Judas Iscariot (band)
Encyclopedia
Judas Iscariot was an American black metal
band. It began in 1992 as the solo-project of Andrew Harris
, who performed under the pseudonym Akhenaten (after the Egypt
ian Pharaoh
of the same name
).
With the release of Heaven in Flames (1999), Duane Timlin (aka Cryptic Winter) joined the band as a session
drummer. During 1999 and 2000, Akhenaten twice performed live with a line-up featuring members from Nargaroth, Krieg
, Absu and Maniac Butcher.
After relocating to Germany, Akhenaten announced the demise of Judas Iscariot on August 25, 2002.
, which he dismissed as inextricably linked to materialism
. Akhenaten stated that his music was intended to give others strength to live in a world compromised by materialism and irrational religious ideology.
Akhenaten repeatedly denied holding any extreme right-wing
or racist views. In an interview he stated "Judas Iscariot is no Nazi band. I myself am no Nazi either...If other bands think they have to include politics into their music, it's their business, but this has nothing to do with my band."
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band. It began in 1992 as the solo-project of Andrew Harris
Andrew Harris (musician)
Andrew Harris is a former American vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from DeKalb, Illinois, who recorded and performed under the pseudonym "Akhenaten" . He established himself on the black metal underground especially with his now-defunct solo project Judas Iscariot...
, who performed under the pseudonym Akhenaten (after the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
of the same name
Akhenaten
Akhenaten also spelled Echnaton,Ikhnaton,and Khuenaten;meaning "living spirit of Aten") known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV , was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC...
).
With the release of Heaven in Flames (1999), Duane Timlin (aka Cryptic Winter) joined the band as a session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
drummer. During 1999 and 2000, Akhenaten twice performed live with a line-up featuring members from Nargaroth, Krieg
Krieg
Krieg is a black metal band from Somers Point, New Jersey in the United States of America. They play a low-fi, "raw" style, drawing influence from the Darkthrone-esque style of black metal and did not use synthesizers or folk instruments, in their recordings. The band formed in 1995, initially as...
, Absu and Maniac Butcher.
After relocating to Germany, Akhenaten announced the demise of Judas Iscariot on August 25, 2002.
Ideology
As the band's name implied, Akhenaten's stated goal was to spread Day to day activities between human's and non-material like objects also known as Nihilism,through music. The emotion was particularly directed toward other religious views such as Judaism. Akhenaten considered the story of the band Judas Iscariot as documentation of one individual's struggle against the moral boundaries set by Judaism. Furthermore, he expressed contempt towards capitalismCapitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, which he dismissed as inextricably linked to materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
. Akhenaten stated that his music was intended to give others strength to live in a world compromised by materialism and irrational religious ideology.
Akhenaten repeatedly denied holding any extreme right-wing
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
or racist views. In an interview he stated "Judas Iscariot is no Nazi band. I myself am no Nazi either...If other bands think they have to include politics into their music, it's their business, but this has nothing to do with my band."
Line-up
- Akhenaten (Andrew HarrisAndrew Harris (musician)Andrew Harris is a former American vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from DeKalb, Illinois, who recorded and performed under the pseudonym "Akhenaten" . He established himself on the black metal underground especially with his now-defunct solo project Judas Iscariot...
) – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Cryptic Winter (Duane Timlin) – Session drums (1999–2001)
- Kanwulf (René Wagner) – Live guitar
- Lord Imperial (Neill JamesonNeill JamesonNeill Jameson is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, hailing from Somers Point, N.J., who has recorded and performed under the pseudonym N. Imperial . He has gained most recognition as the front-man for black metal band Krieg . Presently he is active in the ambient black/doom metal duo N.I.L....
) – Live bass (1999–2000) - Proscriptor (Russley Randel Givens) – Live drums (1999)
- Butcher (real name unknown) – Live drums (2000)
Full-length Albums
- The Cold Earth Slept Below (1996)
- Thy Dying Light (1996)
- Of Great Eternity (1997)
- Distant in Solitary Night (1998)
- Heaven in Flames (1999)
- To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding (2002)
EP Releases
- Arise, My Lord (1996)
- Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten (2000)
- March of the Apocalypse (2002)
- Moonlight Butchery (2002)
Split Albums
- Judas Iscariot/Weltmacht (with WeltmachtWeltmachtWeltmacht was an American black metal band formed in DeKalb, Illinois in 1998. Members of the band all went by pseudonyms: "Lord Imperial" , "Akhenaten" and "Cryptic Winter" . During this period, they also performed and/or recorded with Krieg...
) (1999) - None Shall Escape the Wrath (with KriegKriegKrieg is a black metal band from Somers Point, New Jersey in the United States of America. They play a low-fi, "raw" style, drawing influence from the Darkthrone-esque style of black metal and did not use synthesizers or folk instruments, in their recordings. The band formed in 1995, initially as...
, Eternal MajestyEternal MajestyEternal Majesty is a French black metal band.It was formed by four brothers under the original name of Enchantress Moon and delivers fast, blazing black metal.-Statistics:*Genre: Black metal*Country: France*Status: Active...
and Macabre Omen) (2000) - To the Coming Age of Intolerance (with KriegKriegKrieg is a black metal band from Somers Point, New Jersey in the United States of America. They play a low-fi, "raw" style, drawing influence from the Darkthrone-esque style of black metal and did not use synthesizers or folk instruments, in their recordings. The band formed in 1995, initially as...
) (2001)
Compilation Albums
- From Hateful Visions (2000)
- Midnight Frost (To Rest with Eternity) (2002)
External links
- Judas Iscariot on No Colours RecordsNo Colours RecordsNo Colours Records is a German mail order and record label from Mügeln specialised in black metal.- Background :No Colours Records mostly releases Black Metal records, but has also released records related to other extreme metal genres such as thrash and death metal. Most releases appear both on...