_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _ ___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___ | / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ | | . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . | | .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. | _ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _ \\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | // \ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | / . | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | . | | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | | .... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | .... | ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` | |.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....| . ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. . _____________:_____________ _____________:_____________ _ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _ // __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\ _ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _ \\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/ /// - -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- - - -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ - : : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : : ___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___ _\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_ /_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\ /// . . : : . . \\\ /: :\ /:: Artist :: God Dethroned ::\ :: Album :: The Judas Paradox :: :: Year :: 2024 :: :: __ _ _ __ :: -:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:- :: \ / :: :: . Genre :: Death Metal Source :: CD . :: :: Label :: Valhall Music R.date :: 2024-11-03 :: _::__ Cat.nr. :: SCR051 S.date :: 2024-09-06 __::_ ::// \\:: ::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\:: :: :: /: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\ ..: Bitrate :: avg. 285kbps :.. . Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo . . Size :: 93.41 MB . . . __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: 1. The Judas Paradox 6:02 :: :: 2. Rat Kingdom 3:39 :: :: 3. The Hanged Man 4:02 :: :: 4. Black Heart 0:50 :: :: 5. Asmodeus 3:33 :: :: 6. Kashmir Princess 4:48 :: :: 7. Hubris Anorexia 3:37 :: :: 8. The Eye of Providence 3:34 :: :: 9. Hailing Death 5:28 :: :: 10. Broken Bloodlines 3:23 :: :: 11. War Machine 3:58 :: :: :: :: :: :: ------- :: .. >> 42:54 .. __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: :: :: There are always names that many fans ask æwhy in the blazes :: :: this band isnÆt as great as it deserves?Æ, because there are :: :: acts whose contributions are far better than some that we can :: :: call as æactive-in-retirementÆ (those that lives off their :: :: past, and arenÆt offering something worthy of attention for :: :: many years). In Death Metal, we can say that many pioneers that :: :: are still active are far than their initial albums, but still :: :: relying on their past (and of the fans fanatism). But one name :: :: you can be sure thatÆs still as relevant as they were in the :: :: past and deserves to sit as king on Death Metal throne: the :: :: Dutch quartet GOD DETHRONED. And the bandÆs 12th album, ôThe :: :: Judas Paradoxö, shows as theyÆre still evolving even after 33 :: :: years of activity. :: :: :: :: The only change on the bandÆs lineup was the arrival of the :: :: drummer Frank, and Henri (the mastermind of the quartet and the :: :: only founding member left), Dave and Jeroen are together for :: :: some years, what depicts on the songs the weight of their :: :: influences. But as well, the bandÆs musical work shows some :: :: different elements: itÆs still that traditional Blackened Death :: :: Metal approach heard from their return on ôWorld Ablazeö :: :: (2017), but anyone can hear some melodic improvements (as some :: :: Black Metal melodic riffing heard on ôRat Kingdomö), and even :: :: elements from Death/Black Metal in many parts, and some traces :: :: from their own past. It depicts as the band seems to evolve :: :: without leaving its own musical roots. Yes, itÆs not a sin to :: :: say that ôThe Judas Paradoxö is a sequence of ôIlluminatiö :: :: (2020), but with a different (and renewed) insight. Once more :: :: Henri took the responsibility of dealing with the recordings :: :: and mixing, and the mastering is a work of Tony Lindgren. The :: :: final result is a sonority that links the band to its past :: :: works in terms of instrumental tunes, but in an updated for. :: :: Everything is sounding defined and understandable, but as :: :: aggressive and nasty as always. :: :: :: :: Once again: the quartet is again using lyrics linked to :: :: Satanism, anti-Christianity, blasphemy and more, and a fine :: :: example that the band can deal with such themes with an :: :: intelligent approach is saw on ôThe Judas Paradoxö, using the :: :: figure point of view of Judas himself about his betrayal (maybe :: :: itÆs an influence of books as Nikos KazantzakisÆ ôThe Last :: :: Temptation of Christö). All the tracks are excellent, fine :: :: pieces of Blackened Death Metal. ôThe Judas Paradoxö (used as :: :: one of the Singles of the album) is a climatic and dense song :: :: (unusual for an opening track), full of contrasts between :: :: darkened ambiences created by the melodic sense of the guitars. :: :: A bit faster and full of raw energy (but still melodic and :: :: depicting some Black Metal touches) comes ôRat Kingdomö, and :: :: what intense rhythmic work from bass guitar (strong and brutal :: :: blast beats and fast double bass can be heard). In a more :: :: traditional way into Death Metal comes ôThe Hanged Manö, with :: :: screams and snarls contrasting with some grunts. :: :: :: :: ôBlack Heartö is a short intro used to create the right :: :: ambience for ôAsmodeusö, another song based on morbid melodies :: :: and fast tempos, with the right level of instrumental :: :: technique. And ôKashmir Princessö brings some subjective traces :: :: from Hard Rock in many melodies, with a massive and excellent :: :: set of guitar leads and arrangements. A storm of fast tempos :: :: opens ôHubris Anorexiaö, but soon the speed decreases to the :: :: traditional levels of Death Metal (besides some fast double :: :: bass parts can be heard), with bitter lead arrangements of the :: :: guitars creates a darkened ambience (with some clean moments :: :: based on clean instruments). ôThe Eye of Providenceö is :: :: introduced by melodic dissonant guitar duets, and is a climatic :: :: song filled with haunting and darkened contrasts on the :: :: rhythms. :: :: :: :: ôHailing Deathö is another song that follows a traditional way :: :: into Death Metal, but never denying the adornments that the :: :: quartet gathered of its long experience (and what very good :: :: snarls and grunts). And ôBroken Bloodlinesö is a violent Death :: :: Metal attack built upon on some traditional frame for the :: :: genre, but with many details of Blackened Death Metal and :: :: Death/Black Metal (the melodic arrangements are amazing). :: :: Closing the album comes ôWar Machineö, a song that follows the :: :: same traditional Death Metal tendency of the previous one, with :: :: bass guitar and drums using such brutal tempos that increases :: :: the aggressiveness of the song (and what good sick lead guitars :: :: can be heard, including the unusual use of cry-baby effect). :: :: :: :: ôThe Judas Paradoxö is another masterpiece of the band, an :: :: album that is offering more than is asked or needed. Stop :: :: listening to old and retired acts and give a chance to GOD :: :: DETHRONED... :: :: :: :: . _ _ . :: \: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/ __\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2024 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__ \\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO/// \ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: / :: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | :: : :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: : :: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | :: :: | | \ :|: / | | :: : : | . ` ::: ' . | : : . . | : ::: : | . . | :::....:::....::: | : ::::::::::::::::: : . :::''``:::''``::: . : ::: : . ::: . .:. :