“Put your money where your soul is.“
It had been 1,115 days since God Complex, in one form or another, had graced the stage to blast out their chthonian hymns. Even then, back in 2022, there was a sense that God Complex were simply too good of a band for that to be the curtain call. That one of the UK’s strongest bands should simply exist side stage and enter to the halls of time that many bands from this island have. In time and events that are now well documented, it has proven that God Complex was simply too good to end it there. A surprise return at the end of 2024 with “Salt & Ash” and He Watches In Silence releasing just over two months later, God Complex had made their magnificent return.
Words by Joe Edwards, photography by Amy Shephard, contact Amy prior to any use.
The stage return saw God Complex perform in the same city it ended, with Liverpool giving God Complex the return they deserved, a baying hometown dancing along to God Complex’s tune. The day after saw the capital play host, at the now branded Downstairs at The Dome, which has seen the likes of END and Ithaca on stage over the years. Local openers Predeceased set an interesting opening tone. A screamo come post-punk sound, with the wry Hackney humour in their lyricism, singing tunes about railway nationalisation, messy housemates and UFC create-a-character monstrosities. It was a light touch to open proceedings, with an early horse-shoe forming, leading to Harry Rule from the merch desk giving a yelled demand for the crowd to move in.
Moving the Tuesday night into gear was given to Long Goodbye, a band whose roots have crossed paths with God Complex before and now present in a form that is much closer to the headliner’s sound. To cut to the crux of it, Long Goodbye are still incredible live and this will come with the usual commentary of, if you’ve not seen Long Goodbye live then that needs sorting. Playing the setlist from Reality Unfolds, the weight and ferocity of their sound, and simply the quality at hand makes a repeat watch as good as the first. The likes of “autolisis” and “Simulating Respiration” cracking out, as well as the two new songs that will be yearned to be heard again, made for a stellar set. Filling the space between this and the headliner came Bodyweb, a band who are packed with potential. Their nu-core come post-hardcore sound has built them up a steady following. Their sound pierced through, with the likes of “judas” bouncing off the walls of The Dome. There’s a band here that with the right next step could be something deeply impressive, which will hopefully come sooner rather than later.
Then that of course meant the long wait was over for those not in the North the night before. Opening with the eerie sample from Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, that was cut from the record on streaming services, it was the precursor for the darkened tones God Complex were set to perform. Moving through He Watches In Silence material, with the likes of “The Judge” and death metal track “Ba’al’s Trick” performed with an equal rage and potency as on the EP. It was intertwined with the favourites in “Stone Hand”, “Red Chord” and “Slumlord”, all with God Complex’s beatdown heavy almost come death metal sound they now possess. It’s a set list not for the tame and will challenge crowds, with Harry Rule the demanding the conductor, who will ensure crowds are simply not bystanders. Closing on “Flooded Lungs”, previously released through QR codes at the merch table at their finale in 2022, it gave a sense that thankfully God Complex have returned. With such a quality song not being lost to the internet archives, and we are now in a world where one of, if not, the UK’s top bands are back.
You can read our review of He Watches In Silence here.