To many the name Justin Broadrick means little, but to a select few the mere mention of the former Godflesh mastermind will bring about countless words of praise. These days, with Godflesh put to rest and a nervous breakdown recovered from Broadrick has re-emerged and Jesu's self-titled debut is the fruit he has come bearing.

Think recent Neurorsis and Isis jamming with Sigur Ros. Looming ambiance, groove-obsessed repetition, husky riffs and vast amounts of detached noise all rise to the occasion in the often nine-minute plus tracks included on this opus. With a tepid pacing and an eye for somber rock full of jarring resonance this album proves to be a test of endurance that will highly please Broadrick's devout following and alienate pretty much anyone else. A few isolated melodic vocal parts do make their ethereal presence felt, but for the most part ample amounts of recurring ponderous rock instrumentation are what comprise this album.

The music of Jesu is a vastly enveloping sonic brainstorm that some may say widens the very breadth of their musical soul. To others it's a marathon-like dirge that never seems to end, constantly droning on with either ominous or hopeful texturing. If music could be translated in weight this album could be used as a boat anchor, just by sheer scale and feel alone. But to listen to it in its entirety in one sitting without the aid of tranquilizers is a feat that few will be willing to undergo - especially with the material often winding up as being rather anti-climactic in the long run.