God Dethroned – The Judas Paradox

Band: God Dethroned
Album: The Judas Paradox
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Release date: September 6th, 2024
Country: The Netherlands
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording

As there is no recipe for how to start a review (at least not one for a metal zine), I am going to begin this one by leaving here some lyrics: “They call me the false one; But I didn’t act on free will; They just needed a scapegoat; Now I’m lost in the valley of blood”… Powerful, right? Well, these lyrics right here do a better job at showcasing the main idea of the album, or, better said, the album’s title track.

A week and a little while after its release, God Dethroned’s “The Judas Paradox” is one of those albums that decided to make its residence in my brain. The way this record is written and performed is top notch, and there are several tracks that have become daily listens from it. My interview with the band’s frontman and mastermind Henri Sattler also opened my eyes to some really cool details, which also had a positive impact on my appreciation of the album. (There are some incredible guitar solos here too, so, I’m definitely a fan)

The album starts out with the title track, “The Judas Paradox”. The ominous, slow pace, and riffs with almost mournful guitar work, offer the perfect foreshadowing for what is about to come. The song presents the biblical story of Jesus’s betrayal and subsequent death, caused by Judas Iscariot… well, not really. The song shifts the perspective, instead showcasing the events through the eyes of Judas. The lyrics I showed earlier speak for themselves. The band does here what John Milton did when writing “Paradise Lost”. Along with the thought provoking subject matter, the song itself is a complex piece of music, infused with lamenting qualities and complex songwriting. The solo in particular is incredibly striking.

“Rat Kingdom” is a mysterious, yet epic sounding track, that showcases perfectly the range of songs the band is able to come up with. This is almost the complete opposite of its predecessor, featuring a much faster tempo, with blast-beats and the whole package. Musically, it is closer to something from the band’s “World War I” trilogy, but with lyrics about the mysteries of the Vatican. Sounds great to me! The music video for this song is also fascinating, and I highly recommend you watch it, if you are in the mood for something thought provoking.

The album follows up with “The Hanged Man”, a song which leans a little bit more on the death metal side of things, while retaining the trademark black metal hints. It is very groovy and catchy. Although it is not as intriguing as others, it is without a doubt very catchy, and it definitely delivers that punch. The highlight here, in my opinion, is the guitar solo. It’s melodic, intricate, and everything in-between. You can’t get it out of your head.

An eerie interlude with the name of “Black Heart”, breaks of the tension with enchanting melodies, but only for a little while. A deep breath before the plunge into the abyss…

Here comes what I consider to be my favourite song on this album. Released for the first time back in 2022, “Asmodeus” found its way onto “The Judas Paradox”, and I couldn’t be happier it did. The whole song, from start to finish, is just an ensemble of incredible musical ideas put together into one awe-inducing masterpiece. It is just so powerful, that one might expect the one whose name it carries to just appear in front of them, hellfire blazing and the whole ordeal. I admit that I’ve been listening to it a lot recently, so I may be biased, but if this is what convinces you to give it a try, then I’ll count it as a win.

“Kashmir Princess”, starts out with a slow, almost doomy riff, that catches your attention from the first notes. The song is on the slower side, but this is where it’s charm stems from. It has an undoubtable allure, that keeps you simultaneously headbanging and on your toes. The way it is performed makes me think of a modern retelling of a forgotten legend.

Following up, “Hubris Anorexia” goes back to the full-force approach of “Rat Kingdom”, but with a smaller emphasis on the melodies, instead pushing the band’s style to the extreme. It is the kind of song that would make a crowd explode in a live setting. The inclusion of the interlude in the middle of the song, along with the solo that follows only brings out the intensity of the song even more. All in all, it’s up there with “Rat Kingdom” and “Asmodeus”.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, “The Eye of Providence”, is yet another fire-fueled epic that comes in at the perfect time to still the thirst left behind by “Hubris Anorexia”. Although leaning more on the melodic side, with some of the riffs bearing similarities to something you can find on Naglfar’s “Harvest”, it wastes no opportunity to impress, and does so with undoubted style. At the first listen I didn’t really pay that much attention to this song, but I’m glad that I did afterwards, because it is nothing to miss.

Moving closer towards the end of the album, “Hailing Death” leans more on the death metal side of things, much like “The Hanged Man”. The greatest difference here is that the song itself is more diverse, which helps it fit better in the musical context in which it is placed. It also brings out the melodic elements much more. Overall, I would say it’s a win.

“Broken Bloodlines” brings yet another round of old school pummeling, similar to God Dethroned’s older sound, yet it infuses it with anxiety inducing passages, that end up coming off as almost chromatic at times. This, however, does a great job at shifting the listener’s attention to some subtleties that would have otherwise likely gone unnoticed.

“The Judas Paradox” closes with “War Machine”. This track is the complete opposite of the beginning of the album, which comes off as completely unexpected. It is very traditional blackened-death metal, with the intro riff bringing a sense of intensity from the first couple of moments. Without a doubt, it is the all guns blazing finale that the album deserves, nothing more, nothing less.

I don’t know what else I could say in the introduction, as I believe that what everything that was mentioned until now gives you a pretty good idea about where I stand when it comes to this album. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys extreme metal, as it is a truly entertaining listen, which will also provide you with interesting thought topics. 9.5/10: by Ioana

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