Following a recent open abdominal surgery, Godflesh co-founder Justin K. Broadrick has revealed he’s permanently pulling the iconic industrial band off the stage to focus on his health.
The U.K. artist explained his decision to stop touring with Godflesh in a new Instagram post, which outlines how he’d recently went into surgery to repair an inguinal hernia pushing against his abdominal wall.
He added that while he’s recovering, he found the experience “absolutely debilitating.” The procedure also forced him to rethink screaming onstage with Godflesh, and he’s not going to risk any further injury.
“If I continue to perform and shout/scream as I do with Godflesh, then I am at high risk for more hernias, and blowing out my abdominal wall entirely,” he explained in his post, which also shares a photo of Broadrick in a hospital bed following the operation. “Godflesh live ended the day of my surgery, and upon the surgeon making this statement.
Despite the recent procedure and retirement from live performance, Broadrick also detailed that a new Godflesh record called Decay is in the final mixing stage. He guesses it’ll be out through Relapse Records sometime around July or August. A “final” Godflesh album has already been written, and it’s expected to be recorded later in 2026.
While Godflesh no longer exist as a live entity, per Broadrick, he also noted that “my other projects do not require screaming/shouting nor a physically demanding performance,” so Jesu and JK Flesh shows will resume after his full recovery, which is expected to take six months.
An as-yet-undetailed solo project is also on the way, which Broadrick noted will be “exploring the parameters of heavy/ugly music.” He’ll be working with guitars and electronics, and will be hitting the mic for the project, but he clarified that it’s “NOT shouted vocals!”
You’ll find Broadrick’s statement in full below.
Godflesh’s last album was 2023’s Purge. Their final live show was last October in Scala in London, England.