Customer Reviews

Pure

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First, a correction. Contrary to underwhelmingly brief review by Amazon staffer Jeff Bateman, Godflesh hail from Birmingham, England. Founding members Justin Broadrick and Ben Green, in fact, played in the earliest mid-80's incarnation of those godfathers of Grindcore, Napalm Death.

At any rate, Pure is the apotheosis of the Godflesh sound, a heady mixture of synthetic backbeat and crunching guitar. But unlike earlier Godflesh releases, this album positively swings. The beats are much more inventive here, catapulting the material beyond grindcore or even industrial. Although many later industrial/metal acts took a lesson or two from the Godflesh playbook, none have since equaled the power or fury of this one great release.

And it sounds just as heavy, hypnotic and mysterious as it did the day it was released.

This is GF's follow up to the Slavestate ep and I'm happy
to report it's a better one. Pure doesn't hold a candle
to Streetcleaner- which is considered to some their finest hour.
This cd shreads with melancholy bleakness that few bands
could tap into. The songs are like dirges into the human
psyche- with cold and mechanical precision. The bleak harsh
feedback ridden guitar tone is still there accompanying
the wall of bass that has become a GF trademark. Elements of
experimentation are apparent throughout the disc the good thing is it's the kind of experimenting I enjoy and less of the dance
elements of Slavestate. GF seems to be a bit more open minded to
hip hop elements without loosing it's brute force. A fine effert indeed.

In my opinion, this album is better than their Self-titled and Street Cleaner. The Music here isn't as thick and evil as the first two albums. Track 3, Predominance, Pure, and Baby Blue Eyes are the best tracks here. Predominance has a guitar part that sounds like "Man in the Box" without the Wah pedal by Alcie In Chains. The vocals are still used like an instrument here, they just flow with the music. I can hardly understand what he is saying in the songs. The vocals I'd say are only average, but the drum machine really makes up for it here, especially tracks 3-5. The drums really appear to crash and sometimes are the loudest part of the songs. Pure II is good, but not great. If you want to hear music like that check out old school Delerium. Ther are no lyrics printed in the booklet, so I don't know what he is saying most of the time. On this album Justin and Co. appear to move to more of a Rock/Metal direction and less Industrial. I would consider Pure their last Industrial Death album. If you want heavy slow dirge and evil music check out Street Cleaner, just look at the cover. That album is is darker than most Black, Death, Doom, Noise, Hardcore, and Industrail albums out there today.Godflesh are the best IndustrialDeath band out there.

Since I just described Godflesh's sound in some depth last month while reviewing Streetcleaner, this review is going to be a short one, but I still feel it necessary. While Streetcleaner was certainly a great album, those looking for a prime example of Godflesh's sound should pick up this monstrous masterwork posthaste. In tone and mood Pure is somewhat similar to the doomier work of black Sabbath, but its heavy reliance on abrasive guitar noise and pulsating pseudo-industrial beats bears the mark of such latter-day noise merchants as Killing Joke, Big Black, and even the Jesus Lizard. All thematic resemblances aside, however, Godflesh didn't really sound like any of those bands, or like anyone else for that matter. Pure is one of those perception-realigning albums that come along all too rarely, filled with lengthy, epic dirges of the sort that High on Fire and Neurosis have been specializing in lately. The gruff, throaty growl that frontman Justin Broadrick used to such great effect on Streetcleaner is still very much in evidence here, but in other places his vocals are more subtle, even somewhat melodic, blending effortlessly with the music to form mantras of yearning and disaffection that take much of this album well beyond mere aggro territory into the kind of sonic profundity that few artists in any style ever achieve. From the opening industrial-metal anthem Spite, to the mournful swirl of I Wasn't Born to follow, to the metallic scrape of Love, Hate (Slugbaiting), to the ominous collage of conflicting sounds that is the 21-minute closer Pure II, Pure is a testament to human emotion in its purest and bluntest form. Before you exit this mortal coil, you must hear it at least once.

After three albums with more or less stiff and devastating music, "Pure" shows some progess in a very positive way. Featuring guitarist Robert Hampson (of disbanded psychedelic rockers Loop; his current band is Main), this album comes up with more varied and fluid songs, more intelligible vocals, and sometimes even clubby rhythms. Still, the machine beats are relentlessly hard and guitars are as dominating as always. Best tracks here are the aggressive "Spite", the title track, the more laid-back "Baby blue eyes", and probably the mega-work "Pure II". I can't tell you anything about the CD bonus tracks, because I'm an owner of the vinyl release. I found the accompanying "Merciless EP" even more interesting, containing studio outtakes, remixes, and previously unavailable songs from the "Pure" sessions. All in all, this is one of Godflesh's best albums.

Nothing poor can be said of this, a monolith of an album. The 20+ minute track "Pure II" that rounds out the slab is worth the price of admission alone! This album is truly a modern classic in the "new" music standard.

This is GF's follow up to the Slavestate ep and I'm happy
to report it's a better one. Pure doesn't hold a candle
to Streetcleaner- which is considered to some their finest hour.
This cd shreads with melancholy bleakness that few bands
could tap into. The songs are like dirges into the human
psyche- with cold and mechanical precision. The bleak harsh
feedback ridden guitar tone is still there accompanying
the wall of bass that has become a GF trademark. Elements of
experimentation are apparent throughout the disc the good thing is it's the kind of experimenting I enjoy and less of the dance
elements of Slavestate. GF seems to be a bit more open minded to
hip hop elements without loosing it's brute force. A fine effert indeed.

Although the now disbanded Godflesh (featuring Justin Broadrick of Napalm Death fame) are in the same category as bands such as Fear Factory, Ministry, and Pitchshifter, they do not sound anything like any of those acts. This is why I give this, Godflesh's second album of note, a very high rating: originality. The sound is just so cool, not like that cliched techno-pop that's getting WAAAAAAAY too much radio airplay. Track 2 (Mothra) is a pretty cool video as well. Also, the last song (Pure II) is over 21 minutes long! If you are into techno but want something a little less cliched (and heavier), check this out.

Not a review, but a note to Jeff Bateman. Godflesh is NOT a U.S. act. They are from Birmingham, England, and the last time I checked, that would make them a British act. Get your facts straight before you "soapbox"!

1 1/2


Going for decadently dilapidated, all i get is deathly dull with occasional pounding prowess and shrill sensation.