Judicator

Project: Roenwolfe – Project: Roenwolfe Review

By Holdeneye on June 2, 2023 in Reviews, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, 28 comments

“It seems I was just waxing longingly about the power/thrash-shaped hole in my heart left by Iced Earth, and here I am again with a potential filler. Back in 2021, one of our lovely commenters recommended the then-new record Edge of Saturn by Project: Roenwolfe, and its Iced Earth-meets-Cage vibe was exactly what the doctor had ordered for me. Featuring the phenomenal guitar work of Alicia Cordisco (Transgressive, ex-Judicator), Project: Roenwolfe seemed tailor-made to quench my Iced Earth thirst with powerful, story-filled anthems saturated by thrashy guitar work and insane, high-pitched vocals.” Roenwolfe in the Iced Room.

Finality – Technocracy Review

By Holdeneye on May 4, 2023 in Reviews, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, 41 comments

“I remember the excitement of hearing that Into Eternity’s Stu Block was joining Iced Earth after Matt Barlow’s second departure from the band, but while the Block era provided a few good moments, I always felt that it was capable of so much more. And after spending time with Finality, I’ve been proven correct.” Block and tackle.

Transgressive – Extreme Transgression Review

By Eldritch Elitist on March 3, 2023 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 171 comments

“Transgressive strikes me as a novel melding of post-Endorama Kreator and Judicator (tragically disbanded in 2020; R.I.P.). The latter influence comes as no surprise, as both guitarist/vocalist Alicia Cordisco and guitarist Joshua Payne are Judicator alums. Cordisco has an extremely distinct style of writing lead guitar melodies, which translate over to Transgressive in a work of black magic.” Raging transgression.

Holdeneye’s Top Ten(ish) of 2022

By Holdeneye on January 2, 2023 in Blog Posts, Lists, 173 comments

Holdeneye throws his weight around with a hefty Top Ten(ish) list. Can you move it? Likely not.

Judicator – The Majesty of Decay Review

By Holdeneye on November 22, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, 92 comments

“When we last saw Judicator grace these hallowed pages, ‘consistent’ was a word that could have been aptly used to describe the band’s situation. For the second time in as many years, they were releasing a historically themed opus of quality power metal tunes with the exact same lineup, and Let There Be Nothing nearly matched The Last Emperor’s brilliance. It seemed as if Judicator had found a winning formula that placed them at the front of the modern US power metal pack, but little did we know that change was coming.” Revisionist history.

Raptore – Blackfire Review

By Holdeneye on August 4, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 62 comments

“Originating in Argentina, Raptore released one full-length album back in 2016 and have been relatively quiet ever since, with a contribution to a 5-way split being their only other official release. But after moving to Spain in search of the right lineup, founding guitarist and vocalist Nico Cattoni finds his project poised to unleash sophomore record Blackfire upon an unsuspecting trüe metal scene. Single “Prisoner of the Night” demonstrates Raptore’s kitchen-sink approach to writing classic heavy metal tunes by combining bits of early Ozzy with the hair metal swagger of Mötley Crüe and a bit of American power metal.” Angry birds.

Interview with Project: Roenwolfe’s Alicia Cordisco

By Kronos on June 2, 2022 in Interviews, 45 comments

“On a video call from Tucson, with her playful dog Kansas and a huge Visigoth poster in the background, Alicia Cordisco filled me in on what she’s been up to. A prolific metal guitarist and occasionally, singer, with plenty to say, she’s a joy to interview, speaking extemporaneously on her community within the metal scene, the joys of Manilla Road (“they’re the greatest band ever and I will accept no other option”), and the challenges of coming out and of living as a trans woman.”

Project: Roenwolfe – Edge of Saturn [Things You Might Have Missed 2021]

By Holdeneye on December 12, 2021 in Things You Might Have Missed 2021, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, 33 comments

“American power metal is one of life’s great simple pleasures. Take some killer thrash riffs, find someone to wail over the top of them, and—voila!—instant US powah. Of course, the truth is more nuanced than that, but I’m not far off. My two favorite bands of all time, Nevermore and Symphony X, may embellish the style with progressive elements, but when you boil things down to what really makes both of those bands awesome, you find two things remaining: riffs and vocal theatrics.” Project: Power Wolfe.

Ancient Empire – Priest of Stygia Review

By Steel Druhm on September 17, 2021 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 24 comments

“Ancient Empire have been banging out classic, trve heavy metal albums since 2014, yet they’ve landed scandalously little exposure from AMG. I intended to cover their 2016 Other World outing but time got the best of me. We gave a TYMHM to 2017s The Tower, but whiffed on their 2019 follow-up. I will not let this string of injustices continue! This week sees the release of their sixth album Priest of Stygia, and the state of the Empire is strong. Rocking a vintage US power metal sound that can be described as Judicator meets Diviner and Visigoth, these old school warriors deliver ballsy, slightly epical traditional metal with a no-nonsense approach that’s refreshing and direct.” Snake Whacking Day.

Judicator – Let There Be Nothing Review

By Holdeneye on August 7, 2020 in Reviews, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, 61 comments

“Thanks entirely to Eldritch Elitist‘s coverage of Judicator’s last album, The Last Emperor, I discovered one of my favorite new-to-me bands in recent memory. After an initial good impression, The Last Emperor eventually completely won me over, and it landed in my top 10 of 2018. There’s something so pure and magical about the way Judicator combines the influences of Blind Guardian and Iced Earth into a prog/power beast that stands its own. It reminds me of what Demons & Wizards might sound like if their music was actually good.” Nothing is more.