''Slavestate'' is the second EP by English

industrial metal Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine In ...

band

Godflesh Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham. The group formed in 1982 under the title Fall of Because but did not release any complete music until 1988 when Justin Broadrick (guitar, vocals and programming) and G. C. Gree ...

. It was released in July 1991 through

Earache Records Earache Records is a British independent record label, music publisher and management company founded by Digby Pearson in 1985, based in Nottingham, England, with offices in London and New York. The label helped to pioneer extreme metal by rel ...

. The EP saw the band experimenting with more samples and electronic sounds than their predominantly

prior releases.

Composition

With ''Slavestate'', Godflesh sought to diversify their metal-dominated sound by introducing elements of dance music and

electronic body music Electronic body music (acronymized to EBM) is a genre of electronic music that combines elements of industrial music and synth-punk with elements of disco and dance music. It developed in the early 1980s in Western Europe as an outgrowth of bo ...

. Still, the music retained the harsh guitar and vocals of frontman Justin Broadrick, as well as the

extreme Extreme may refer to: Science and mathematics Mathematics *Extreme point, a point in a convex set which does not lie in any open line segment joining two points in the set *Maxima and minima, extremes on a mathematical function Science *Extremop ...

aspects of Godflesh. Ira A. Robbins of '' Trouser Press'' wrote, "The four-song ''Slavestate'' EP finds the band charging full-on into an industrial-dance realm, giving ''

Streetcleaner ''Streetcleaner'' is the debut studio album by English industrial metal band Godflesh. It was released on 13 November 1989 through Earache Records and was reissued with a second disc of previously unreleased material on 21 June 2010. The album ...

s lurch-and-crunch the twist of a rhythmic basis." The EP's title track contains a sample of the song " Stakker Humanoid" by Brian Dougans. On ''Slavestate's'' shift in style, Broadrick said:

Release

''Slavestate'' was initially released as a four-song EP. A three-song remix EP titled ''Slavestate Remixes'' saw a limited vinyl release in September that same year. The remixes were later appended to all further issues of ''Slavestate''. The CD release also included the tracks from the follow-up "

Slateman "Slateman" is a song by industrial metal band Godflesh. It was released as a 7-inch single in 1991 through Sub Pop and later reissued on Earache Records as a CD, a 7-inch and a 12-inch. In 1996, the single was repackaged alongside '' Cold World' ...

" single. In August 2009, ''Slavestate'' was reissued as part of a triple-CD package which also included the EP '' Cold World'' (1991) and the band's second studio album, '' Pure'' (1992).

Critical reception

''Slavestate'' received lukewarm reviews, with the exception of the song "Meltdown", which was singled out as a highlight. Ned Raggett of AllMusic appreciated the change in pace from Godflesh's heavy, metal-focused music, but was ultimately unimpressed. Writing for '' The Quietus'', Noel Gardner thought the introduction of electronic and dance elements was clunky but somewhat admirable. Broadrick was disappointed by the EP's contemporary reception, saying it "should have received far more acclaim than it did." In 1997, '' Metal Hammer'' retrospectively described the EP as "cutting edge".

Accolades

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. * Justin Broadrick – guitar, vocals, production * G. Christian Green –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

Paul Neville Paul Neville may refer to: * Paul Neville (politician) (1940–2019), Australian politician *Paul Neville (musician), British industrial metal guitarist *Paul Neville (actor) Paul Neville may refer to: *Paul Neville (politician) (1940–2019), Aus ...

– guitar *

Machine A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...

– rhythm *Johnny Barry – layout

References

External links

* {{Authority control Godflesh EPs 1991 EPs 1991 remix albums Remix EPs Earache Records remix albums Earache Records EPs Albums produced by Justin Broadrick