“String Metal” is the term used to describe the unique sound of the Oakland-based band Judgement Day. The band is a trio made up of two brothers—one on violin and the other on cello—and a friend on drums. As they clarify on their first CD, their band has no guitars, yet sounds like the most hardcore heavy metal you have heard in a long time.

Their new 7” of live recordings titled Out of the Abyss: Live on Tape serves as a teaser for their upcoming sophomore release titled Peacocks/Pink Monsters. The first song of the 7” is a live version from their first full length album Dark Opus. A head-thrashing but also beautifully composed piece, it entices listeners with Judgement Day’s unique sound.

The band is made up of Lewis and Anton Patzner, Lewis being the younger of the two. Lewis graduated from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore last year. Many may recognize Anton as the violinist for Bright Eyes, as well as fellow Saddle Creek electronica band The Faint. The Patzners were apparently spotted playing music on the street in front of the Great American Music Hall in SF by members of Saddle Creek punk rock band Cursive before their show in ‘04, which lead to these opportunities. When back with the band, the Patzners and their drummer, Jon Bush, toured with such indie favorites as Mates of State as well.

The second song on their new release features just Lewis on cello, in a song titled “Etude”, which is the French word meaning study, and refers to an instrumental musical composition, one that is very difficult and meant to be as practice material for improving a certain skill. Considering the band’s past with intellectual intensity, or what you could also call witty playfulness (such as the last track on Opus in which a Choir to sings some of the Book of Revelations in Latin—which Anton translated himself—with an incredibly melodramatic affect) this title seems only fitting, The song does seem as if it could be grueling to play, but sounds gorgeous.

And the last “Bonus” track gives a more clear hint as to what we should expect of their release later this year—the beginning sounds more dance-ready and wild then their typical dark material. But never fear—the dark depths to which Judgement Day always reaches is still there in this almost ten minute head-banger.

Considering that the band started off on the streets of Telegraph and San Francisco, and are talented enough to now be touring the world, you definitely want to take a minute to check these guys out. Or, if you are into zombies, at least watch their new video for their song “Out of the Abyss” where Anton is adorned in eye-liner and zombies get down to the sounds of this string metal trio.

-Shauna C. Keddy

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