A World Lit Only By Fire
by Godflesh
Distributed by Avalanche
Once upon a time in a city called Birmingham, guitarist/shouter extraordinaire Justin K. Broadrick met bassist Ben Green. They weren’t big fans of the English city they called home, so they decided to channel their collective misanthropy into music. This gave rise to Godflesh, the pioneering industrial metal outfit whose aural assault was so massive that their riffs could have demolished buildings.
Since the mid-80s, Broadrick has been dabbling in everything from harsh noise to drum and bass. Whether it was churning out quick noise bursts in Napalm Death or combining jazz with creepy industrial sounds in God, the man’s career has always kept metal fans on their toes.
However, few could have anticipated his turn in Jesu, the post-Godflesh band that revealed his love for music’s gentler side. The group’s densely atmospheric sound and alternative rock leanings gained Broadrick a new audience.
But as the years went on, one couldn’t help but wonder if he still had any aggression left. Enter A World Lit Only by Fire, Godflesh’s first album in 13 years and one that was seemingly created to obliterate our hearing for having ever doubted them.
Released on Broadrick’s own label, his reunion with Green proves that the duo hasn’t softened at all. With zero samples, few synthesizers, and not a drum-and-bass beat in sight, the record is a return to the minimalistic, riff-driven sound of the group’s first few albums.
Broadrick and Green slaughter listeners with guttural yells and pummelling riffs for 53 minutes. In particular, slow grinding numbers such as “Carrion” and “Forgive Our Fathers” are the musical equivalent of getting endlessly kicked in the skull—in a good way.
The album’s 10 tracks trudge along at a similar groovy pace, although the sheer ferocity found in Broadrick’s vocals and riffs keep the listener engaged. Green’s contributions can’t be ignored either. After initially quitting music to become a probation officer, his signature rumbling bass tone still manages to sound monolithic.
But for a band that refreshed their sound on each release, it’s a little disappointing to see them trade their experimental tendencies for a purely back-to-basics feel. However, it’s hard to fault them since they’ve repeatedly stated in interviews that the record would be a throwback to their old primitive style. So how can you complain about a band delivering exactly what they promised?
While it doesn’t offer any real surprises, A World Lit Only by Fire is still a monstrous modern metal album that proves Broadrick and Green still know how to dance with the heaviest of them. Let’s just hope they stick around and keep contributing to our hearing loss.
