As part of their second UK headline tour since their formation, Paul Ferguson (aka Big Paul) and his new band – which follows the closing chapter of Killing Joke after Geordie’s untimely passing – performed a full set taken from their only studio album, ‘Collateral’, which was released last year, and their selection of EPs.
Formed of Fred Schreck (lead vocals) and Pauly Williams (guitar), they opened on the bellow of ‘Aftershock’ and the ancient ‘Nebula’, then Schreck’s vocals alternated with Ferguson in ‘Tipping Point’ and Ferguson’s cymbal touches embellished ‘Distraction’. The band, whilst taking its DNA from Ferguson’s last band, Killing Joke, has its own uniquely dark energetic, cosmological sound that has allowed Ferguson to experiment more with expansive drumming techniques.
The onomatopoeic and chaotic clatter of drums during ‘Worlds Collide’ and one handed drumming in the not necessarily cynical ‘Dark Hope’ paired with Williams’ dark electronic guitar, which at times echoes Geordie’s style, is a further example of how this band sounds like the dark and complex subjects and lyrical content it writes about.
The primordial mechanics of ‘Edge of Fate’ was underpinned by a synth drone and heightened by Schreck’s dystopian lyrics; his vocal tones providing a wise man’s outlook on a world spinning out of control. LOE’s set culminated on ‘Fascist X’: aimed at Donald Trump and the ever turning tide towards darker times, it had an unmistakably boxy drumming resonance to songs such as ‘Pssyche’ by Killing Joke. The band returned for an encore of ‘Explode’, their set length delivering everything in their comprehensive repertoire.
05/08/26: Light of Eternity @ The Water Rats, London.
Photos © Peter Tainsh.
© Ayisha Khan.