Conqueror, Jesu’s second full-length album, leans much harder on ear-catching intervals than on ear-ravaging assaults. The difference is immediately apparent in the titular opening track, which beckons hypnotically with chunks of grumbling guitar, washes of trebly synth and Broadrick’s patient coo.
“Transfigure,” “Weightless,” and “Stanlow” employ the same sunshine through clouds aesthetic, flattening listeners like a narcotic lead blanket. Though this sound is typical of Jesu’s arrangements, Conqueror’s more inviting approach eschews the harsher tones of previous releases, almost qualifying as a droning form of pop metal or shoegaze.
Whether or not listeners enjoy flattening riffs minced with mellifluous melodies will decide whether they like this album or not. With that said, Conqueror effectively constructs a comfortable crush of a listening experience, wooing audiences with aural sweets. Here Broadrick proves his gradual acceptance of more sonorous styles is not an act of surrender, but an alluring exploration of his punishing abilities.
– Steve Mizek
Jesu (Hydra Head)