Formed in 1990, God Dethroned’s journey has rarely been a linear one, with numerous members passing through the ranks and only vocalist / guitarist Henri “T.S.K.” Sattler remaining throughout the various hiatuses and upheavals. Now far more stable, both Henri and bassist Jeroen Pomper have been present in this iteration of the band since 2015, with lead guitarist Dave Meester entering the fray in 2019, and drummer Frank “Skillpero” Schilperoort joining in 2020.
It has been four years since the band’s last studio effort – The Illuminati – with writing for The Judas Paradox taking place in early 2023. A conceptual piece, it focuses on the notion that Judas was, in fact, a scapegoat, whose role was to create a new king for the world. This alone would make for compelling subject matter, but the band also incorporate Jesus’ reaction to the plan into the mix, making for an ambitious concept that sits perfectly within the band’s current blackened death sound,
The album opens with the title track and, straight away, God Dethroned begin the process of weaving an arcane atmosphere around the listener. As befitting a concept that has genuine depth, the vocals, while scabrous in nature, are delivered with clarity; while melodic leads and clean vocal passages add further depth to the album’s lengthy opening piece. The harmonised leads and steady build of Rat Kingdom follow next, the pummelling drums emerging to drive a full-on black metal melee, all frozen riffs and rasping vocals. Its followed by the no less brutal The Hanged Man, which sees Jeroen, Henri, and Frank lock into a dark tumult with single-minded determination, laying the foundations for some stunning lead work from Dave towards the song’s conclusion. A sub-one-minute segue, Black Heart serves as a subtle, orchestral prelude to the imperious Asmodeus, a track that nods to the grandiose soundscapes of Cradle of Filth circa Cruelty And The Beast.
Slower paced and with an eerie introduction, Kashmir Princess boasts a harder edged riff once it finally picks up speed, emerging as one of the album’s most enigmatic pieces. It’s followed by the unholy whirlwind that is Hubris Anorexia, an icy scything blast that snatches up the vocals and sends them stumbling out amidst the swirling riffs. Even here, however, the band leave space for Dave’s epic lead work, and he steps up to deliver a masterclass in understated grandeur, standing alone amidst the chaos that surrounds him. Harmonised leads return to pave the way for the doom-laden The Eye Of Providence, a track that builds to a darker groove, somewhat reminiscent of Ex Deo. However, it pales in comparison to what follows. Another piece where the music steps up to meet the soaring ambition of the concept, Hailing Death has it all – huge, surging riffs, melodic passages, brutal vocals, all creating the sense that the band arranged it like a mini-symphony. In contrast, the blackened fury of Broken Bloodlines floods from the speakers with visceral power, the vocals straining against a flurry of stabbing riffs. This darkest of albums concludes with the appropriately brutal War Machine (no, not a Kiss cover), which veers firmly into death territory, the melody hauled screaming from the leads, even as the riffs form a solid ring of steal around them. It’s a fitting finale to a dark and consistently engaging album.
Brutal, but never one dimensional; melodic, but never weak; The Judas Paradox sees God Dethroned drawing upon elements of black, death, and melodic death metal to deliver a complex and multi-faceted album that easily repays repeated listens. With intelligent lyrics, powerful performances, and a production that brings it all to life with impressive clarity, The Judas Paradox is one hell of an impressive entry into the God Dethroned canon. 9/10
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