Moonlight Butchery

Moonlight Butchery is the final release from Judas Iscariot. The 4 songs on here (6 if you have the bootleg which has an extra studio track and a Crimson Evenfall cover) seem to go through a Judas Iscariot timeline. Each album's style is represented here. The bass on this album sounds incredible!

The title track starts off the EP and has an epic Thy Dying Light vibe to it, a definite highlight. Death's Hammer could have been released on Heaven in Flames, it's that good, and obviously my favorite of the EP. 5 minutes of black metal perfection! The next two tracks - Benevolence Crucified and Conjuring Hell's Fire have a more aggressive Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten/To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding sound to them. Armageddon is one of the bootleg version tracks and is brutal with some killer riffs and the bass sounds very strong. Akhenaten's "oohhhs" are fun and something new and the outro riff is the best on the EP, just listen to that bass!

This EP is a perfect blend of all of Akhenaten's styles. If you even slightly like Judas Iscariot then you will enjoy this release. A very strong way for Akhenaten to end this band's career showcasing everything Judas Iscariot have (or had) to offer. Too bad more bands can't leave behind a legacy as strong as Judas Iscariot/Akhenaten!

The final work of Judas Iscariot is not one of disappointment, but it is not a release of great celebration for it can leave us unsatisfied. While it sounds similar to To Embrace The Corpses Bleeding, Heaven In Flames, Dethroned Conquered and Forgotten, and Thy Dying Light (or most of his stuff from that time period) it doesn’t live up to any full length material that he has done. Its not much saying that an ep doesn’t live up to a full length album, but there are basically six songs on this album in the form of four tracks and thirty minutes of music. It is fair to make that comparison. What Moonlight butchery does offer is good nihilistic style black metal that combines all the best aspects of Judas Iscariot with only leaving the listener a little unsatisfied after a complete listen.

The title track sounds almost exactly like something off Thy Dying Light. It is a slow droning style Judas Iscariot song without much variation aside from a few loose guitar solo’s. The harsh incoherent screeching vocals help add to the Nihilistic atmosphere which is ever present. Heaven In Flames style Judas Iscariot makes an appearance for the song Death’s Hammer, opening with a less depressing almost upbeat guitar riff that sounds like A Hateful Vision just a bit. The vocals tend to be a bit more coherent but are still the standard low key screeching harsh vocals of Akhenaten. The Ep picks up a bit with the more aggressive Conjuring Hell’s Fire. Almost a clone song of To Embrace The Corpses Bleeding. It is full of non stop pounding raw drums, a main carrying riff that has more variation that Judas Iscariot’s normal slow nihilist depressing songs, and much harsher and screeched or extreme vocals (that is to say the vocals seem to exert more of an effort from Akhenaton than the low key ones of the early albums of his). Keeping on the same note is the more aggressive, and possibly the most aggressive song of Judas Iscariot, very powerful and hate filled song Armageddon. As the name implies it’s a very chaotic, harsh, and aggressive song. The harsh almost pain filled vocals are being exerted from Akhenaton while the Transylvanian Hunger style (but much heavier and present) drums pound out non stop. Supplemented with a raw ever present deep guitar riff this song adds up to one aggressive and harsh experience, something of the likes no seen by Akhenaton since Dethroned Conquered and Forgotten. Something Judas Iscariot fans may appreciate more is the bit of variation thrown into Armageddon, the song goes out with a non typical baseline coming into the spot light. Its not to often a black metal act gives the bass center stage, or any presence at all. It adds for a nice change up and making an already powerful song even more so by making it heavier and with some memorable melody. Moonlight Butchery comes to a closing with another To Embrace The Corpses Bleeding style song, repetitive, non stop pounding drums and more than usual coherent, but still harsh, vocals.

Moonlight Butchery adds up to a collection of different Judas Iscariot Sounds. The first three songs (tracks 1 and the first part of track 2) supply the Ep with the Nihilistic, dark, and depressing Judas Iscariot style that many are accustomed to. The remaining songs represent the more aggressive and harsh side of Judas Iscariot. More hate filled vocals and a more aggressive pace make these final songs mirror the Dethroned Conquered and Forgotten work as well as To Embrace The Corpses Bleeding. As an Ep this work stands out as exemplary. A good length, all good songs with no misplaced riffs or poor song structure. The only problem is that the work leaves the listeners wanting more, after listening to this I really did want a full length in vain of the latter songs of this release. Thusly To Embrace The Corpses Bleeding is the closet that will come to a full length release of this style Judas Iscariot. For six great songs and no poor moments this album receives its high rating.