Watch Godflesh prove they’re one of metal’s heaviest bands with this destructive festival headline set

Godflesh performing live in 2024 — (Image credit: Sonic Rites via Youtube)

Pro-shot footage of Godflesh’s full set at Sonic Rites 2024 has been published online.

The Birmingham industrial metal pioneers played a 12-song headline performance at the Helsinki festival on May 17.

Watch the complete show and see the setlist below.

Godflesh were formed by ex-Napalm Death member Justin Broadrick (vocals/guitars) and Ben “G.C.” Green (bass) in 1988.

With their 1988 self-titled EP and 1989 debut album Streetcleaner, the duo became notable for playing extreme metal without a traditional drum kit, instead using a drum machine for percussion.

Broadrick spoke about the inspiration behind the idea in a 2023 interview with Whynow.

“I have one of those early compilations by [British dance music label] StreetSounds, where most of the tracks just sounded like a drum machine and a rapper,” he explained.

“I was like, ‘Fuck! This is just amazing!’

“When that sound exploded, the first thing to really hit me was Run-D.M.C’s [1985 single] King of Rock on The Old Grey Whistle Test. It felt so fresh hearing metal guitars with a big, chunky hip-hop beat.”

Broadrick deactivated Godflesh in 2002, after having a nervous breakdown the day before a North American tour, and started the post-metal outfit Jesu.

Godflesh reformed in 2009. Broadrick continues to perform with Jesu as well.

Godflesh released their latest album, Purge, to rave reviews last year. Metal Hammer named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2023.

The magazine wrote: “Polar-cold mechanised beats with equal ties to classic hip hop and industrial wastelands set the table for a chest-caving bass thump and guitars that drove a shoegazing stake into doom metal’s heart, as mainman Justin Broadrick tersely spilled his guts

“Kudos all round for making a 30-plus-year-old blueprint work to stunning effect on Purge.”

Godflesh’s Sonic Rites set was part of a brief festival tour in May 2024. The band currently do not have any further live dates announced.

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Godflesh setlist: Sonic Rites Festival, Helsinki, Finland – May 17, 2024

Land Lord
Army Of Non
I, Me, Mine
Ringer
Towers Of Emptiness
Post Self
Tiny Tears
Streetcleaner
Avalanche Master Song
Like Rats
Spite
Crush My Soul

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.