Killing Joke anyone???


So I've always been a fan of theirs, but never bought anything by them.  I finally bought a few of their CDs a few weeks ago, among them, Hosannas.  Because of time constraints, I couldn't find the time to get to my main rig, until last night.   I had an idea what I would be in for on Hosannas based on what I heard in the car.  But no, I wasn't even close. I was so far off.  The amount of sound and dynamics and energy and literally visceral impact was something I hadn't experienced before from my main rig that I thought I had experienced with other CDs.  But clearly, not like this. My eyes and my ears were at odds with each other because the equipment I was looking at, I thought, was not capable of producing that type of enormity.   It was a giant wall of music that made me feel like I was at one of their concerts, only better.  I felt like I was punched in the face at the very opening of the first track.  I sat back and took the best beating of my life because it only got better.   What a recording.  I was left open-mouthed and dumbfounded.  I'd love to hear anyone's similar experience, regardless of artist.
shtinkydog
i played the hell out of their first two records when i was younger and they were as you say, very visceral. their later stuff sounded kind of polished and disco to me and didn't get repeat listens, but that early stuff is excellent.
LJ:  funny you mentioned the word polished.  right after hossanas, I threw on Depeche Mode's lie to me, just so my ears would adjust and unplug, recover, if that's the right word.  I swear it sounded like soooper dooooper clean syrup or something.  I had to laugh.  hossanas earfukt me like no other.   :)
I loved KJ from the moment I first heard them in 1980. Their music IS like a wall of sound. As Loomis stated, their later releases became highly polished and more like club music, even with the energy and angst.
They returned to their raw sound with the original members on their album Absolute Dissent. Fantastic songs, unfortunately they're unlistenable due to overcompression. No more textured production and dynamics from this point on.