Hosannas from the Basements of Hell
Encyclopedia
Hosannas from the Basements of Hell is the thirteenth studio album by Killing Joke
released on April 3, 2006 under Cooking Vinyl Records. The track "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell" was released as a single, and made it to #72 in the UK. Tracks "Invocation" and "Implosion" were also released as singles, both receiving radio-air time, and were released on a promo single CDr. Along with "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell", the single was labeled by Cooking Vinyl.
The cover artwork is taken from a painting by Russia
n artist Victor Safonkin
entitled "Inhuman rearing". The artwork featured in the inside booklet is taken from "Society of Good Inventions and Hidden Aims", by the same painter.
The album title refers to the location of the album recording. The band recorded the album in a dark basement studio in the Czech Republic. They also used recording equipment from the late 1970s to achieve the dark, brooding atmosphere of the album.
This was Killing Joke's last studio album to feature bassist Paul Raven, who died in October 2007.
Keith Bergman, writer for Blabbermouth, described the album as "...perfect post-millennial music, the sound of a world merrily driving itself off the deep end. KILLING JOKE are a primal scream of humanity drowning in a tsunami of man-made disorder, headed straight to hell and laughing the whole way down, like Slim Pickens riding the A-bomb at the end of "Dr. Strangelove". You won't find a more blown-out, wild-eyed freakout on the record store shelves any time soon."
Paul Brannigan, editor for Kerrang!
magazine, argued "Out of step with the world they might well be, but Killing Joke's righteous frenzy still feels horribly necessary."
Alec A. Head of Satan Stole My Teddybear said that "while they still are content with beating the living shit out of you with simplistically brutal but appropriately dense music, they still have a few new tricks up their collective sleeve, even if the album itself does not necessarily surpass its predecessor", adding that "the title track, 'Invocation', and 'Implosion' are simply among the best songs the Joke has ever put to tape." The BNR Metal Pages listed the album at #1 on its 2006 Top Ten List.
Japan CD bonus track
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
released on April 3, 2006 under Cooking Vinyl Records. The track "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell" was released as a single, and made it to #72 in the UK. Tracks "Invocation" and "Implosion" were also released as singles, both receiving radio-air time, and were released on a promo single CDr. Along with "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell", the single was labeled by Cooking Vinyl.
The cover artwork is taken from a painting by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n artist Victor Safonkin
Victor Safonkin
Victor Safonkin is a surrealist painter.Victor Safonkin's work is self-described as Eurosurrealism, or European classic surrealism & symbolism. His work is redolent of Salvador Dali or more particularly Hieronymus Bosch. Victor's work has been highly acclaimed, and in 2005 he was invited to...
entitled "Inhuman rearing". The artwork featured in the inside booklet is taken from "Society of Good Inventions and Hidden Aims", by the same painter.
The album title refers to the location of the album recording. The band recorded the album in a dark basement studio in the Czech Republic. They also used recording equipment from the late 1970s to achieve the dark, brooding atmosphere of the album.
This was Killing Joke's last studio album to feature bassist Paul Raven, who died in October 2007.
Reception
Reception for Hosannas from the Basements of Hell was near universal. David Jeffries of Allmusic said "the Joke sound absolutely free and grand here, allowing songs to stretch well past the five-minute mark and just begging the detractors to have at it by sitting firm on their classic delivery", adding that "newcomers may find this all too much to take in, while old fans can cherish the band's most personal album as another victory." Adrien Begrand of PopMatters called the album "everything we’d ever want from a Killing Joke record" and "their finest album in well over a decade."Keith Bergman, writer for Blabbermouth, described the album as "...perfect post-millennial music, the sound of a world merrily driving itself off the deep end. KILLING JOKE are a primal scream of humanity drowning in a tsunami of man-made disorder, headed straight to hell and laughing the whole way down, like Slim Pickens riding the A-bomb at the end of "Dr. Strangelove". You won't find a more blown-out, wild-eyed freakout on the record store shelves any time soon."
Paul Brannigan, editor for Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine, argued "Out of step with the world they might well be, but Killing Joke's righteous frenzy still feels horribly necessary."
Alec A. Head of Satan Stole My Teddybear said that "while they still are content with beating the living shit out of you with simplistically brutal but appropriately dense music, they still have a few new tricks up their collective sleeve, even if the album itself does not necessarily surpass its predecessor", adding that "the title track, 'Invocation', and 'Implosion' are simply among the best songs the Joke has ever put to tape." The BNR Metal Pages listed the album at #1 on its 2006 Top Ten List.
Track listing
All tracks written by Coleman/Walker/Raven- "This Tribal Antidote" – 4:15
- "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell" – 5:52
- "Invocation" – 7:54
- "Implosion" – 6:41
- "Majestic" – 5:40
- "Walking with Gods" – 8:36
- "The Lightbringer" – 9:38
- "Judas Goat" – 6:21
- "Gratitude" – 7:04
Japan CD bonus track
- "Universe B" - 6:13
Personnel
- Jaz ColemanJaz ColemanJeremy "Jaz" Coleman is a musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is notable for his vocal contributions to rock band Killing Joke...
- vocals, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Kevin "Geordie" WalkerGeordie WalkerKevin "Geordie" Walker is a rock musician, best known as the guitarist from the post-punk group Killing Joke.-Life and career:...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Paul Raven - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ben Calvert - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Charts
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
72 |
| France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
173 |