Godhead preview

Godhead
Durty Nellie’s, Palatine
Sunday, October 1, 2006

On August 29th, Godhead’s The Shadow Line earned the distinction of being the first release on Cement Shoes Records, as Godhead was the first band signed to the label. Let’s hope they do better than five years ago, when they found themselves in a similar situation on Marilyn Manson’s doomed Posthuman Records.

To be fair, Manson’s (who snatched executive producer credits on 2001’s *2000 Years Of Human Error) label going under wasn’t completely Godhead’s fault. Sure, if they would have sold more copes the label might have stayed afloat longer, but the Washington D.C. band gave Posthuman a solid product in 2000 Years. Realistically, the album should have been a giant hit with Manson’s fanbase thanks to its industrial backbone, robotic metal riffing, and venomous anti-religion stance. But despite their affiliation with the Antichrist Superstar, 2000 Years didn’t earn the attention it probably deserved.

We can’t let them off the hook so easily for the rest of their career, though. 2003’s Evolver (Reality) had its moments, but frontman/guitarist/chief songwriter Jason Miller started flirting heavily with modern rock on this album. The Shadow Line proves to be the final step of the transformation; little of the nihilistic gnashing of the old Godhead is apparent. Melody is strongly emphasized, which would be fine if they weren’t the same mushy melodies we’ve heard on rock radio for the last five years.

Godhead, along with Ra and The Dreaming, open for bilingual nu metal act Ill Niño.

— Trevor Fisher

Click here to download Godhead’s “Trapped In Your Lies.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly