To most fans of hardcore, JUDGE is a band that needs no introduction. The band who took the ideals and positive goals of YOUTH OF TODAY and infused them with beefy guitar licks, introspective lyrics and a hefty influx of New York style. Their debut EP was released with much fanfare, selling faster than it could be kept in press. New York Crew was immediate-the raw anger, spitting vocals and shredding guitars hearkened back to “Old New York”; truly reminiscent of the sound paved by ANTIDOTE, URBAN WASTE, and THE ABUSED. Their live shows were infectious, and soon the entire Northeast, not to mention the world, had their eyes on JUDGE.
The Bringin’ It Down full length took the band to an entirely different level. Funneling the energy of the New York Crew through the crunching guitars that had never been applied to their powerful brand of hardcore was enormous. A US tour cemented JUDGE as THE pre-eminent hardcore band, and the musical impact of the Bringin’ It Down full length became wide spread. The meshing of metal-edged guitar riffs and fast, energetic hardcore without treading too far into the realm of crossover raised the bar for every band that dared to pick up their guitars. It was official- JUDGE was a full-fledged outbreak.
The Complete Discography compiles the entire recorded output of JUDGE, the first time available on one format. The lasting memory of JUDGE and impact it has had on hardcore can be seen all around, and this discovery will truly lead you to what it meant.