Hymns [Import]

Godflesh | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 16, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Music for Nations
• ASIN: B000NVI1HU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #266,384 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars stripped down and crushing, May 13, 2002

By 

Craig Allen Moore (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hymns (Audio CD)

Listening to this record as a posthumous statement, one has to be pleased with the way it all turned out for Godflesh. For this one, Justin unplugs the drum machine and enlists one of the only true peers he has in the "genre" that he almost single-handedly created. So here we have JK and GC along with Ted Parsons, formerly of Prong on the drums, and I can think of no other skinsman for the job. Ted's experience with his previous band provides the perfect style for Godflesh, and although Brain did his part, he falls way short of what Ted brings to this record. This is Godflesh's most organic release in terms of sound, and all the time that Justin has spent noodling around in various studios for various projects has paid off in spades. Crystal clear is the way I would describe the mix on Hymns. The guitar tone is amazing, not giving away an ounce of the destructive heaviness that has always been a trademark for this great band. The songwriting is simpler, focused more on a memorable groove(not unlike their earlier efforts) than freaked-out drum tracks and modulated samples. Apparently Justin had had enough of that, and wanted to get back to the basics of heavy music without sacrificing the post-modern, post-apocalyptic feel every Godflesh album demonstrates. To me, Hymns sounds like the human finally defeating the machine. For nearly fifteen years, the music Justin has written has sounded like the product of someone enslaved to cyborgs, and now with Hymns, he has been emancipated. There is a dichotomy of serously oppressive songs and clearly triumphant ones on this record that harkens back to "Songs of Love and Hate" a bit, but if you've been a fan, you know that no two albums end up very much alike.
I've been pondering this for a while, and there's no way that I can totally supplant my favorite Godflesh albums with this one, as Streetcleaner, Slavestate, and Pure all changed my life and the way I listen to music. There is a complete feeling here on this record that I cannot say that I have ever gotten from them before, though, and it has been a great pleasure to see this man(whom I think is criminally underrated)mature into an amazing songwriter from his tortured beginnings. My favorite track here is "voidhead," which should pull anyone in who has ever felt one iota of the alienation that Justin has been turning into brutal soundscapes since the 80's. A true masterpiece.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GF's last studio recording proves worthy, August 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Hymns (Audio CD)

After being a GF fan for a decade now their 7th installment
Hymns proves itself to me to be one of their best besides of
course STREETCLEANER. To me it's got the qualities I like from
previous lps. Although less experimental than the previous
journey US & Them- it makes up for with heaviness. Also this
is their 2nd release with a live drummer this time TED PARSONS
(of Prong/and SWans)- TEd does a fantastic job and at times sounds mechanical. "For Life" is a good example of that. Justin, GC, Ted still do some experimenting like the final track "Jesu"-
which has a hypnotic bass track over heavy guitar with pychedelic overtones. The track "Anthem" will get stuck in your head for days. Also another good track is "White Flag" which sounds like a Swans song to me. Very slow crawly tempo with some
delay ridden vocals. This is everything I like in GF record- it's angry,brutal,hypnotic,heavy,psychedelic,pounding but don't take my word for it- seems like people that reviewed this agree.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vastly underrated Godflesh does it again!, October 25, 2001

By 

Jon Wolford (St. Cloud, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hymns (Audio CD)

Well, I have just listened to Hymns, the latest installment by the phenom known as Godflesh- the best band you've never heard of. If you are a fan of heavy music- and if you're reading this, I'm sure you are- you've got to realize that Godflesh is one of the bands responsible for much of the sound you hear today. Fear Factory.Danzig.Orgy.Nine Inch Nails. Godflesh was mixing hip-hop beats with grinding guitars way before it was cool- not like the bubble-gum Limp Bizkit-Kid Rock "golly-gee we're angry" stuff out now. You want angry? Justin Broadrick delivers his lyrics of hatred,isolation,betrayal and pain like no one you have ever heard. NO ONE. Hymns is no different. Now I've got to tell you- Godflesh isn't for everybody. Their music has been described as oppressive and nihilistic- and it is indeed that. But I guess that's where you, the listener must decide how far you're willing to test the boundaries of what you thought heavy music was. Buy Hymns and discover what so few people have known for years.