"The Beautiful Dead" is an unofficial single by Killing Joke

Killing Joke

Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...

. It was released in 1990 under ODIC Production as a 7" Flexi disc single. The song originally appeared on their eighth studio album, Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions

Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions

Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions is the ninth album of English post-punk group Killing Joke. It was released on CD and double LP in November 1990. This album featured both Martin Atkins Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions is the ninth album of English post-punk group...

.

Background

"The Beautiful Dead'" is perhaps the only song in particular by Killing Joke

Killing Joke

Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...

 that influenced nu-metal bands such as Korn

Korn

Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...

 and Disturbed. The song has several similarities in the use of funk

Funk

Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...

 and psychedelic rock

Psychedelic rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...

, two genres fused in the creation of nu-metal. Although Paul Raven's bass performance is not as "thick" as bass usually is in nu-metal, the partial melodic tone of Jaz Coleman

Jaz Coleman

Jeremy "Jaz" Coleman is a musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is notable for his vocal contributions to rock band Killing Joke...

 and the irregular beats of Martin Atkins

Martin Atkins

Martin Clive Atkins is an English drummer and session musician, best known for his work in post-punk and industrial groups including Public Image Ltd., Ministry, Pigface, and Killing Joke...

 were key contributors in the development of this new sound. Soundgarden

Soundgarden

Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...

, a well known grunge

Grunge

Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...

band, has credited Killing Joke several times as one of their biggest influences.Related news articles: