Godflesh
Us and Them

THE REVIEW

Napalm Death, Jesu, Techno Animal, God, Greymachine, Head of David, JK Flesh are some of the musical entities that have seen the involvement of Justin Broadrick, one of the most important figures (if not the most important) in the last three decades of Industrial Metal.

I have taken a look at Justin's entire discography and he has now reached and surpassed the impressive figure of one hundred albums between his own works and endless collaborations; but when I have to associate a single band with the English singer and multi-instrumentalist, only one name comes to mind: Godflesh. The menacing and irreverent "Meat of God". And it is recent news, awaited by me like manna from heaven, of the new album from the band scheduled for next November 17th. "Post Self" is its title.

The layer of heavy smog, caused by the very scarce rains of the last few months, that has been gripping Northern Italy for weeks made me think of the industrial fumes that seem to emerge when listening to Godflesh's music; it's appropriate, then, to talk about "Us And Them," the fifth work in chronological order published in the spring of 1999.

After the interlude of the previous "Songs of Love and Hate," which had seen the use of an actual drummer, once again Justin relies on a drum-machine; massively increasing the electronic loops, samples, and repeated guitar and bass riffs to exhaustion. Even the vocals take on more human characteristics, resulting in "Us And Them" being considered their most accessible album (a term to be taken with due caution, of course).

Over ten years of career experience have enabled Godflesh to better manipulate their sonic material; a greater rhythmic sense meets a guitar sound no longer as crushing and bloody as in the beginning. But I would not like to give you too many illusions because the music emerging from the twelve tracks of the collection remains always cynical, apocalyptic, ruthless. They haven't lost an ounce of brutality and power; there is better production that helps to better "digest" this sort of Industrial Trip Hop (listen to the end of "Control Freak" for reference).

"The Eternal," with its narcoleptic rhythm and clear voice, seems a taste of the sound Justin will offer with Jesu; but the absolute masterpieces are to be found in the opener "I, Me, Mine" with its House-Jungle rhythm, in the title track that starts with a monstrous Sludge rhythm only to explode into a Techno-Industrial finale, and especially in "Bittersweet," which, as the title suggests, is a chase of opposite frenetic sensations: oppression and catharsis.

Maximum score...ENDGAMES...

Ad Maiora.