H.A.Q.Q.

H.A.Q.Q. is the fourth studio album by the American band Liturgy. It was released on November 12, 2019 as a surprise digital release, and physically in February 2020 through main artist Hunter Hunt-Hendrix's label YLYLCYN.[3] It was primarily recorded and produced in August 2019.

H.A.Q.Q.
Studio album by
Liturgy
ReleasedNovember 12, 2019 (2019-11-12)
RecordedAugust 2019
Studio
  • Machines With Magnets, Providence
  • Metropolis Mastering, Chicago
Genre
Length45:11
LabelYLYLCYN
ProducerHunter Hunt-Hendrix
Liturgy chronology
The Ark Work
(2015)		 H.A.Q.Q.
(2019)		 Origin of the Alimonies
(2020)
Singles from H.A.Q.Q.
  1. "God of Love"
    Released: September 5, 2019
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Metal Storm8.6/10[1]
Pitchfork7.6/10[2]

Background and concept

The press release for H.A.Q.Q. describes the record as "a consolidation of the band's sound to date," as well as "Liturgy’s most vulnerable record for Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, addressing anger and struggles around mental health, sexuality, and religion."[4] The album title is an acronym for "Haelegen above Quality and Quantity".[4] Haelegen is a function within Hunt-Hendrix's belief system, which she previously explored through the record New Introductory Lectures on the System of Transcendental Qabala (2016); this belief system is expressed as a diagram on the cover of the album.

The album is tied to an ongoing series of philosophical lectures by Hunt-Hendrix on YouTube, which details the system of concepts portrayed by the diagram on its cover.[5]

Critical reception

Pitchfork gave the album a 7.6 out of 10, calling it "their most aggressive and radical album yet."[6] H.A.Q.Q. was ranked #31 of 2019 by fans on Rate Your Music,[7] and Kerrang called it one of the ten best surprise-released rock albums of all time.[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Hunter Hunt-Hendrix.

No.TitleLength
1."Hajj"8:30
2."Exaco I"2:19
3."Virginity"3:58
4."Pasaqualia"5:18
5."Exaco II"2:16
6."God of Love"8:05
7."Exaco III"4:00
8."HAQQ"7:03
9.". . . ."3:42
Total length:45:11
Japanese bonus track
No.TitleLength
10."Pasaqualia II"3:06
Total length:48:17

Personnel
Liturgy
  • Hunter Hunt-Hendrix – guitar, vocals, electronics, piano (track 5, 7, 9), bells (track 5, 6), production
  • Bernard Gann – guitar
  • Tia Vincent-Clark – bass
  • Leo Didkovsky – drums, glockenspiel (track 4, 6)
Additional personnel
  • Marilu Donovan – harp (track 1, 3, 6, 8)
  • Lucie Vítková – hichiriki (track 1)
  • Eric Wubbels – piano (track 2)
  • Adam Robinson – ryuteki (track 1)
  • Tadlow Ensemble – strings (track 4, 6)
  • Cory Bracken – vibraphone (track 4, 6)
  • Charlotte Mundy – voice (track 1, 3)
  • Matt Colton – mastering
  • Seth Manchester – mixing

References
  1. "Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q. review". Metal Storm. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  2. Grayson Haver Currin (November 19, 2019). "H.A.Q.Q. on Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  3. "Liturgy Surprise Release New Album H.A.Q.Q.: Listen". Pitchfork. November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  4. "H.A.Q.Q. | Liturgy". Bandcamp. November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  5. Hunter Hunt-Hendrix (January 30, 2020). The Four Arenas of Transcendental Qabala. Retrieved February 13, 2020 – via YouTube.
  6. "H.A.Q.Q.:". Pitchfork. November 12, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  7. "H.A.Q.Q.:". Rate Your Music. November 12, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  8. "10 of the Greatest Surprise-Released Rock Albums Ever:". Kerrang!. January 19, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
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