Jude – Zakaz (Digital/CD Album – Zoharum)
The Polish band Jude was founded in 1993 and gradually earned recognition within the wider Experimental and Industrial music scene. “Zakaz” was originally released in 2024 by Kulturkampf, but two years later Zoharum is giving the album a welcome reissue aimed at collectors. Alongside the CD edition, it is now also available on vinyl.
I missed the original release, but this reissue finally gave me the opportunity to discover “Zakaz”, and the least I can say is that it is a masterpiece of its genre. This is brutal, archaic Industrial music, with the guitar playing a central role alongside the relentless Industrial drums. The Polish vocals sound utterly possessed, perfectly matching the raw violence of the compositions. More than once, the album reminded me of the early work of Swans, yet Jude sounds even heavier, more intense, and even more merciless. The tracks surge forward without offering a moment of relief, at times drawing the listener into an almost trance-like state. Guitar and percussion merge into a powerful symbiosis that is impossible for devotees of the genre to resist.
This is Industrial in its purest form-stripped of unnecessary embellishments and driven by raw, elemental power. (Rating:8½).
Listen to “Beton Blok. Methodology”:
About Jude
Jude is a Polish industrial and experimental act from Łódź, formed in 1993. The lineup has included Anna Krupska, Jacek Walczak, Konrad Grajner, Łukasz Franek and Wiktor Skok. The band’s discography includes “Combat Exhaustion” (2004), “Stat” (2015), “Ultimate Obedience” (2016, reissue and remaster) and “Pigment” (2017). “Zakaz” was first released on CD and digitally by Kulturkampf in 2024. Zoharum reissued the album in 2026 on CD and vinyl, with Kamil Łazikowski credited as recording engineer, mixer and producer on the original sessions.
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