Godflesh Ends Live Shows After Broadrick's Hernia Surgery

Justin K. Broadrick, frontman and guitarist of the influential industrial metal band Godflesh, announced on Wednesday that the group will cease all live performances following major abdominal surgery he underwent three weeks ago to repair a severe inguinal hernia.

The 57-year-old musician from Birmingham, England, shared the news in a detailed statement on Instagram, explaining that the procedure involved a six-inch incision in his groin and left him with a significantly weakened abdominal wall. Broadrick, who also lives with autism and complex post-traumatic stress disorder, described the recovery as particularly challenging, with full healing expected to take about six months. He is currently able to walk freely but moves cautiously and at a reduced pace.

Medical advice played a central role in the decision. Broadrick stated that his surgeon warned him against resuming the intense vocal style central to Godflesh's performances. "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 wrote. "Godflesh live ended the day of my surgery, and upon the surgeon making this statement."...