"Exorcism" is Killing Joke's first single from their ninth studio album, '' Pandemonium''. It was released on 11 March 1994 by Butterfly Records. "Exorcism", like " Money Is Not Our God", failed to chart on the

UK Singles Charts The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

Background

In 1990,

Killing Joke Killing Joke are an English rock music, rock band from Notting Hill, London, England, formed in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Ki ...

agreed to take a hiatus from writing studio material. Although the song "Change" was remixed by Martin "Youth" Glover in 1992, the band decided to take another year off until he was ready to return to the band. In an April 1994

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

interview, after the release of ''Pandemonium'',

Jaz Coleman Jeremy "Jaz" Coleman (born 26 February 1960) is an English singer and musician. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as the lead vocalist and keyboardist of post-punk group Killing Joke. Coleman is known for his unique raspy baritone voic ...

stated that he was "not together "walking the shores", if you like," during the 10-year period of Youth's absence and the relocation to Iceland (''see: " Empire Song"''), saying, "I feel that the difference between now and the early days is we feel more focused, we feel more in control of our own destinies, if we want to put out a record, we put out a record. We don't ask for permission from anyone and we decide things within our own group as individuals." In mid-1993, Killing Joke began writing new material, and in August of that year, they performed "Exorcism" for the first time live in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...

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Releases

"Exorcism" was released in several versions including remixes and live performances. The original album version was not featured on any of the releases. The first release of "Exorcism" was a 10" and CD single, both on Butterfly Records, a label created by Glover. The

A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

featured "Exorcism (Live in King's Chamber, Cairo August 1993 Mix) Edit" and "Exorcism (A Germanic Interpretation)(Unification Catastrophe-Full Length Mandra Gora Remix)", which was remixed by Mandra Gora (real name: Johann Bley). The

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

featured "Whiteout (The Intellect Is Ugly Remix)(Mandra Gora Edit)", "Another Cult Goes Down (Portobello Mix)" (later appearing on the 2005 reissue of ''Pandemonium'') and "Exorcism (The Bretonic Revenge)(Total Eclipse Remix Edit)". The latter was remixed by Total Eclipse (real name: Stephane Holweck). The second release of "Exorcism" was as an unofficial, limited-edition 12" single, also on Butterfly Records. It did not include "Another Cult Goes Down (Portobello Mix)".

Reception

Ned Raggert of

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

described "Exorcism" as a "straight-ahead rampage" and said that it "shows that

hasn't forgotten the power of sheer intensity, and if Ferguson's sheer power and inventiveness is missed the most here, the results are still a thrilling, fierce listen." Adrien Begrand of

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

praised "Exorcism": " tis every bit as vicious as Pandemonium is stately, a seven and a half-minute explosion of industrial-fused rage, Coleman commanding in his Lemmy-esque voice, 'Watch the ugliness rise… Let it out, let it rise,' punctuating the verses with vulgar hacks and coughs."

Track listings

10" single

;Side A #"Exorcism (Live in King's Chamber Cairo August 1993 Mix) Edit" – 05:24 #"Exorcism (A Germanic Interpretation) (Unification Catastrophe - Full Length Mandra Gora Remix)" – 07:30Mixed by Mandra Gora ;Side B #"Whiteout (The Intellect Is Ugly Remix) (Mandra Gora Edit)" – 04:13 #"Another Cult Goes Down (Portobello Mix)" – 06:17 #"Exorcism (The Bretonic Revenge) (Total Eclipse Remix Edit)" – 06:12Mixed by Total Eclipse

12" single

;Side A #"Exorcism (Live in King's Chamber Cairo August 1993 Mix) Edit" – 05:24 #"Exorcism (A Germanic Interpretation) (Unification Catastrophe - Full Length Mandra Gora Remix)" – 07:30 ;Side B #"Whiteout (The Intellect Is Ugly Remix) (Mandra Gora Edit)" – 04:13 #"Another Cult Goes Down (Portobello Mix)" – 06:17 #"Exorcism (The Bretonic Revenge) (Total Eclipse Remix Edit)" – 06:12

CD single

#"Exorcism (Live in King's Chamber Cairo August 1993 Mix (Edit))" – 05:24 #"Exorcism (A Germanic Interpretation) (Unification Catastrophe - Full Length Mandra Gora Remix)" – 07:30 #"Whiteout (The Intellect Is Ugly Remix) (Mandra Gora Edit)" – 04:13 #"Another Cult Goes Down (Portobello Mix)" – 06:17 #"Exorcism (The Bretonic Revenge) (Total Eclipse Remix Edit)" – 06:12

Track listings notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Exorcism 1994 songs Killing Joke songs Songs written by Jaz Coleman Songs written by Geordie Walker Songs written by Youth (musician)