Band Profile – God

God has a face, and it looks like Kevin Martin. Although the band so named has had a fairly stable multi-member lineup, it is just one of many outlets for this British noise technician’s twisted creativity. Working at a point where hardcore, experimental jazz and electronic music can be made to meet, Martin’s God mines a vein similar to the likes of Scorn, Naked City, Godflesh and some of Bill Laswell’s more abrasive undertakings. – Trouser Press

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Free jazz/metal unit God was initially a project of UK musician Kevin Martin in which he shared duties with Shane Rogan, but by the time the band was finished in the mid 90s, it also included numerous other members. Martin started God when E. Mark Smith from Fall contacted him in the late 80s and asked for a submission for a compilation Disparate Cogscienti, which Smith wanted to release via his label Cog Sinister.
In the 80s, the band had no formal line-up and no particular style and it wasn’t until Martin met Justin Broadrick (Napalm Death, Godflesh) that the band released their debut. 1990 “Breach Birth ” EP came out on Situation Two Records and was produced by Broadrick. “Possession” LP followed two years later.

Trouser Press described “Breach Birth” as “a screeching, fiercely distorted deconstruction of metal that remains the most “rock” thing Martin has ever released.” “Possession” was described them as being “similar, but with almost symphonically bombastic production not unlike mid-period Swans;” and a “turbulent and confrontational live outing.”
Further on, the band produced two more LPs – 1993 “Consumed” and 1994 “The Anatomy Of Addiction”, as well as “Appeal To Human Greed” EP, which included remixes of band’s material recorded by the likes of Kevin Shields, Justin Broadrick and Bill Laswell.
All Music Guide pointed out that despite Justin Broadrick contribution to “Anatomy Of Addiction” the album is no ” Godflesh redux, since Martin’s own particular style remains intact.” Further on, they commented that “squalling sax breaks and contributions mix with his extreme, echoed shouts, but he does also throw in more growling, low-end singing. Mixed with the crisp, industrial strength (and sometimes styled) beats from (Scott) Kiehl and (Lou) Ciccotelli, which are generally arranged as tight, focused rhythms and pumped up at high volume, it makes for a fine new avenue for God to explore.”
Outside of God, band members were also involved in numerous other projects – Martin and Broadrick played together as Techno Animal until 2004, while Ice included Broadrick, Martin, Alex Buess and Lou Cicotelli from God, as well as Dave Cochrane (Head Of David, Greymachine, Jesu) and Joe Jobaggy (Terminal Cheesecake) in its line-up.
Final Line-Up:
Alex Buess (16-17, Electric Noise Twist, Ice, Melx, Phantom City)
Gary Jeff (Mass, Scalpel)
Justin Broadrick (Council Estate Electronics, Curse Of The Golden Vampire, Cylon, Eraser, Fall Of Because, Final, God, Greymachine, Ice, Jesu, Krackhead, Napalm Death, Saskwatch, Sidewinder, Solaris, Sub Species, Sweet Tooth, Tech Level 2, Techno Animal, White Viper, Youpho, Zonal)
Kevin Martin (16-17, Cult Of The 13th Hour, Curse Of The Golden Vampire, Eraser, Experimental Audio Research, Ice, King Midas Sound, Razor X Productions, Sidewinder, Sub Species, Techno Animal, White Viper, Zonal)
Russell Smith (Skullflower, Terminal Cheesecake)
Scott Kiehl (Slab!, Sweet Tooth)
Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow, K-Space, Konk Pack, Lowest Note, Momes, Work)
Tom Prentice
John Edwards (B Shops For The Poor, Conditions:, Eddie Prevost Trio, Minnow, Shock Exchange, Steve Reid Ensemble)
Former Members:
Dave Cochrane (God, Greymachine, Ice, Jesu, Sweet Tooth, Transitional)
Lou Cicotelli (Eardrum, Ice, Laika, Pram, Slab!)
Niko Wenner (Celan, Oxbow)
Seamus Blake
Steve Blake (B Shops For The Poor)
Eddie Prevost (9t, AMM, AMM |||, Conditions:, Eddie Prevost Band, Eddie Prevost Quartet, Eddie Prevost Trio, Experimental Audio Research, Resound, Sakada, Scratch Orchestra, Steve Miller Trio)
Discography:
Breach Birth 12″ (Situation Two, 1990)
God / Terminal Cheesecake Split 7″ (Clawfist, 1990)
Loco CD (Pathological, 1991)
Possession CD (Caroline, 1992 / Venture, 1992 / Virgin, 1997)
Consumed CD (Sentrax, 1993)
The Anatomy Of Addiction CD (Big Cat, 1994)
Appeal To Human Greed CD (Big Cat UK, 1995)
Compilation Tracks:
“Sounds Like Thunder” on The Disparate Cogscienti (Cog Sinister, 1988)
“Dum Dum Slug” on Pathological Compilation (Pathological, 1989)
“Fucked (Rough Live Mix)” on Spreading The Virus (Sentrax, 1992)
“Black Jesus” on A Brief History Of Ambient Vol. 2: Imaginary Landscapes (Virgin, 1993)
“Driving The Demons Out” on Mind The Gap Volume 1 (Gonzo Circus Magazine, 1994)
“Bloodstream Dub” on The Big Cat Five (Big Cat UK + Rough Trade Germany, 1994)
“Lazarus” on Mind The Gap Volume 3 (Gonzo Circus Magazine, 1995)