Hymns (Godflesh album)

Hymns
Studio album by Godflesh
Released	23 October 2001
Recorded	June 2001
Genre	Industrial metal
Length	73:55
Label	Music for Nations/Koch
Producer	J. K. Broadrick, G. C. Green
Godflesh chronology
In All Languages (2001) Hymns (2001) Messiah (2003)

Hymns is Godflesh's sixth studio album. It was released on 23 October 2001, on Music for Nations and was their final album before breaking up in 2002.

The album marks the debut of drummer Ted Parsons, and is the second Godflesh album (after Songs of Love and Hate) with a drummer recorded live in the studio.^[1] It was also the band's first album to be recorded in a professional studio.^[1] Parsons later revealed that the band recorded in a professional studio due to label pressure, and described the decision as "a mistake".^[2] The final song on the album, "Jesu", became the name of Broadrick's next project after he dissolved Godflesh on 10 April 2002.

Release

Hymns was released on 23 October 2001, on Music for Nations. A remastered version of Hymns containing bonus tracks was released on 19 February 2013. Included among the bonus tracks is the non-album track "If I Could Only Be What You Want", which was recorded during the Hymns session and previously available on the Loud Music for Loud People compilation.^[3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]

Justin Broadrick stated that Hymns was a reaction to the previous album, Us and Them, which he "absolutely fucking hated" because he "lost sight of what Godflesh should be".^[1] In contrast, Broadrick described Hymns as "a new beginning" that was intended to counter the "watered down" rock associated with the then-popular nu metal genre.^[1] Iain Currie with Bring the Noise described Hymns as "brilliant", and contextualized the album as "a reminder of how bands of real calibre reacted to that nonsensical period...when nu-metal was picking up its destructive and soul destroying pace".^[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Defeated"	6:07
2.	"Deaf, Dumb & Blind"	4:26
3.	"Paralyzed"	5:10
4.	"Anthem"	5:27
5.	"Voidhead"	4:43
6.	"Tyrant"	4:07
7.	"White Flag"	6:27
8.	"For Life"	5:12
9.	"Animals"	3:54
10.	"Vampires"	6:30
11.	"Antihuman"	4:25
12.	"Regal"	4:39
13.	"Jesu" ("Jesu" ends at 6:00 and is followed by silence before an untitled hidden track begins at 7:04)	12:48
Total length:		73:55

2013 reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
14.	"Voidhead" (Demo 2012 Mix)	4:51
15.	"Vampires" (Demo 2012 Mix)	6:10
16.	"Deaf, Dumb & Blind" (Demo 2012 Remaster)	4:37
17.	"Anthem" (Demo 2012 Remaster)	5:21
18.	"Paralyzed" (Demo 2012 remaster)	5:10
19.	"For Life" (Demo 2012 Remaster)	5:11
20.	"If I Could Only Be What You Want" (2012 Remaster)	5:04
Total length:		110:19

Personnel

Credits for Hymns adapted from 2013 reissue liner notes:^[6]

• G. C. Green – bass
• Justin Broadrick – vocals, guitar, programming
• Ted Parsons – drums, percussion
• D Dalton - moog, shortwave on 13

Accolades

Year	Publication	Country	Accolade	Rank
2001	Terrorizer	United Kingdom	"Albums of the Year"	13	[7]
2001	Rock Sound	United Kingdom	"Albums of the Year"	32	[8]

References

1. Bromley, Adrian (14 January 2002). "Hymns of Progression". Chronicles of Chaos. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
2. Bartkewicz, Anthony (March 2007). "Justin Broadrick". Decibel Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 February 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
3. Adams, Gregory (11 December 2012). "Godflesh Reveal Deluxe Reissue of Hymns". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
4. Harper, Jim. "Godflesh Hymns". Retrieved 25 June 2013.
5. Currie, Iain (1 February 2013). "Godflesh – Hymns (Reissue)". Bring the Noise. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
6. Track listing and credits as per liner notes for 2013 reissue of Hymns album
7. "Terrorizer - Albums of the Year". Terrorizer. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
8. "Rock Sound - Albums of the Year". Rock Sound. Retrieved 2008-04-16.