†HYMNS† – Cardinal Sins/Contrary Virtues 

Although not a regular part my life, I have spent a lot of time among the pews, leaking roofs and feverish climes of the church, and by the sound of Cardinal Sins/Contrary Virtues so have Brummy two-piece, †Hymns†. This “atheist rock” band has delivered an expansive double album that delves into the mythology, iconography and hopelessness to be found in the house and hands of the Lord.

The first half of the album (Cardinal Sins) opens with a haunting Ave Maria, the delicacy of which is shortly blown away as “Repent and Rebuild” sets the pace for the rest of Sins. “Don’t put your faith in the Lord, he’s not listening, put it in me,” singer Samuel Manville spouts. And thus, the tone is pretty much set for the next 6 songs. A combination of early Billy Talent and Danananesque guitar strangulations contest the pop punk tones as Manville half croons, half apoplectically screams out his visceral Westboro Baptist Church demands. Ok, maybe not, but at times the conviction found in Cardinal Sins bears close resemblance to the scary evangelist TV preachers you find around the 500 channel mark on Sky.

As Cardinal Sins fades out to the jazz-metal strains of ‘Wicked Tongue’, we find ourselves greeted by the more resolute second half, the entertainingly titled Contrary Virtues. In many ways this is the more accessible side of †Hymns† debut, filled with the verse/chorus refrains of standard pop, rock or indeed, hymns themselves. It’s also the side in which the band clearly exhibit their dexterity in the studio; where Sins is not far removed from the sweaty conditions of a live show, you get the feeling that the songs on Virtues (generally more conformist works, both slower and clearer) are not set to see the stage, for the time being at least. Manville splits his guitar down the aisle, the lower bass sections counterweighted by simultaneous high-end lead stuff, with drummer Peter Reisner pulping the drumkit with terrific instrumentation. He follows the guitar work like a shadow, punctuating every change in direction and broadening the limitations a two-piece will always find lumped on themselves.

It’s rare to see such ambition from a relatively small band. If anything Cardinal Sins/Contrary Virtues is commendable for its vision alone, fortunately †Hymns† execution is nothing short of masterful. In the digital age, I feel the idea of the album is consistently dwindling, in the way that it has been since the introduction of the Compact Disk. †Hymns† repost violently with a drum and strum, double concept album that it as rewarding and fulfilling in the way that church can longer claim to be. This is a debut with balls, willing to try difficult themes and song styles. Peace be with you. Amen.

Words: Jimmy Jazz

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