I’ve listened to it 2 1/2 times now, Oh man, I don’t think I can give a song by song synopsis except to say that The songs that I really like are Slavestate(radioslave) and Perfect Skin Dub
but this, to me, is the over all feel of the album:
I’m in the cellar in some non descript suburban home… it’s dark, it’s dank, there’re spots (not a lot mind you, but enough to be worried if you happened to notice them) of Blood, piss, shit, vomit, snot, and semen on the floor that have not been cleaned up. the floor is a mixture of dirt and loose cement. There’re throat chains dangling from the wall, impliments of sexual torture…
and I’m not in charge… of anything. What’s worse, I don’t know how I got here!
I don’t know what’s worse, No one is down here with me or that someone WILL be down here with me…
yikes, Godflesh is the exact opposite of anything Jesu. Even makes Jesu S/T seem poppy and boring in comparison (well s/t is boring to me but definitely NOT POPPY)
that’s all I got… Don’t know if I’m gonna have this one in heavy rotation… The things that go through my head when listening to this aren’t pleasent/productive… certainly not with out it’s charm… not a whole lot of music can conjure up any kind vivid imagery, let alone imagery at all.
Maybe I’ll give it a few days and come back to it… but right now it makes me think of the sexual devience page at goregallery.com(which i think has been changed to rotten.com it’s been about 10 years since I’ve been to that site but oh how those images came flooding back)
Late,
grmpysmrf
Listen to Streetcleaner if you haven’t yet. It does the same thing as the debut but better. And of course, early Swans is another good example of this kind of thing.
This was also my first introduction to Godflesh, and it’s a damned good one. I’m quite sure, though, that going into it after listening to Jesu would mindfuck the shit out of me.
Still, I love this album.
Best tracks:
Meltdown
Perfect Skin Dub
Slateman
I suggest you check out “Pure” after this one. Not NEARLY as horrifying as you put out “Slavestate” to be, and closer to Jesu than most of the other stuff.
Songs Of Love & Hate is their best for me by a country mile. Brian Mantia on drums gives the album a huge warm groove. Songs such as “Time Death & Wastefulness”, “Gift From Heaven” and “Hunter” are Godflesh’s finest momments.
Slateman has to be one of the best songs ever devised by human hands. Pure has some moments that could be Jesu, but Predominance is one of their heaviest songs, with that brain melting riff. I’ve loved Godflesh since Streetcleaner came out, but hadn’t heard the self titled lp before until recently. You can’t go wrong with the early stuff, especially if you like Cop era Swans.
Songs Of Love & Hate is their best for me by a country mile. Brian Mantia on drums gives the album a huge warm groove. Songs such as “Time Death & Wastefulness”, “Gift From Heaven” and “Hunter” are Godflesh’s finest momments.
we’re in agreeance on the brian thing… but i think the first 2 tracks on selfless “xnoybis” and “bigot” are some of their best tracks together… not that the others suck… on another not xnoybis is a great name for a pet… my friends named it his cat… “hey zy-bis get over her” etc… sounds like a pill too…
“are you bloated, balding, having trouble keeping yourself propped up on your bone mike stand? take perscription xnoybis… side effects are horrible soundtrack work, erectile disfunction and do-rag dread syndrom”
Now if you want something a bit different, I’d check out “Us & Them.” Take the best moments from “Slavestate” and mash it together with excellent production and VICIOUS hip-hop beats.
I own(ed) Slavestate on cassette. Many nights spent playing this loudly in my Dodge Spirit, driving over the bridge linking the two shitty beaches as fast as I could push that bastard. The lights on the bridge guided my way.
It rattled, not only from the speed…but the sheer sound…
Now if you want something a bit different, I’d check out “Us & Them.” Take the best moments from “Slavestate” and mash it together with excellent production and VICIOUS hip-hop beats.
Given his taste, he’d probably like this album the most out of Godflesh’s catalog.
I own(ed) Slavestate on cassette. Many nights spent playing this loudly in my Dodge Spirit, driving over the bridge linking the two shitty beaches as fast as I could push that bastard. The lights on the bridge guided my way.
It rattled, not only from the speed…but the sheer sound…
Hmmm…back in '93 when I first got my license, I was doing a pizza round, driving an old Toyota and I’d have a similar experience to yours except I’d be listening to Land Of Rape And Honey as loud as possible. Brings back memories.
Around that time I’d listen to Streetcleaner on my walkman quite a bit. Friends, family, neighbours and college classmates would often become curious as to what it was that I was listening to so often. A typical scenario in this case would unfold something like this:
Me: Oh…um Streetcleaner. Y’know, it’s by Godflesh!
Some guy: Who?
Me: Godflesh. They’re on the Earache label. They’re kinda industrial, kinda grindcore. It’s incredible music!
Some guy: (long pause) I have no idea what you’re talking about. Can I have a listen?
Me: Sure. Check it out.
(passes some guy the walkman. some guy listens…a bemused look on his face soon changes to one of confusion and then something akin to complete repulsion. he passes back the walkman)
Some guy: (shakes head) Man, you need help. That’s hideous. You call that music?
(shrugs and walks off. goes over to group of friends and points in my direction. they all stare and speak in hushed tones.)
Bigot was the first godlfesh song i had ever heard. i was at band practice and our drummer had an older sister who would date dudes into music unlike we had ever heard before. he pops this on th PA we had and i was sold. (hahah, SOLD) right there. so heavy so FUCKING heavy, but so thin at the same time. i was amazed that such a huge sound came from drums, bass, gtr, and minimal vox.
needless to say, Selfless went on to become on of my fav GF albums of all times. I would recommend giving that one a listen, grumps. It’s slow, spacious, and heavy as fuck. I like Black Boned Angel a lot, and i think Empyreal has been my most played song on my ipod for months now.
another thing i like about this album is that it’s almost meditative. Droning repetition and trance like sound. i often wondered if this was a main point when he was creating this album. there IS a song called mantra on it, after all.
but this, to me, is the over all feel of the album:
I’m in the cellar in some non descript suburban home… it’s dark, it’s dank, there’re spots (not a lot mind you, but enough to be worried if you happened to notice them) of Blood, piss, shit, vomit, snot, and semen on the floor that have not been cleaned up. the floor is a mixture of dirt and loose cement. There’re throat chains dangling from the wall, impliments of sexual torture…
This description sounds alarmingly similar to the bedroom of a certain ex of mine!!!
and I’m not in charge… of anything. What’s worse, I don’t know how I got here!
I don’t know what’s worse, No one is down here with me or that someone WILL be down here with me…
Oh, been there before.
Hey Grmpy…have you heard Pure yet?? If not you absolutely must. It’s like Kraftwerk took some qualuudes and decided to play doom metal.
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but this, to me, is the over all feel of the album:
I’m in the cellar in some non descript suburban home… it’s dark, it’s dank, there’re spots (not a lot mind you, but enough to be worried if you happened to notice them) of Blood, piss, shit, vomit, snot, and semen on the floor that have not been cleaned up. the floor is a mixture of dirt and loose cement. There’re throat chains dangling from the wall, impliments of sexual torture…
This description sounds alarmingly similar to the bedroom of a certain ex of mine!!!
and I’m not in charge… of anything. What’s worse, I don’t know how I got here!
I don’t know what’s worse, No one is down here with me or that someone WILL be down here with me…
Oh, been there before.
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terrifying!!
Hey Grmpy…have you heard Pure yet?? If not you absolutely must. It’s like Kraftwerk took some qualuudes and decided to play doom metal.
Not yet. “Pure” is a Godflesh album, no? or a band?
Late,
grmpysmrf