Pandemonium is the true start of Killing Joke‘s second (and my preferred) phase. Going from their post-punk roots to fully embracing what had become of the industrial rock sound they pioneered, Killing Joke finally sound ironically at peace again being able to rock out harder than they have since their debut. The fun ’80s new wave and introspective gothic rock of Night Time and Brighter Than a Thousand Suns are gone and replaced with the anger and aggression the band started with on their debut album, multiplied several times over.

Heavy synthesizer dance beats and chugging riffs combined with Jaz Coleman’s vile snarling and shouting make this an invigorating listen. One of Killing Joke’s best, truly. Doesn’t get the credit it deserves when compared to the band’s earlier post-punk albums. This isn’t post-punk, this is straight up industrial rock, but it’s damn some of the best you’ll find. As Jaz Coleman says on “Mathematics of Chaos,” “this state of eternal conflict is all that I’ve found.” Only with Pandemonium do they now finally completely embrace that fact and break their chains.