| Blake Judd | |
|---|---|
Blake Judd performing with Nachtmystium at Hole In The Sky - Bergen Metal Fest 2007 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Wheaton, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Black metal, psychedelic rock, experimental rock |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Battle Kommand Records |
| Associated acts | Nachtmystium Twilight |
| Website | Battle Kommand Homepage |
Blake Judd is an American musician and co-founder of Battle Kommand Records. He previously performed under the stage name "Azentrius".
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Judd was raised in Wheaton, Illinois, and took an early interest in music due to his parents' taste in classic rock.[1][2] He saw The Allman Brothers Band perform live when he was in the second grade, and cites it as a major influence on his musical career.[2] Judd took up the guitar when he was twelve years old, and began to listen to heavy metal shortly later.[3] He began playing in bands in his late teens, and served as the vocalist and guitarist for Ezurate and in the now-defunct thrash and black metal band Helms Deep.[3] In his spare time, he worked at Metal Haven, a heavy metal record store in Chicago.[4] Judd eventually founded Nachtmystum with a friend as a side-project, which he originally operated out of his parent's basement.[3][5] He started to become more involved in Nachtmystium, then a raw black metal band, after receiving positive feedback from his audience.[5] Judd eventually shaped the band into a psychedelic band, influenced by his love for progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd and The Allman Brothers,[6] while also using various black metal elements.
Outside of Nachtmystium, Judd founded an independent record label, Battle Kommand Records, with Rebecca Clegg in St. Charles, Illinois.[3] In 2005 he was commissioned by the Swedish underground label Total Holocaust Records to create the black metal "supergroup" Twilight. Additionally, he was session musician on Krieg's final album Blue Miasma (2006). Judd for many years performed under the pseudonym "Azentrius."[2] Also, Judd played guitar on Obscurus Advocam's 2007 album Verbia Daemonicus.
Judd has often voiced critical opinions towards modern black metal. In an interview with MetalReviews.com, he claimed, "most bands are just carbon copies of each other, musically, lyrically, image-wise, and ideologically although I question how big and evil half these maggots are."[7] Judd voiced a similar opinion in an interview with The Metal Crypt, stating "Fuck modern black metal. There are a few good bands, but there are millions of horrible clones and over rated bands that are doing nothing new."[8] However in a 2008 interview with The Daily Herald, he claimed to respect what he viewed as "real" black metal,[3] and added "as a fan of black metal, I'm offended by someone who calls their music black metal and incorporates outside elements."[3] While Nachtmystium was originally founded as a black metal band, Judd insisted the band had "left the black metal scene" after 2004. In an interview with Thrashpit.com, Judd stated, "It was cool at first but we're really not a traditional 'spikes and paint' band."[2][9]