Album Review: Judicator – Concord (Self Released)
American power metallers Judicator will release their highly anticipated new (and seventh) album, ‘Concord’ on March 28th, 2025.
Concord is an epic exploration of American identity, blending historical events, folklore, and themes of cultural disconnection. With powerful storytelling that navigates both awe and tragedy of the American West, the album confronts the complexities of survival, power, and loss, offering a deeply resonant and thought-provoking journey through the nation’s fractured heritage.
It has been way too long, but the wait is over, and one of the most underrated power metal bands in the world are back. It’s Judicator, and they have big, bright, brash, and brilliant music to showcase as only they can. Beginning with a bullish eruption of melody and metal, Call Us Out of Slumber is a powerful way to shake the cobwebs out. Judicator are back and on fine form, hitting harmonised highs with energised instrumentals and soaring vocals that you can’t help but pay rapt attention to. That’s John Yelland for you though, one of the world’s best vocalists.
The senses are aflame, the soul is feeling buoyant, and the body is quivering with anticipation. It’s more high-powered and creative power metal that we crave, and thankfully, Judicator have exactly what we need with the punchy and anthemic pairing of Sawtooth and Johannah’s Song. The former’s chorus is such a singalong, but the latter has cinematic vibes and an incredible amount of vibrancy. It’s such a strong example of how well all the parts of Judicator work together.
The heaviness, raucous riffs and thumping drums, is back with aplomb on the next track, A Miracle of Life. As is the dramatic melody with Weeping Willow. Judicator’s ability to weave captivating stories, told with immense vocals, and then give it so much ‘oomph’, while following a beloved formula, is unquestionable. Yet even though they are made up of familiar power metal elements (the latter of those two tracks has symphonic touches), nobody quite sounds like Judicator.
Regardless of your feelings for power metal, the variety in their sound and how everything they approach feels so vital, is undeniable. Nor is the fact that they’re more than willing to experiment, such as with the darker tone of Imperial and the harsh vocals that crop up here. The guitar solo in this one is a bit more ‘in your face’ too.
Taking the tempo down a significant notch with Hold Your Smile, Judicator add a moodier feel to things but combine that with dramatic melodies and expressive vocal harmonisation. It’s so classy, and followed by a rampaging head banger that will have everyone listening digging down deep to try and sing/shout along with Judicator. This is so epic, and up there as one of the most smile-inducing songs the band have ever written.
Power metal this good, you simply never want to end, but end they must, and it just so happens that Judicator go out with a bang. A vibrant bang called Blood Meridian that can be called one hell of a journey. It delivers unforgettable metal speed, unmatched melody, and resounding power. It’s a near eight-minute track that flies by in a blur of story-telling dynamism and satisfies so much.
Constantly and consistently brilliant, this is Judicator at their most refined, and with that comes tracks that demand every bit of the attention. With power metal this enjoyable, it’s impossible to not give them what they want.
Judicator – Concord Track Listing:
1. Call Us Out of Slumber
2. Sawtooth
3. Johannah’s Song
4. A Miracle of Life
5. Weeping Willow
6. Imperial
7. Hold Your Smile
8. Concord
9. Blood Meridian
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Author
Judicator - Concord (Self Released)
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The Final Score - 9/10
9/10
