Judicator - Concord
Genre: Heavy Metal, Power Metal; -They be saying Judicator makes power metal for people who don’t like power metal, but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Followers of other metal genres often look upon power metal with negative (in their opinion) connotations; it’s cheesy, it’s gay, it’s whatever the leading derogatory term is at that moment - leading many bands who play styles adjacent to power metal to eschew the genre. And Judicator certainly have done stuff that would fit into the traditional fold of power metal; they never seem to take themselves too serious. But their art is very serious and that’s very apparent on their new album Concord which makes ripples across the metal world for being just that - power metal for people who don’t like power metal. To get it out of the way, yes, you’ll still hear the Blind Guardian influences the band is known for, the Maiden-esque harmonies and some of the over the top theatrics that have become synonymous with power metal.
Concord is very much a part of the zeitgeist. A poignant piece of storytelling and commentary, and I believe that’s what many people are picking up on. It’s Judicator’s seventh full length, coming a few years after existentialist The Majesty of Decay (2022) which marked sort of a shift in their sound. New to the fold since then are both guitarists, Chad Anderson (Helion Prime) and Dayton Anderson, and they are both important to the sound of the album. The former lays down some incredible leads, harmonies and solos, while the latter does rhythm duty alongside John Dolan’s thick, majestic bass lines. It’s also an incredibly honest and direct album, one that doesn’t just run by the numbers; you’ve got introspective opener Call Us Out of Slumber, an awakening call woven of poetic Americana and thick riffing, eerie, somber vocals bringing it home. In fact, John Yelland is nothing short of magic throughout, from his darker moments in the opener to the majestic chorus of closing epic Bood Meridian. Similarly you’ll find Hold Your Smile snaking with intriguing melodics and gunslinger theme, and it boasts epic sounding keys to boot.
The album boasts some incredible songwriting, bringing a couple typical verse-chorus type deals; but it doesn’t stop there as the guys also toss in some prog influences and hooks that grab you each time to pull things in a different direction. Aside from the aforementioned songs, there’s the eclectic title track is one of the finest songs within the genre of the last few years; you never know where it’s going to go and with each twist it keeps growing - and ending on that incredible solo from Chad Anderson and chugging rhythm; what a beast. Altogether, the album comes together very Judicator-esque, to the point where we’ll need to acknowledge the guys as a leading force in the genre. Concord is definitely not your typical power metal album. It requires more of its listener than you’d expect and doesn’t just throw epic belter after epic belter at you – though each song still holds its own, thanks to competent songwriting and musicianship. In the current era of dumbing down of all metal genres, Concord shines; a beacon, a thoughtful and introspective piece of art. To call it power metal for people who don’t like power metal is to devalue its place in contemporary metal. It is exactly what and when it should be - Concord reigns.
Standout tracks: Call Us Out of Slumber, Concord, Blood Meridian
