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The Cold Earth Slept Below... (1996)
Judas Iscariot was among one of the better-known American black metal bands and, for some reason, has long held a high level of respect within the underground. This is quite difficult to explain, since the band was mediocre at best and struggled even to achieve that rank. The Cold Earth Slept Below... released in 1996, and is a perfect representation of everything that went wrong with American black metal in the '90s. For a band that somehow gained a reputation within the underground, it’s a tough one to swallow.
The musicianship is nothing short of atrocious, even by the standards of raw, underground black metal. Akhenaten handles everything here, and it shows. The drumming is all over the place—at times too slow, at others completely out of control. It’s not just bad; it’s distracting. In black metal, percussion is often an afterthought, but here, it’s a glaring issue that detracts from any potential atmosphere. The vocals follow the same disastrous pattern, feeling detached from the music, haphazard and uncoordinated. Akhenaten might have been better off finding some actual bandmates.
The album’s sound is a confused mess of Darkthrone worship, but without any of the finesse that made their style work. The riffs are derivative and flat, often mirroring Transilvanian Hunger in an attempt at grim, cold atmosphere, but they come across as stale, and the drumming only drags them further into mediocrity. While there’s a brief attempt at creating some tension in songs like "Reign" and "Midnight Frost" with clean vocals and slower sections, the execution is clumsy, and nothing sticks. He even shamelessly rips off "Slottet i det fjerne" on "Fidelity". This is not even a case of the riff sounding slightly similar; this is the same riff played by a clumsy musician.
Despite a few riffs here and there that are passable, The Cold Earth Slept Below... is ultimately nothing more than a pale imitation of what better bands were already doing. It’s a tired mix of influences with no real originality to speak of. Do not be tricked into believing the hype and thinking this is anything more than pedestrian hero worship. This album would have been better suited as a demo, if anything. Either way, avoid this trash.
The musicianship is nothing short of atrocious, even by the standards of raw, underground black metal. Akhenaten handles everything here, and it shows. The drumming is all over the place—at times too slow, at others completely out of control. It’s not just bad; it’s distracting. In black metal, percussion is often an afterthought, but here, it’s a glaring issue that detracts from any potential atmosphere. The vocals follow the same disastrous pattern, feeling detached from the music, haphazard and uncoordinated. Akhenaten might have been better off finding some actual bandmates.
The album’s sound is a confused mess of Darkthrone worship, but without any of the finesse that made their style work. The riffs are derivative and flat, often mirroring Transilvanian Hunger in an attempt at grim, cold atmosphere, but they come across as stale, and the drumming only drags them further into mediocrity. While there’s a brief attempt at creating some tension in songs like "Reign" and "Midnight Frost" with clean vocals and slower sections, the execution is clumsy, and nothing sticks. He even shamelessly rips off "Slottet i det fjerne" on "Fidelity". This is not even a case of the riff sounding slightly similar; this is the same riff played by a clumsy musician.
Despite a few riffs here and there that are passable, The Cold Earth Slept Below... is ultimately nothing more than a pale imitation of what better bands were already doing. It’s a tired mix of influences with no real originality to speak of. Do not be tricked into believing the hype and thinking this is anything more than pedestrian hero worship. This album would have been better suited as a demo, if anything. Either way, avoid this trash.
(4 Oct. 2011)
Thy Dying Light (1996)
Judas Iscariot’s Thy Dying Light is a prime example of a band misunderstanding its own aspirations. Released just a short time after the debut, Akhenaten quickly escalates his pretensions only to fall flat. From the ridiculous song titles to the uninspired music, it’s clear he’s trying too hard to capture something grand, but fails miserably. It’s evident throughout the album that Akhenaten is hopelessly out of touch with the essence of black metal. Imitation doesn’t equal understanding, and that’s exactly what this album demonstrates.
The music itself is an unoriginal mess, with plenty of Darkthrone and Burzum influences but none of the conviction. The tremolo riffs are cold but lack the sharpness and urgency that make black metal compelling. The drumming is a consistent problem—awkward, out of time, and often distracting from what little atmosphere the guitars manage to conjure. Worst of all, the attempts at atmosphere feel forced. Breakdown sections, death metal influences, and pointless spoken-word bits stand out like sore thumbs in a genre built on raw intensity. He would have been better off sticking with Sarcophagus.
