10 Most Underrated Punk Albums Ever
1. Killing Joke - Revelations
No punk list is complete without mentioning one of punk’s most polarising names, Killing Joke. A mere handful of bands inspired by Killing Joke include Soundgarden, Nirvana, Ministry, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails and LCD Soundsystem. The pioneering tones of Killing Joke have been reimaged in every genre from thrash metal to shoegaze, highlighting the fact they could be the most underrated band ever.
With most commercial exposure for Killing Joke arising in the mid 80’s through hits like ‘Eighties’ (1984) and ‘Love Like Blood’ (1985), it’s easy to understand why 1982’s ‘Revelations’ is commonly overlooked. The English groups third studio album included primordial conventions from rising genres such as post punk, industrial and gothic rock, demonstrating the band’s unique style.
‘Revelations’ peaked at #12 in the UK albums chart, paving the way for more successful singles and albums that were soon to follow. In terms of atmosphere, execution and lyrical direction, ‘Revelations’ is one of the best punk albums of all time, even if it only gets a fraction of the credit other contenders for this title do.
Key songs from this album include ‘Chop Chop’, ‘Empire Song’ and ‘We Have Joy’.