Strap on your bullet belts and gird up your loins! American power metal quintet Judicator has a sweet and sassy new track out, a cover of Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”, presented with a crimson music video. This track was recorded during the same time period as their last album “The Majesty of Decay” (Prosthetic Records) and is a majestic send-off to guitarist Balmore Lemus and drummer Jordy Elcess, who are featured in the music video and have since departed from the band. Vocalist John Yelland explains the track in more detail:
“‘Mandy’ combines the tenderness of Barry Manilow’s 1978 hit with the ominous soundscape of Panos Cosmatos’ 2018 film of the same name. I like to think of this song in terms of the relationship between Red (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) in ‘Mandy’ (2018). Although the lyrics don’t totally match the circumstances of these characters, the love and regret expressed certainly relate and resonate.”
Judicator is known primarily for historical topics that stretch across seven albums since its inception in 2012. They cover everything from Napoleon Bonaparte to the renowned Byzantine general Belisarius and have, on occasion, also grappled with heavy themes like cancer, relationships, and death. Whatever they write about, the common thread in all their albums is an exploration of both the human heart and condition.
“Mandy” fits in well with Judicator’s heavy metal style, it will soothe you, make you smile, and entice you to sing along. The single artwork is very low-fi compared to what they usually release. During the filming of the music video, they took some photos that were thematic to film ‘Mandy’, and the final result features iconic items like a chainsaw and a pyramid of Cheddar Goblin mac & cheese boxes.
Whether this is the first encounter with Judicator or one of many, they are sure to impress with their brand of experimental power metal. They are recommended for fans of Blind Guardian, Scanner, and Iron Savior.
Watch the music video for “Mandy” at https://youtu.be/vgLmYdfEBu0
Digital – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/judicator/mandy-3
More info: Judicatormetal.com | Facebook.com/judicatormetal | Twitter.com/JudicatorMetal | Instagram.com/judicatormetal
“The Majesty of Decay is simply one of the best power metal albums released in the last few years, and potentially, my favorite Judicator yet.” – Angry Metal Guy
“This album is guaranteed that fans of Judicator will be talking about it for years to come. There are those which will utterly hate this album as a release that has gone too far in one direction. However, this is a gamble which has paid off and ‘The Majesty of Decay’ is not only arguably one of the best albums released this year, but also debatably the best album that Judicator have ever released.” – Metal Digest
“[Judicator is] unmatched when it comes to delivering an illuminating experience that is both energized and heartfelt.” — GBHBL
“Judicator is something new, but still something excellent. And we sing along, with open shirts and fists pointing to the sky.” — Devilution
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