This album's only worthwhile ideas are lifted directly from Akhenatan's idols, and the rest is a clutter of disjointed riffs with no sense of direction or cohesion. Riffs abruptly end only to be replaced by ideas that don’t fit, abandoning the established theme mid-song. Worse yet, "...They Saw His Pale Visage..." is another example of plagiarizing Darkthrone, raising the question of how he released this album with no shame whatsoever. His lack of musical skill and an understanding of black metal’s core is painfully obvious here. It’s as though he’s following the blueprint of his heroes but completely misses what makes their music work. His songwriting is aimless, with songs that drag on without building to anything. What little variation there is seems to undermine the mood rather than enhancing it, and the transitions between sections feel clunky and unconsidered.
Judas Iscariot is a joke, and Thy Dying Light is the punchline. The song arrangement, musicianship, and songwriting are all so bad that this is either a prank on the underground or evidence that Akhenaten is a clueless imbecile with no business getting near musical instruments and even less reason to venture into the realm of black metal. Get a clue and see this for the trash that it is.
The music itself is an unoriginal mess, with plenty of Darkthrone and Burzum influences but none of the conviction. The tremolo riffs are cold but lack the sharpness and urgency that make black metal compelling. The drumming is a consistent problem—awkward, out of time, and often distracting from what little atmosphere the guitars manage to conjure. Worst of all, the attempts at atmosphere feel forced. Breakdown sections, death metal influences, and pointless spoken-word bits stand out like sore thumbs in a genre built on raw intensity. He would have been better off sticking with Sarcophagus.
This album's only worthwhile ideas are lifted directly from Akhenatan's idols, and the rest is a clutter of disjointed riffs with no sense of direction or cohesion. Riffs abruptly end only to be replaced by ideas that don’t fit, abandoning the established theme mid-song. Worse yet, "...They Saw His Pale Visage..." is another example of plagiarizing Darkthrone, raising the question of how he released this album with no shame whatsoever. His lack of musical skill and an understanding of black metal’s core is painfully obvious here. It’s as though he’s following the blueprint of his heroes but completely misses what makes their music work. His songwriting is aimless, with songs that drag on without building to anything. What little variation there is seems to undermine the mood rather than enhancing it, and the transitions between sections feel clunky and unconsidered.
Judas Iscariot is a joke, and Thy Dying Light is the punchline. The song arrangement, musicianship, and songwriting are all so bad that this is either a prank on the underground or evidence that Akhenaten is a clueless imbecile with no business getting near musical instruments and even less reason to venture into the realm of black metal. Get a clue and see this for the trash that it is.
(4 Oct. 2011)
Of Great Eternity (1997)
Of Great Eternity is the third studio album from Judas Iscariot, released in 1997. It shows a bit of progression from the first two records, though that's not to say it's good. The album feels more coherent, and the musicianship is somewhat more competent, but not by much. The songwriting is fairly similar to the previous material, with some attempts to add depth, but it doesn’t break new ground. In the end, the album allows Akhenaten to find a bit more solid footing, but that’s about it.
The album often gets hailed for its supposed milestones, but much of it is forgettable, and the attempts to evolve feel forced. The guitar tone is thin which suits the material but the drumming still lacks precision. While Akhenaten incorporates some mid-paced sections and fleeting moments of atmosphere, nothing substantial comes from it. The influence of Darkthrone and Burzum is undeniable, but there’s little unique input. Instead, it feels like Akhenaten is still stuck in hero-worship mode, recycling riffs and ideas from his inspirations with little more than slight variations.
Though some tracks attempt complexity or mood shifts, they often end up one-dimensional, lacking any real emotional impact. The occasional bursts of intensity are undermined by repetition, and the few attempts at atmosphere feel hollow. The production is slightly tighter than before, but it still doesn’t evoke anything particularly memorable or engaging. It’s competent, but that’s about all it is.
Of Great Eternity isn’t a bad album, but it’s pitiful that it took Akhenaten three tries just to display minimal competence. It would have made for an acceptable debut effort, showing some potential while paying homage to those who inspired Judas Iscariot. But after three albums, it’s embarrassing that he still can’t break free from imitation. It’s certainly an improvement over the band’s earlier works, even if that only highlights how little progress has been made. The very best that this guy could come up with is still unworthy of bothering with.
