Further information: List of songs recorded by Godflesh

The English industrial metal band Godflesh have released eight studio albums and six extended plays along with a number of singles, compilations and remix and live albums. The group formed in 1982 under the name Fall of Because, but they did not release any music (outside of a 1986 demo tape titled Extirpate)[1] until 1988 when Justin Broadrick and B. C. Green changed the project's name to Godflesh and recorded a self-titled debut EP.[2] That EP, released through the independent label Swordfish, was met with underground success and has since been recognised as one of the first industrial metal releases, if not the first.[3][4][5]

Though the self-titled EP acted as Godflesh's introduction to innovation and experimentation, their next release and first through Earache Records, 1989's Streetcleaner, garnered even more recognition for its musical importance.[6][7][8] After the success of Streetcleaner, Godflesh recorded Pure in 1992, which has drawn retrospective recognition as a significant release in the post-metal genre.[9][10] The band's third album, Selfless (1994), was Godflesh's debut on Columbia Records.[11] The album sold under expectations,[12] and that coupled with MTV banning the music video of its lead single, "Crush My Soul", led to Columbia dropping support of Godflesh.[11][13] Regardless of the disappointing commercial performance of Selfless, Broadrick considers that album and all of the preceding releases as Godflesh's best material.[14][15]

In 1996, Godflesh, back on Earache, released Songs of Love and Hate, which featured Bryan Mantia on drums; this was a significant departure from the band's characteristic style, since all of their previous releases had been structured around programmed industrial beats from a drum machine.[16] Broadrick later described this shift as a dilution of Godflesh's original goal, which was to meld human and machine music.[17] Love and Hate in Dub, a remix album released in 1997, saw Godflesh again experimenting, this time with hip hop, breakbeats and dub.[18][19] Those experiments continued and heightened with the 1999 studio album Us and Them, which again featured machine percussion.[20] After Us and Them proved creatively dissatisfying for Broadrick,[21] the band found a new live drummer (this time in Ted Parsons). Hymns (2001) was recorded in a professional studio, which led to a great deal of frustration for the band.[22][23] Shortly after Hymns' release, Green quit Godflesh, and Broadrick officially ended the band not long after that.[24]

Godflesh reformed in 2010 as Broadrick and Green.[25] After performing scattered shows for four years, the band's return album, A World Lit Only by Fire (2014), was released to critical acclaim and appeared on several critics' year-end lists.[26][27] It was a notably heavy industrial metal album focused again on downtuned guitar, distorted bass and driving machine drums.[28][29] In 2017, Godflesh's eighth album, Post Self, was released. Like A World Lit Only by Fire, it drew critical praise and award recognition;[30][31] unlike that previous album, however, Post Self proved introspective and experimental.[32] Despite regular acclaim from critics and fellow musicians, Godflesh have received only minor commercial success.[33]

Albums

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Notes
UK Indie
[34][35] 		GRE
[36] 		US Heat
[37] 		US Sales
[38] 		US Taste
[39]
Streetcleaner 19 45 — — —
  • CD versions include the otherwise unreleased Tiny Tears EP as a set of bonus tracks[40]
  • Remastered and reissued in 2010 with a second disc of bonus tracks[41]
  • Was performed in its entirety at Roadburn 2011[42]
Pure — — — — —
Selfless 12 — — — —
Songs of Love and Hate — — — — —
Us and Them — — — — —
  • Again featured machine percussion[20]
  • Intended to be followed by a remix album entitled Us and Them in Dub, but it was never completed[45]
Hymns — — — — —
  • Godflesh's final album before dissolution in 2002[24]
  • The band's second and final album with a live drummer[24]
  • Remastered and reissued in 2013 with a second disc of bonus tracks[46]
A World Lit Only by Fire 47 — 22 — 25
  • Intended to be followed by a remix album entitled A World Lit Only by Fire in Dub, but it was never completed[17]
Post Self 41 — 23 — —
Purge 29 — — 94 —
  • Described as a continuation of the concepts from Pure[48]
"—" denotes a title that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays

Title EP details UK Indie
[34] 		Notes
Godflesh
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: Swordfish (FLESH LP1)
  • Format: CD, vinyl
 20
  • Godflesh's debut and one of the originating industrial metal releases[3][4][5]
  • Reissued in 1990 with two bonus tracks after Earache Records acquired Godflesh[49]
Slavestate —
  • Most releases include Slavestate Remixes and the "Slateman" single[50]
Cold World —
  • Recorded in 1991 during the Pure sessions[51][52]
Merciless —
  • Title track derived from a Fall of Because (pre-Godflesh) song[1]
Messiah —
  • Recorded in 1994 during the Selfless sessions[53]
  • Released in a limited fan club capacity in 2000[54]
  • Received a large-scale release in 2003[55]
Decline & Fall —
  • Godflesh's first original material since 2001's Hymns[56]
  • Recorded in 2014 during the A World Lit Only by Fire sessions[57]
"—" denotes a title that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Remix albums

Title Album details Notes
Slavestate Remixes
  • Only received limited release as a 12-inch vinyl with unique artwork, but was included on most issues of Slavestate[50]
Love and Hate in Dub

Compilation albums

Title Album details Notes
The Ten Commandments
  • Only a promotional release[59]
  • Cover artwork is a still frame from the music video for "Crush My Soul"[59]
Life Is Easy
  • A compilation of Fall of Because (pre-Godflesh) demos originally released in 1986 under the title Extirpate[12]
In All Languages
  • The first disc comprises a best-of collection, the second comprises a selection of rare and otherwise unreleased tracks and an additional DVD or VHS comprises the band's music videos[60]
New Flesh in Dub Vol 1
  • Consists of most Godflesh remixes released since reformation in 2010 and two unreleased tracks from the Post Self sessions[61]
Long Live the New Flesh
  • Consists of almost all the Godflesh material released since reformation in 2010 alongside two unreleased tracks from the Post Self sessions[62]

Live albums

Title Album details Notes
Streetcleaner: Live at Roadburn 2011
  • Documents the band's 2011 Roadburn performance of Streetcleaner in its entirety[42]
Godflesh – The Earache Peel Sessions
Pure : Live
  • Documents the band's 2013 Roadburn performance of Pure in its entirety[52]

Singles

Title Year Album Notes
"Pulp"/"Christbait Rising" 1989 Streetcleaner
  • Only a 12-inch promotional release[65]
"Slateman" 1991 Non-album single
  • Was included on most issues of Slavestate[50]
  • Cover photograph taken during a 1991 live performance where Godflesh opened for the grunge band Nirvana[66]
"Straight to Your Heart" Loopflesh/Fleshloop
  • Two-track split with the English space rock band Loop[67]
  • First side features Loop covering Godflesh's "Like Rats", while the second features Godflesh covering Loop's "Straight to Your Heart" from Heaven's End (1987)[67]
"Mothra" 1992 Pure
"Xnoybis" 1995 Selfless
"Crush My Soul"
"F.O.D. (Fuck of Death)" 2013 Non-album single
"Ringer" 2014 Decline & Fall
"New Dark Ages" A World Lit Only by Fire
"Imperator"
"Post Self" 2017 Post Self
"Be God"
"Nero" 2023 Purge
  • Released physically with three in-house remixes[77]
"Land Lord"
  • Released for online streaming ahead of source album[78]

References

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External links