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Jesu: Infinity

16/11/09 || Khlysty

I know that a lot of people’s gonna hate me for this, but I’m gonna go out and say that “Infinity” is one of the greatest offerings heavy music has given us during 2009. Not only that, but this is the best thing Broadrick has done since “Silver”, and that’s saying a lot, since the man’s quality control is –generally- very high.

So, since I decree that everything’s fine and dandy, how come I pre-suppose that a lot of people’s gonna hate me? Well, that’s because I know for a fact that many people have turned their backs in disgust when Broadrick started putting out records under the Jesu moniker. This happened because his music took a serious turn, leaving behind the paint-peeling aggression and angst of, say, Godflesh, and embracing a style that had more in common with bands like Ride or My Bloody Valentine, than with metal.

Yup, guys and gals –and I’m very happy to say that in GD we have a lady staffer, Nappy666, whom I welcome into the fold-, Justin’s gone all shoegaze and soft and poppy and shit like that. Of course, him being who he is, he would never abandon his love for distortion, noise and multiple levels of orchestration, but instead of using them to create songs that reeked of panic and anger, he obviously decided to utilize these qualities for composing long and slow songs that exuded a sense of resigned inner peace and (miracle of miracles!!!) happiness.

So, now, here we are, after a slew of LP’s, EP’s, splits and shit, and Broadrick gives us this, a one-50-minutes-long-song EP, which is available for downloading through his own label, and while his songwriting retains all the qualities I mentioned above, there are a few twists and turns that make “Infinity” a very intricate, interesting and ultimately rewarding experience. See, the song, at least to these ears, comes off as a convoluted but generally successful marriage between his newest songwriting style and his older, harsher self.

To boot, after almost two and a half minutes of serene guitar chimes that introduce the song, a wave of mechanized double-bass-drum kicks and hyper-distorted guitar and bass comes crashing, with Broadrick singing over it, reminding me of Jesu’s first EP and LP m.o. The basic riff established, he then goes on to slowly but clearly re-morph it, going for something more, ehm, dissonant, all the while keeping the melody pretty upfront and adding more strata of guitar and synth lines.

Then, at the 9-minute mark, things change again, with the guitar line going in a slow stomp-and-grind mode, all the while being slathered with melodic synths and clear guitar lines, leading everything towards the 16-minute mark, where everything explodes into dissonant lines, crashing drums and screamed-howled vocals, reminiscent of Broadrick’s Godflesh (especially “Hymns”-period) and early Jesu past. This aggressive part inexorably leads towards more serene and controlled music, with more synth flourishes and less ugly guitar. The riff reconfigures itself again, moving towards the shoegaze-post rock leanings of latter-day Jesu and leading to a majestic, self-contained end.

I’ve said before that I hate doing track-by-track reviews, but this is a case where one needs to break a song down to its constituent parts, if one wants to better comprehend its complexity. “Infinity” runs the emotional gamut, from laid-back peaceful introspection to uncontrollable angst and rage. It also displays a more “progressive” side of Broadrick, where the man experiments, not only with texture, but also with form and structure, creating a long and slow piece of music that never gets stranded into a rut but is always moving, reconfiguring itself, adding and shedding different strata of orchestration, always changing into compelling and thrilling forms.

The production is exceptional, clear and pure, but with enough grit where needed and as a whole “Infinity” is much bigger than its component parts. This is a record that needs time and concentration from the listener, if one wants to enjoy it in its totality. This ain’t no background music, but a long, well-thought, well-plotted and well-executed piece of music and I can tell you that I’m extremely happy that Broadrick here displays that he’s not bogged down or short of ideas and ambition. Great job and one of the best records of this year.

P.S.: the Japanese version of the record adds another track, “Infinity (pt. II: reinterpretation)”, which is a reworking of the final part of the main track. It’s ok, but doesn’t really add up anything…

8,5

Information
Released: 2009
Label: Avalanche Inc.
Website: www.avalancheinc.co.uk/jesu.html
Band
Justin K. Broadrick: guitar, bass, vocals, synths, programming

Tracklist
01. Infinity

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