive techno workout with a generous helping of
guitars and shouted vocals over throbbing synths and 909 drums.
Well, it's not "Change" or "Eighties" but it's pretty cool with the
standouts for me being (predictably) the Juno Reactor, Drum Club and
Youth/Greg Hunter mixes. Not bad though for $5, and of course there's
always the rock stuff for when I'm in the mood to piss off the neighbors.
over and out
/jon