review :: anonymous
If you don't pay attention to anything else on this page, listen: you must own this CD. Heck, I think everyone
should have every Godflesh CD, because they are all excellent. This CD is one of the reasons I haven't
updated in a while, I've been too busy listening to it (as a matter of fact, I'm listening to it right now.) As
Godflesh fans already know, this album has the addition of a new member, drummer B. Mantia, who gives
the album something many Godflesh songs have lacked: a groove. I can't compare this to any other
Godflesh release, because they're so multifaceted and good. The first two songs, 'Wake' and 'Sterile
Prophet' are very aggressive sounding, almost like much of Streetcleaner. 'Circle of Shit' sounds almost
like Pure's 'Spite' except for the fact that it is mostly rhythm and samples. The fourth track, 'Hunter' sounds
quite a bit like 'Torture Technique'/'Hole in the Ground' era Sister Machine Gun at first, with a funky drum
pattern and a single guitar played over it, until the bass kicks in, then it begins sounding like characteristic
Godflesh. 'Gift of Heaven' begins with heavy synths/guitar feedback, before mutating into a
Godflesh/Helmet style rhythm. The sixth track, 'Amoral' is the only track I haven't played incessantly for the
past week, but it is still a very good song. 'Angel Domain' sounds similar to the first two tracks, very
aggressive, but it has more of a pop sound (don't worry, it still sounds like Godflesh). 'Kingdom Come' is
somewhat similar to 'Hunter' with its guitar/hip-hop sound. It has a guitar, hip-hop/synth, guitar pattern.
'Time, Death and Wastefulness' starts out disturbingly similar to an annoying Aerosmith song that MTV
used to play too much (back when I watched MTV), but it soon turns into a very heavy guitar song. 'Frail' is
probably my favorite on the CD, combining Godflesh's harsh guitars with pop music elements (kinda like
'Don't Bring Me Flowers' and 'Slateman'). It's one of those songs where Justin Broadrick actually sings
(not growling or yelling). When I heard the last song, 'Almost Heaven' all I could say was 'sweet merciful
crap, G.C. Green tuned his damn bass! I'm still trying to figure out what's going on at the beginning, it
sounds almost like processed bagpipes or John Zorn's saxophone. The song sounds kind of (get this)
upbeat. Yep, musically, the song sounds almost happy. All figured, you should own this not because it's a
Godflesh CD but because it is a great CD (one of the best, if not the best I've heard all year.)
