If you’re a collector of all things Killing Joke, you might want to sit down for this one. Overdrive Records and Invisible Records have teamed up to release what they are calling the “Holy Grail” for fans of the band. On February 27th, 2026, we are finally getting a vinyl release that brings together the legendary Steve Albini demo sessions and a recording of a secret show from 1988.
This release dives straight into the raw, noisy origins of the Extremities, Dirt And Various Repressed Emotions era. One side of the record features the “Black Cassette” demos, recorded in Chicago at Steve Albini’s house. By all accounts, these sessions were intense, with Geordie and Martin Atkins channeling their frustration into a brutally direct sound while Albini ran up and down the stairs between the basement drum room and the pantry control room. It captures the band in a stripped-back, aggressive form that would eventually shape the 1990 album.
The other side offers a proper slice of history: excerpts from Martin Atkins’ very first gig with the band. Recorded at Burberries in Birmingham on December 20th, 1988, this secret show saw the band debuting tracks like “Extremities” and “The Fanatic” in a small, mirror-lined club. It sounds like a chaotic night, capturing the embryonic stages of the blast beats and controlled fury that defined their sound at the time. It also features Jaz Coleman’s “theatrical yet strikingly genuine laughter,” which is frankly worth the price of admission alone.
Naturally, there are a few different versions to get your hands on. You can grab it in classic Black, a White edition for independent record stores, a Red variant exclusive to Invisible Records, or a Splatter version from the Overdrive store which is limited to just 350 copies worldwide.
If you fancy grabbing a piece of post-punk history, pre-orders are open now via Overdrive direct and on their Bandcamp.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Header image courtesy Invisible Records
Killing Joke: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