The album often gets hailed for its supposed milestones, but much of it is forgettable, and the attempts to evolve feel forced. The guitar tone is thin which suits the material but the drumming still lacks precision. While Akhenaten incorporates some mid-paced sections and fleeting moments of atmosphere, nothing substantial comes from it. The influence of Darkthrone and Burzum is undeniable, but there’s little unique input. Instead, it feels like Akhenaten is still stuck in hero-worship mode, recycling riffs and ideas from his inspirations with little more than slight variations.
Though some tracks attempt complexity or mood shifts, they often end up one-dimensional, lacking any real emotional impact. The occasional bursts of intensity are undermined by repetition, and the few attempts at atmosphere feel hollow. The production is slightly tighter than before, but it still doesn’t evoke anything particularly memorable or engaging. It’s competent, but that’s about all it is.
Of Great Eternity isn’t a bad album, but it’s pitiful that it took Akhenaten three tries just to display minimal competence. It would have made for an acceptable debut effort, showing some potential while paying homage to those who inspired Judas Iscariot. But after three albums, it’s embarrassing that he still can’t break free from imitation. It’s certainly an improvement over the band’s earlier works, even if that only highlights how little progress has been made. The very best that this guy could come up with is still unworthy of bothering with.
(7 Oct. 2011)
Distant in Solitary Night (1998)
The fourth full-length album from Judas Iscariot, Distant in Solitary Night, is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the band's career. In actuality, that distinction probably belongs to this record's predecessor, Of Great Eternity. That isn't saying much, but at least playing was a bit more competent. This makes sense, as Distant in Solitary Night was originally recorded in 1996 and intended to be the band's third album. Since Judas Iscariot had already released two albums that year, Moribund Records delayed the release of this one until June 1998. As such, the playing is a little sloppier and the songwriting is rather poor. It just goes to show that, when it comes to something that pathetic as the bulk of American black metal, it does not take much to impress people.
The riffs here are derivative and flat, borrowing heavily from Darkthrone and Burzum, but never capturing the essence or intensity of either. The drumming is inconsistent, and Akhenaten’s vocals still feel disconnected from the music. There’s no sense of cohesion—just aimless repetition of tired ideas. While Akhenaten attempts atmosphere, it falls flat. Even when he tries to be "epic" or "atmospheric," it comes off as hollow and uninspired.
The worst part is how little progression is made. Akhenaten's musical vision remains stagnant, recycling the same riffs and ideas, and in some cases, he even fails to replicate them properly. The final track, “Portions of Eternity Too Great for the Eye of Man,” is a laughable 12-minute outro of filler, completely pointless and just padding out the album's runtime with random noises and nonsensical mumbling.
Distant in Solitary Night is trash. There was no need to release this. "The Winds Stand Silent" was already released on the Arise, My Lord E.P. in 1996. As painfully generic as that song is, the rest of the material only further exposes the band’s lack of originality and inability to evolve. Avoid at all costs.
The riffs here are derivative and flat, borrowing heavily from Darkthrone and Burzum, but never capturing the essence or intensity of either. The drumming is inconsistent, and Akhenaten’s vocals still feel disconnected from the music. There’s no sense of cohesion—just aimless repetition of tired ideas. While Akhenaten attempts atmosphere, it falls flat. Even when he tries to be "epic" or "atmospheric," it comes off as hollow and uninspired.
The worst part is how little progression is made. Akhenaten's musical vision remains stagnant, recycling the same riffs and ideas, and in some cases, he even fails to replicate them properly. The final track, “Portions of Eternity Too Great for the Eye of Man,” is a laughable 12-minute outro of filler, completely pointless and just padding out the album's runtime with random noises and nonsensical mumbling.
Distant in Solitary Night is trash. There was no need to release this. "The Winds Stand Silent" was already released on the Arise, My Lord E.P. in 1996. As painfully generic as that song is, the rest of the material only further exposes the band’s lack of originality and inability to evolve. Avoid at all costs.
(25 Oct. 2011)
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