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Judicator: Let There Be Nothing
Judicator - Let There Be Nothing Album Art

Judicator: Let There Be Nothing

American Power Metal
5.0/5.0

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Prosthetic Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 01.07.2020 | Released: 24.07.2020

Formed some eight years ago by two Blind Guardian fans, guitarist Tony Cordisco and vocalist John Yellend, Judicator has evolved into a band with personnel cast across the United States. Even so, the band has been able to produce new albums on a regular basis. Judicator returns with their fifth long-player, Let There Be Nothing, on Prosthetic Records. Like previous albums, Let There Be Nothing is a concept album based on factual history. In this case the story revolves around Byzantine general Belisarius and his campaigns to reconquer former Roman territories.

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Judicator

Judicator wraps these tales in traditional American heavy power metal with more than a few progressive metal nuances. And nods to their peers like Blind Guardian. It's sufficient to say, if you're a Blind Guardian, like Cordisco and Yellend, you will like everything about Judicator. I might even suggest Yellend has a some of Hansi Kursch's timbre in his voice.

As for the song arrangements, most every song has plenty of power metal gallop and groove, strong vocal arrangements, often choral in nature, and then many thrilling guitar solos. Underneath these things the rhythm section rises with solid drums and strong bass lines. Songs like Tomorrow's Sun, Gloria, and Strange To The World rush with the briskness of twin guitar riffs and that galloping rhythm section, leading all things to traditional metal guitar solos. But Gloria as well as Let There Be Light and The Way Of The Pilgrim are examples of arrangements that have vocal breakdowns. With the first song it comes with acoustic guitar, with the latter two it has that aforementioned choral feeling, along with acoustic guitar. Big guitar solos often proceed and follow these sections. With Amber Dusk you have a song with contrasting parts. The first half is lighter and steady with acoustic guitar and voice. In the second half, Judicator leaps into their power metal groove to get to the speedy guitar solos. Alternatively, for some straight up power metal, the full length of Autumn Of Souls is fast and heavy. All things said, Judicator's Let There Be Nothing is both a compelling and entertaining album of classic American heavy power metal. Easily recommended.



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The Bottom Line

All things said, Judicator's Let There Be Nothing is both a compelling and entertaining album of classic American heavy power metal. Easily recommended.

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