Rocktrospectiva: The Influential "Night Time" Turns 40

Released on 11 February 1985 "Night Time" was the fifth studio album by the English post-punk band Killing Joke, released in February 1985 produced by Chris Kimsey. The album spawned three singles "Eighties", "Love Like Blood" & "Kings And Queens". It was the an international top album peaked at No. 11 in the UK, No. 8 in New Zealand and No. 50 in Sweden. 

 

The album proved that it was neccessary only 8 tracks to became one of the longest lasting of all new wave bands and also a very influential record that still reaches many bands today. Killing Joke back in 1985 used the new wave of Devo and combined it with the harsh unforgiving landscape around him, utilizing the industrial sounds of several bands in the early 80's, with their earlier aggressive and calmer sound to marked an immediately accesible approach. That tension between the two sides of the band set the balance on this album, and as a result, it is arguably the most importante, fresh and intense album of the band to date, provided with a warm, anthemic quality that became influential on several band, for instante, the single "Eighties" is claimed to have been copued by Nirvana for their single "Come As You Are", this led to lawnsuit against Nirvana but in the end, "Eighties" riff could also have been inspired by the 1982's track "Life Goes On" by The Damned. 

Night Time founds the band at their most ambitious mood yet. Fully aware of their intent, yet never really relaxing into it, constantly aware of trimming away excess and keeping the whole record streamlined and weightless, atmospheric keyboards dart through Coleman's wonderful and quintessentially 'new-wave' vocals, Earth-crushingly heavy riffs shrink-wrap around robotic drumbeats, all of which is rounded off by a constant dull thud of bass throughout, which serves to ground every track. The album works on a very fine line between arty pop noise, and absolute mayhem, yet manages to reign in the latter at the perfect point throughout.

The album opener the title track "Night Time" is a rushed, up tempo grinding track, which rushes to finish itself, but in no way does it sound as forced or bad as it may appear from this description, it races itself. Next comes "Darkness Before Dawn" and "Love Like Blood" are two of the albums most typically new-wave tracks, they sound so in time with 1985, "Love Like Blood" was consequently released as a single, and did surprisingly well, for a world craving more British New-Wave in the style of XTC. It gave many people a taste of the band they didn't soon forget, and as such defined the band's sound for about 10 years. A sound that went on to clearly influence their 90's contemporaries, Faith No More for instance, as heard in the atmospheric lingering keyboards and rolling rhythms of Angel Dust.

The other single "Kings and Queens", was a militant and dark contrast to the fairly upbeat sound of "Love Like Blood". Regardless, the band were on a roll and this single sold similarly well as the previous one, though it may not be as strong or as identifiable a track, it still packs a fairly guttural punch. The remaining tracks on the album finish it off in a similarly abrasive but no less spectacularly listenable fashion, "Tabazan", "Multitudes" and the standout "Europe" provided more ecstatically paranoid, dark and foreboding new-wave from this unlikely hit band. It is on these three tracks that the band seemed most animated, still sounding as edgy, confrontational and powerful today as they did 15 years ago. 

But definitely the key-piece of this record was and still is "Eighties" it is on the last track that this album will perhaps be remembered for. This track kicks off straight away and it is an recognizable and undeniable affront on the band, the riff is identical to "Come as You Are" by Nirvana. 

Killing Jokes long lasting influence the amount of bands who can claim to be huge fans of them, especially with Nirvana and Faith No More, obviously, but there is something more to the band. Their longevity is obviously a factor, but more than that, their attitude was not one of usual punks or new-wave bands. 

 

The album received and gained favourable responses, especially because the band achieved to perfected their balance between antagonism and accessibility. 

 

Night Time Track List: 

1. Night Time

2. Darkness Before Dawn

3. Love Like Blood

4. Kings And Queens

5. Tabazan

6. Multitudes

7. Europe

8. Eighties