US power metal group JUDICATOR have today released their new album, The Majesty of Decay, via Prosthetic Records. In celebration of the release, the band has also shared a new music video for the title track. On The Majesty of Decay JUDICATOR traverses through weighty themes of love, illness and death, familial belonging and transformation from the mortal coil into the afterlife.
Stream The Majesty of Decay via Apple Music | TIDAL | Deezer | Bandcamp and Spotify
Order The Majesty of Decay here.
Speaking on the music video release, John Yelland (vocals) comments: “This is a video lovingly shot and edited by Austin Bentley, a longtime friend of the band. We decided on aesthetics and a look that are hellish and reminiscent of old film, like a dusty, forgotten VHS tape. The lighting, b-roll, and the song’s themes make for an isolated, dream-like hellscape. We’re very proud of how this turned out.”
As with past releases, The Majesty of Decay is a concept album. But while most JUDICATOR albums have been based on history, this one takes an entirely different direction. The album’s story connects with At the Expense of Humanity, the band’s third album, which recounts singer John Yelland’s experiences watching his older brother die after a long, drawn out battle with cancer.
Whilst the album’s story remains somewhat shrouded in mystery, JUDICATOR utilizes compelling plot devices as a means to encourage fans to piece together the album’s meta-contextual threads. What we do know, however, is that The Majesty of Decay explores the subjects of love, family, and the transformation of suffering into something meaningful. JUDICATOR invites you to step into this world and contemplate how the story might relate to you. The album is a carefully constructed puzzle of mirrors and metaphor that cries out for JUDICATOR fans everywhere to solve it.
What began as a humble homage to their mutual love of Blind Guardian, JUDICATOR have quickly grown into something that has continually had fans begging for more, with JUDICATOR more happy to oblige. With this latest offering, JUDICATOR have delivered yet another thought provoking album that fits nicely into their discography.
With members spread across the United States, recording for The Majesty of Decay was certainly unique. Drums were engineered and recorded by Alex Bosson (Helion Prime, Lunar, Planeswalker). Brass was engineered and recorded by Michael Sasich at Man vs. Music. The album was edited by Will Salazar at Revenant Sound Studios. Reamping and mixing was completed by Carlos Alvarez at Dirty Viking Audio Production. Mastering and sequencing was completed by Brett Caldas-Lima at Tower Studio. In addition, the album features Angel Chatzitheodorou (Angel Wolf-Black, ex-Bare Infinity), whose elegant, powerful voice soars through much of the song Judgment. The beautiful, eerie artwork by Marc Whisnant completes the package.
The ten tracks that comprise The Majesty of Decay are haunting, progressive, and command attention through their adventurous, emotionally cathartic storytelling and pervasive, dynamic atmosphere.
The Majesty of Decay tracklist:
- Euphoric Parasitism
- The Majesty of Decay
- From the Belly of the Whale
- Daughter of Swords
- Ursa Minor
- Ursa Major
- The High Priestess
- The Black Elk
- Judgment
- Metamorphosis
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 