Godzilla Black - Press The Flesh album review

The Leeds-based quirky post rockers' third album is more many-headed Mothra than much-loved monster

Godzilla Black Press The Flesh album cover

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Formed by Leeds drummer John Cormack in 2010, Godzilla Black are on their third album of quirky, prog-inflected post-rock (after early Nirvana drummer Dale Crover bolstered 2013’s The Great Terror).

Most of the 12 songs change musical underpants several times during their convoluted trajectories, managing to thrust a leg into punk-funk, King Crimson uproar, Outside-era Bowie, Faith No More bluster and even Van der Graaf Generator territory when Alex Nicholl’s sax parps in. It also helps being partial to Cormack’s dominating, multitracked yelp.

Only on six-minute closer Pulse Throbber do they cut loose and let fly, mauling what sounds like a Moby interview into ever-swelling chaos with mischievous abandon. Clever and interesting, but it would have benefited from their namesake’s testicles.

Kris Needs

Kris Needs is a British journalist and author, known for writings on music from the 1970s onwards. Previously secretary of the Mott The Hoople fan club, he became editor of ZigZag in 1977 and has written biographies of stars including Primal Scream, Joe Strummer and Keith Richards. He's also written for MOJO, Record Collector, Classic Rock, Prog, Electronic Sound, Vive Le Rock and Shindig!