Judas Iscariot

[Grim Reality]

Ok, will try and support this forum with a new thread. Let's see if we get much response as guaranteed this would get 1-2 replies max on latter-day MI 

American black metal band Judas Iscariot-what's the consensus?

I'm on a mad JI buzz these last few weeks. I am familiar with the name going back years but I either never gave them a listen at all or only gave them a very brief chance. Being an American BM band in the 90's vein, corpsepaint aesthetic etc I probably just dismissed the band as not the real deal. American goons what the fuck would they know etc etc. Anyway an album popped up on YouTube while driving the other day and I was immediately floored with how much my thing it actually is!
Audible riffs and typical yet awesome BM melodies, spacious compositions, unbusy drums, non annoying vocals, malevolent atmosphere ...

There's tons of output to go through too. I tried to find out a bit more and there's plenty (too much) on nwn forum - the guy behind it left the scene in 2002 apparently-there is recent controversy over vinyl reissues (yawn) and they seem to be loved and loathed in equal measure.

Did they ever make an impression over here? Any opinions on them?

PS related project Weltmacht is killer also!

[Hambeast]

Decent band but never really stood out too much to me. I'll occasionally stick on Heaven In Flames but I never explorered too much else. I used to listen to Weltmacht a fair bit but I had no idea there was a connection.

What's the drama with the reissues?

I had heard story a while back about him having to stop the band because his dad was a bigwig lawyer or something, and he got into bother for having a son in a metal band. Sounds like a load of shite to be fair...

[Grim Reality]

The problem with the vinyl reissues is twofold from what I can gather. Firstly , when he left the scene (perhaps under duress as you allude to - maybe he was being cut out of a large inheritance??) he supposedly stated he didn't want reissues and JI was to be forgotten about.

The second problem is that Blake Judd is involved with the vinyl reissues and is by all accounts a raging junkie not to be trusted!

I'm enjoying the contrast in drums with this band. The early releases have ultra sloppy drums, and that's being kind. I like that though. Maybe I can empathise 😂
The later drums are much tighter and faster but still nice and pure , no unnecessary extras.

[KingBuddha]

There's a band name I haven't seen for a long time.

Used to listen to JI on and off years ago, I could never get fully into it. Knew a few guys who swore by it though, so he must have been doing something right.

[hellfire]

I tend to listen to them in bursts. To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding is great, but I never really felt like going through their entire back catalog either.

[Weltenfeind]

Cool band, under appreciated in their day.Sad to see Akhenatans name getting dragged into Blake Judds circus. Heaven in Flames and Dethroned Conquered Forgotten are my go to records when it comes to JI.

[Cryptic Stench]

Mixed feelings here. Always thought JI fell just short. The mystique and aesthetic outweighs the end product, fairly textbook in places.?

Heaven in Flames and Dethroned Conquered Forgotten are my go to records when it comes to JI.

They'd be the two records I'd be most familiar with, haven't spun them in an age so will do so today and see if it's any different.

[Weltenfeind]

Mixed feelings here. Always thought JI fell just short. The mystique and aesthetic outweighs the end product, fairly textbook in places.?

Heaven in Flames and Dethroned Conquered Forgotten are my go to records when it comes to JI.

Most of their albums though good, are fairly interchangeable . The two i mentioned stand out to me for various reasons,  'Dethroned. .' Is fairly raw sounding and aggressive whilst 'Heaven. .' Is a much more polished and complete work imo.

They'd be the two records I'd be most familiar with, haven't spun them in an age so will do so today and see if it's any different.

[mickO)))]

I had heard story a while back about him having to stop the band because his dad was a bigwig lawyer or something, and he got into bother for having a son in a metal band. Sounds like a load of shite to be fair...

The story is true except his father is a judge not a lawyer. Andrew the guy behind the band is a trust fund millionaire his father was getting heat due to Andrew donating money to some US politicians campaign then some people (opposition) I am guessing did some digging found out Andrew had the band and tried linking the band to NS ideologies so Andrews father told him to either give up the band or give up his money.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-09-02-0209020069-story.html

Heaven in flames is definitely the best release but all of the full lengths are great. The re recorded cold earth slept below is also great.

[Recrucifier]

Great BM band, very distinctive sound. Of great eternity album really hit the spot for me

[Eoin McLove]

What a bizarre situation for an obscure band to find itself in.  I wonder has he continued to release stuff and kept his identity hidden or of he's just fluting about on his yacth, getting blown by leggy blondes.  Tough lifestyle choice...

[mickO)))]

No he's left it all behind. He's only appeared twice in the last 15 years once to tell IPR to stop reissuing his stuff on vinyl or he would sue them and recently he apparently contacted metal archives to tell them the reissues Blake was planning on doing were bootlegs. He contacted MA months after the reissued were first announced with Blake saying Andrew had given his permission which definitely leads me to believe he no longer has any involvement in metal whatsoever otherwise he would have been all over it instantly. 

Also the not allowing vinyl to be reissued is another stranger part to the story when the CD's have been kept in print all these years and continue to be readily available.

[Weltenfeind]

Picked up "An Ancient Starry Sky " a little while ago, was recorded back in 1998 but got shelved in place of "Heaven in Flames " and only released last year with Akhenatans full consent. Overall its pretty decent, plenty of Darkthrone worship and a rough out production but Akhenatans flair for memorable riffs shines through with some catchy songs throughout that leave you no choice but to bang your head. JI fans won't be disappointed or those looking for 90s style grimness.