Line #59 Music/Godflesh


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_godflesh_7470_7983.jpg]]
2
3	''Godflesh'' is a band from Birmingham, England, one of the {{Trope Codifier}}s of IndustrialMetal and an influence on many other bands, including Music/{{Isis}}, Music/FaithNoMore, Music/{{Converge}}, Music/{{Korn}}, Music/{{Ministry}}, and Music/FearFactory. The band's core line-up generally consists of vocalist / guitarist Justin Broadrick and bassist GC Green; the band usually uses a drum machine, though they have also used real drummers in their music.
4
5	The band's original incarnation was formed in 1982, under the name Fall of Because, by Green and guitarist Paul Neville. Justin Broadrick, who had played guitar in the legendary {{Grindcore}} outfit Music/NapalmDeath, joined the group as vocalist and drummer in 1985; two years later, the band fell apart. In 1988, Broadrick contacted Green and they reformed Fall of Because, Broadrick taking up the position of guitarist and deciding to use a drum machine. The band also changed its name to Godflesh. Throughout their career, Godflesh was known for its [[EpicRiff crushing guitar riffs,]] plodding bass, robotic percussion, and Broadricks's HarshVocals and minimalistic lyrics.
6
7	In 2001, Green left the band. During this time, Broadrick's relationship with his girlfriend had dissolved, and Broadrick [[CreatorBreakdown suffered a nervous breakdown;]] he disbanded Godflesh in 2002.
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9	In 2009/10, the band reunited, and released an album: ''A World Lit Only by Fire'', in 2014. A follow up, ''Post Self'', was released in 2017.
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11	As stated above, the primary line-up of the band consists of Broadrick and Green; however, they have had other, [[GuestStarPartyMember temporary members.]] These include:
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13	* Paul Neville - Guitars (1989-1991)
14	* [[Music/{{Loop}} Robert Hampson]] - Guitars (1991-1992)
15	* Bryan Mantia - Drums, percussion (1994-1996)
16	* Steve Hough - Guitars (1999)
17	* Diarmuid Dalton - Samples, moog (1999)
18	* Ted Parsons - Drums, percussion (1996–2002)
19	* Paul Raven - Bass (2002)
20	----
21
22	!! Studio Albums:
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24	* ''Streetcleaner'' (1989)
25	* ''Pure'' (1992)
26	* ''Selfless'' (1994)
27	* ''Songs of Love and Hate'' (1996)
28	* ''Us and Them'' (1999)
29	* ''Hymns'' (2001)
30	* ''A World Lit Only by Fire'' (2014)
31	* ''Post Self'' (2017)
32	* ''Purge'' (2023)
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34	Broadrick is also the man behind the post-metal band Music/{{Jesu}} and the dark ambient project Final.
35	----
36
37	!! This band contains the following trope examples:
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39	* CallBack: ''Purge'' is a call-back to ''Pure'' in terms of both name and sound, with the latter album’s hip hop-influenced beats making a prominent return.
40	* DoomMetal: They count as Sludge Metal and a possible UrExample of post-metal, specifically.
41	* EpicRocking: In chronological order according to release, "Christbait Rising" (7:00), "Streetcleaner" (6:50), "Wounds" (13:06), "Streetcleaner 2" (8:42), "Perfect Skin" (7:29), "I Wasn't Born to Follow" (7:22), "Monotremata" (9:21), "Don't Bring Me Flowers" (6:48), Love, Hate" (9:57), "Pure II" (21:04), "Blind" (7:16), "Unworthy" (7:14), "Flowers" (7:34), "Black Boned Angel" (6:47), "Mantra" (7:27), "Go Spread Your Wings" (23:50), and "Gift from Heaven" (7:45).
42	* GenreMashup: As well as combining industrial and metal, Godflesh also took influence from HardcorePunk, drone music, noise, power electronics, ambient, dub, EBM, breakbeat techno, and hip-hop.
43	** Similarly, Techno Animal (one of his many, many, ''many'' post Godflesh projects) combined hip-hop with industrial, noise, dub, ambient, drum and bass, electro, and minimal techno.
44	* HarshVocals: Broadrick's main vocal style.
45	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Possibly Broadrick and Green, depending on how you see this comment Broadrick made after dissolving the band:
46	-->'''Broadrick:''' "I found that without GC Green, Godflesh is not Godflesh, and him leaving proved to be an omen for me."
47	* IndustrialMetal: One of the seminal acts of TheNineties.
48	* LeadBassist: Green's plodding, percussive basslines form a prominent part of the band's sound.
49	* LighterAndSofter: ''Post Self'' dials back the brutality in favor of a more atmospheric sound, sounding like Music/{{Jesu}} in some places.
50	* MetalScream: Broadrick's vocals are a Type 1.
51	* PostRock: Again, they are often considered the UrExample of post-metal.
52	* ShoutOut:
53	** Godflesh titled ''Songs of Love and Hate'' after the Music/LeonardCohen album of the same name, and also lifted two of his lines for the lyrics of the song "Mothra" (on ''Pure'').
54	** The cover of ''Godflesh'' is a still from the film ''Film/Seconds1966''.
55	** The cover of ''Streetcleaner'' is a still from the film ''Film/AlteredStates''. Other photos in the album's packaging are taken from ''Film/{{Eraserhead}}''.
56	** The cover of ''Merciless'' is a still from the film ''Meshes of the Afternoon''.
57	* SingleStanzaSong: The vast majority of their songs.
58	* SopranoAndGravel: Broadrick occasionally balanced out his growling with clean singing.
59	* SurprisinglyGentleSong: The second half of "Jesu," which was pretty much a preview for the band Music/{{Jesu}} itself.
60	* TitledAfterTheSong: Not Godflesh themselves, but both Music/{{Jesu}} and Black Boned Angel took their names from Godflesh songs.
61	* VoiceOfTheLegion: Used liberally in ''Streetcleaner.''
62	* WordSaladLyrics: Used a lot.

Context Music / Godflesh