October File are sportin’ some serious wood for Killing Joke–not that there’s any blame in that, of course. What is unusual though is that the feeling seems to be mutual. Killing Joke front(mad)man Jaz Coleman produced and adds guest vocals to October File’s full-length debut, as well as taken the band on the road with them. But I have Paul Raven to thank for turning me on to this album. With the recent untimely death of Raven so fresh in my mind, seeing a quote from him on this album’s promo sheet caught my eye. It goes without saying that Raven went well before his time and his work with luminaries like Killing Joke and Ministry (as well as scores of others) lives on, as does the influence of those bands.
October File is one of those bands that sits between genres, bridging punk and metal comfortably and with confidence. KJ has done the same thing of course, and comparisons can also be made to Ministry (also KJ influenced), another hybrid metal band. Tracks like “High Octane Climate Charger,” “In My Magnificent Circus” and “A Sun That Never Sets” may be KJ worship, but it’s damn fine worship, indeed. As influential as Killing Joke has been, there are actually few bands that actually sound a great deal like them, and this alone makes October File an intriguing prospect. Some of the comparisons are based on style, but also result from what seem like similar values. The snarling punkish disdain, the tribal aggression, and contemptuous attack on consumerism and modern society are familiar and work to similar effect here.
The band establishes more personality on tracks like “Religion?” and “Another Day.” This is a bit of a double edged sword in that it is encouraging to hear the band carve out more space for themselves but that these songs typically are just slightly less convincing. Still, Holy Armour From the Jaws of God is a very solid debut of dark, urban defiance and vitriolic punishment, and should garner the band some deserved attention. Although October File’s style is rooted in the work of a few others, theirs is still an uncommon and welcome sound.
