List of songs recorded by Godflesh

Further information: Godflesh discography

B. C. Green (bass) performing with Godflesh
Justin Broadrick (guitar, vocals) performing with Godflesh
Godflesh performing at Roadburn 2018

The English industrial metal band Godflesh have released 184 songs;[a] 129 are original tracks, 50 are remixes done by the band of their own songs and 5 are covers. The group, initially composed of B. C. Green and Paul Neville, formed in 1982 as Fall of Because but did not release any complete music until 1988 after Justin Broadrick joined, became frontman and renamed the project Godflesh.[2][3] Though their debut, a self-titled EP, was released on a small, independent label named Swordfish, it was successful and drew the attention of Earache Records.[4][5] After being picked up by Earache, Godflesh released the albums Streetcleaner (1989) and Pure (1992)[6][7] and were then acquired by Columbia Records.[8]

Following the disappointing sales of their third album, 1994's Selfless, and the ban of the music video for "Crush My Soul", Columbia dropped Godflesh, and the band returned to Earache.[9][10] They then released Songs of Love and Hate in 1996, Love and Hate in Dub (an experimental remix album) in 1997 and Us and Them in 1999.[11] The band again parted from Earache and released Hymns in 2001 before breaking up in 2002.[12][13] Broadrick and Green reunited in 2009 with plans to create music together again,[14] officially reformed Godflesh in 2010 and released A World Lit Only by Fire in 2014 and Post Self in 2017.[15]

Musically, Godflesh's songs are characterised by machine percussion played in repetitive loops, driving bass and distorted guitar.[11] Though two of their albums (Songs of Love and Hate and Hymns) featured human drummers, Broadrick saw these inclusions as a dilution of what the band set out to achieve.[16] As pioneers of industrial metal,[17] Godflesh's earliest songs are exceptionally slow and mechanical, employing a blend of heavy metal and industrial music.[8] The bass and drums are unusually loud (as on the track "Avalanche Master Song" from the Godflesh EP), and the guitars and vocals play a secondary, more background role (as on "Pulp" and "Life Is Easy" from Streetcleaner).[6][16] On their second album, Pure, Godflesh began to experiment with sprawling ambient pieces (as on "Pure II"), hip hop and breakbeats (as on the introductory song "Spite") and extreme degrees of heavy repetition (as on "Predominance").[7][18][19] Selfless saw the band taking a more straightforward metal approach, with a heavy emphasis on riffs (as on "Bigot" and "Toll").[20] This era of Godflesh (1988 to 1994) would retrospectively be seen as Broadrick's favorite.[9]

Throughout their career, Godflesh have only released a handful of singles and music videos.[21] None of their songs have charted individually despite Columbia's efforts to augment Godflesh's popularity and raise it in line with that of Nine Inch Nails.[22][23] Within the band's catalogue are many remixes that were made by Broadrick. Aside from studio cover songs, Godflesh have performed "Requiem" by Killing Joke live.[24]

  1. ^ Pearson, Digby (19 April 2009). "Godflesh's Creativity". Earache Records. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  2. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Fall of Because – Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  3. ^ Thompson, David (1 December 1992). Industrial Revolution. Cleopatra Records. p. 44. ISBN 978-0963619303.
  4. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1989. Cherry Red Records. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  5. ^ Walters, Martin. "Godflesh – Godflesh". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  6. ^ a b Christe, Ian (21 June 2017). "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b Wiederhorn, Jon (4 August 2016). "A Brief History of Post-Metal". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  8. ^ a b Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. pp. 432. ISBN 978-1858284576. rough guide to rock godflesh columbia.
  9. ^ a b Haynes, Rob. "Godflesh to Play Supersonic. Justin Broadrick Talks Reformation". The Quietus. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  10. ^ Weaver, Jane (February 1995). "Crucifixion's Cool". New York. 28 (7): 20.
  11. ^ a b Prato, Greg. "Godflesh – Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  12. ^ Suarez, Gary (9 February 2015). "Voidhead: Justin Broadrick on the End of Godflesh". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  13. ^ "Godflesh Disbands". godflesh.com. Crumbling Flesh. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  14. ^ Jahdi, Robin (18 October 2010). "Justin Broadrick: Past Meets Present". Fact. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  15. ^ "Godflesh Reunite for France's Hellfest". Metal Injection. December 2009. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  16. ^ a b Teitelman, Bram (23 September 2014). "Justin Broadrick Talks the Rebirth of Godflesh". Metal Insider. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  17. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Justin Broadrick – Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  18. ^ Jahdi, Robin (24 June 2015). "The 40 Best Post-Metal Records Ever Made". Fact. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  19. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Godflesh – Pure". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  20. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Godflesh – Selfless". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  21. ^ In All Languages (DVD liner notes). Godflesh. Earache Records. 2001. MOSH250DVD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Broadrick, Justin (4 September 1996). "Godflesh Interviewed" (Interview). Interviewed by Garth Ferrante. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  23. ^ Mudrian, Albert (2004). Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal & Grindcore. Bazillion Points. p. 300. ISBN 978-1935950165.
  24. ^ Tfaaon (14 October 2014). "Justin K. Broadrick, Guitarist and Singer of Godflesh". La Grosse Radio (in French). Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.


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