Judgement Day

For Judgement Day, the only way to think is outside the box. On its third full-length album, Polar Shift [Available in July via minus HEAD Records], the Oakland trio deconstructs and reconstructs heavy rock with nothing more than violin, cello, and drums. Over the course of 14 original tracks, the group—Anton Patzner (violin), Lewis Patzner (cello), and Jon Bush (drums)—conjures a massive sound via classical instruments. In 2002, brothers Anton and Lewis founded Judgement Day. With Bush in the fold a year later, the group started to amass a fervent underground following. They gigged everywhere from Northern California streets and basements to local haunts and clubs. Their 2004 debut Dark Opus solidified them as an intriguing anomaly on the scene, while 2010's experimental follow-up Peacocks/Pink Monsters elevated everything to a new plateau with tripped-out distortion and delay. Judgement Day toured with the likes of Dredg, Mates of State, and Pinback, and they were sought after for session work on critically acclaimed records from the legendary Slash, Pete Yorn, and Taking Back Sunday. In the meantime, Anton even enjoyed a stint in indie rock stalwarts Bright Eyes. However, Polar Shift sees the band at its most raw and vibrant. This is a new day for rock music. — Rick Florino, April 2012