Judgement Day – Opus 3 Acoustic (2008, self-released)

Judgement Day are a 3 piece “string metal” band from California. Utilizing electric cello, violin, and drums, their debut album, Dark Opus, inducted Judgement Day into the likes of Apocolyptica, proving that the domain of metal extends beyond just guitars. On their latest release, Opus 3 Acoustic, Judgement Day unplug their instruments and create 15 minutes of purely acoustic cello-violin duets.

The lack of drums and amps doesn’t automatically translate into a lack of aggression. Traces of the explosive energy present in their full length have carried over to the EP, easily apparent in tracks like “Barrage” and “Air Raid.” Predominantly, however, the EP fleshes out the somber and reflective aura that was glimpsed on Dark Opus. At times, the music is even bright and triumphant, such as the beautiful track “Noae Kaedae.” Still, echoes of Dark Opus‘ ominous atmosphere resound throughout the EP.

In short, the EP shows Judgement Day are not one-dimensional. Not only can they create the heaviness and energy present on Dark Opus, but they are also capable of creating deeper, more intimate compositions. It’s clear that Judgement Day are capable composers, but on Opus 3, the songs are just too short; most clock in between two and three minutes. While the quality of the music is very high, it is unlikely to receive as much attention as it should because of the short length of the EP. One can only hope that next time, Judgement Day will continue producing music of this quality, but perhaps flesh out their compositions to create a more epic sounding album. Nevertheless, Opus 3 Acoustic is an EP well worth listening to.