Judgement Day started off as a duet playing on street corners in both Berkley and San Francisco, California. Their heavy aggressive style was influenced by a group of German cellists playing Metallica covers called Apocalyptica. On these corners, they experimented with songs that they wrote and souped-up covers of Classic arrangements. The best of these ended up on their eponymous acoustic CD that was distributed during performances as a CDR.

They took the name Judgement Day to reflect their respect and reverence for Apocalyptica. There name was styled with a medieval spelling to reflect the dark, epic nature of their “string metal” sound. ^[1]

After teaming up long time friend and “metal” drummer, Jon Bush, they self-recorded and self-released their first full-length album, 2004′s Dark Opus. It’s released on 23 November 2004 to some great local fanfare.

Violin, Cello and Drums metal trio Judgement Day’s first full-length release is a cinematic journey through darkness that the East Bay Express calls “a technically impressive, highly amusing, and genuinely righteous shredfest.” ^[2]

Once it became available online, I ordered the CD online and with this post, I am starting off with the opening tracks.

Staying true to its title, this CD starts off with a slow dark and ominous cello line that slowly builds as violin and drums eventually join giving the feeling that you are about to watch the opening of a World War I battle sequence in Black in White. This eventually gives way to an abrupt and aggressive sound delivered by the violin, cello and drums. The best way to equate this aural experience is that the two songs work in tandem where as Introduction is the bait that lures you to take a nibble and Seventh Circle sets the hook with a clean jerk.

You now have been reeled into this musical experience that has been labeled as String Metal.

Here is their Official Video courtesy of their YouTube Channel.

As you can hear, the outright violent assault on your ears of the second track lives up to its namesake.