US power metal group JUDICATOR are today premiering their new single, Ursa Major, via Decibel. Ursa Major is the second track to be taken from the four-piece band’s forthcoming sixth studio album, The Majesty of Decay, set to be released via Prosthetic Records on November 25. The song shows JUDICATOR embracing their love of traditional power metal, with a refreshed and revitalised approach to their songwriting.
LISTEN TO URSA MAJOR VIA DECIBEL HERE.
Ursa Major will be available on all streaming platforms this Friday (October 7).
Pre-order The Majesty of Decay here.
Speaking on the premiere, John Yelland (vocals) comments: "While our last single, The High Priestess, marks a step away from the classic Judicator sound, Ursa Major shows that we're still in touch with our roots.
"I actually wrote the music for this song many years ago. I was working at a job I hated, but every morning before work I sat in the car for 20-30 minutes and wrote music. These songwriting sessions were the only good part of my day. Even now I still associate Ursa Major with the morning time and caramel lattes.
"Whether you love your job or hate your job, we hope Ursa Major brings some sunshine to your commute this morning!"
As with past releases, The Majesty of Decay is a concept album. But while most JUDICATOR albums have been based on history, this one takes an entirely different direction. The album’s story connects with At the Expense of Humanity, the band’s third album, which recounts singer John Yelland’s experiences watching his older brother die after a long, drawn out battle with cancer.
Whilst the album’s story remains somewhat shrouded in mystery, JUDICATOR utilizes compelling plot devices as a means to encourage fans to piece together the album’s meta-contextual threads. What we do know, however, is that The Majesty of Decay explores the subjects of love, family, and the transformation of suffering into something meaningful. JUDICATOR invites you to step into this world and contemplate how the story might relate to you. The album is a carefully constructed puzzle of mirrors and metaphor that cries out for JUDICATOR fans everywhere to solve it.
What began as a humble homage to their mutual love of Blind Guardian, JUDICATOR have quickly grown into something that has continually had fans begging for more, with JUDICATOR more happy to oblige. With this latest offering, JUDICATOR have delivered yet another thought provoking album that fits nicely into their discography.
With members spread across the United States, recording for The Majesty of Decay was certainly unique. Drums were engineered and recorded by Alex Bosson (Helion Prime, Lunar, Planeswalker). Brass was engineered and recorded by Michael Sasich at Man vs. Music. The album was edited by Will Salazar at Revenant Sound Studios. Reamping and mixing was completed by Carlos Alvarez at Dirty Viking Audio Production. Mastering and sequencing was completed by Brett Caldas-Lima at Tower Studio. In addition, the album features Angel Chatzitheodorou (Angel Wolf-Black, ex-Bare Infinity), whose elegant, powerful voice soars through much of the song Judgment. The beautiful, eerie artwork by Marc Whisnant completes the package.
The ten tracks that comprise The Majesty of Decay are haunting, progressive, and command attention through their adventurous, emotionally cathartic storytelling and pervasive, dynamic atmosphere.