Conqueror

On the second Jesu full-length -- following up the critically acclaimed Silver EP -- Justin Broadrick, who has worn as many hats (artist, producer, engineer, DJ, etc.) and played with as many sounds as is possible in his career and the man isn't even half done -- does a near 180 at distancing himself from his influential days founding speed metal freaks Napalm Death and industrial forefathers Godflesh and cocks a firm ear backwards toward the '90s while still pointing his "heaviness" Geiger counter ever forward. There are eight cuts on Conqueror, all of them deeply melodic, ploddingly slow, and emotionally melancholic. It's no longer about metal that's punishing nor is being purposely obnoxious and irritating (though the more musically conservative black-clad metal hordes might be offended by this) but rather, about digging deep into the well of the heart for what's actually true for the songwriter (at least for right now). While the former was another of the man's trademarks, the latter is where he's moved toward -- just a tad -- with more subtlety all along. The nod to the past comes from apparently listening to the early records of Ride, Catherine Wheel, and the like -- yeah, yeah, the shoegazers, though they were never, ever this heavy. Distorted blurring guitars, rangy, space-noise programming, low-end dirge tempo basslines (courtesy of Diarmuid Dalton) and a basic, force-driven tribal thud with shimmering, cymbals for balance (by Ted Parsons).... Read More...