First time seeing Godflesh live but damn they know how to burst your eardrums. In a good way of course. It was certainly disarming seeing them come onstage very casually to set up their equipment and tune up though.
Justin Broadrick coming out on stage with his glasses on looking like a school teacher queuing up the visuals and backing track from the only piece of equipment that could be found on stage, his Macbook.
The School teacher aesthetic quickly disappeared once the glasses came off and a shrieking feedback began to emerge from his guitar.
On his knees tweaking one of the many effects peddles in front of him, the stage turned into a dark hole, almost other worldly.
The presence of these two on stage was a sight to see, and their sound took you over like a demon from hellz rehearsal studio. After the first song, I could hear from centre of the room, ‘LOUDER!’ With a response from Justin, ‘ I would very much like to go louder’ and they totally did.
The set continued with what I can only describe as that ‘industrial’ sound. The grinding of metal and power of the human, really.
You can’t help but think of the beginnings of Sabbath in times like this, especially knowing that Godflesh originate from the same location, Birmingham.
With working class areas being surrounded by factories, Birmingham in the 60’s was a pot of noise and that sound has been etched into the Rock/Metal genre as a whole thanks to the likes of sabbath and Judas Priest, but Godflesh take it to a whole other level. At times you almost find yourself falling into some sort of a steam punk / Mad Max reality and the movements of Justin Broadrick onstage whilst hammering out the sounds from his instrument really keeps you in that moment. I was mesmerised from the photo pit. An epic night indeed.
Kicking off the night, was Samuel Kerridge from Manchester. Think of Godflesh, but if it was pure techno. Something that you would certainly hear in places like the Kit Kat Club or Berghain, Berlin. A serious start to the night that certainly had us in the mood for more mayhem when Godflesh came on stage.
Samuel Kerridge photos:
Godflesh photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Land Lord
Army of Non (live debut)
I, Me, Mine
Ringer
Towers of Emptiness
Post Self
Tiny Tears
Streetcleaner
Avalanche Master Song
Like Rats
Spite
_______________________________
Crush My Soul
Slateman
Photos & words – Carl Foran