Judas Iscariot, a project by Akhenaten, was born in 1992 in Illinois, USA. It was a completely underground project inspired by a raw and highly distinctive style. Akhenaten, a prominent musician in the black metal scene, abandoned his primary career as a home inspector for Judas Iscariot. *Heidegger*, the first unofficial demo, was self-funded and released in 1992, named after and dedicated to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, reflecting his persona and ideas. The first official demo, released in 1993, sparked the true beginning of Judas Iscariot, with clear influences from Darkthrone. In 1995, Akhenaten began recording the debut album *The Cold Earth Slept Below*, and during its production, he also released an EP, *Arise, My Lord*, recorded earlier. *Moribund Records* released Judas Iscariot’s first album, *Thy Dying Light*, in March 1996, which, along with *The Cold Earth Slept Below*, expressed Akhenaten’s unspoken thoughts to the black metal world. That year, several other albums were released, including *Sarcophagus* (another Akhenaten project featuring notable figures like American bassist Marcus Matthew Kolar), which was particularly significant.
*Voices of Wonder* caused issues for Akhenaten by failing to release *Thy Dying Light*, though the previous label eventually published it. Akhenaten then relocated to Germany, where he recorded *Of Great Eternity* in March 1997. *Distant in Solitary Night* followed the next year, establishing Akhenaten’s momentum and earning significant popularity. He signed with *Red Stream* and released *Heaven in Flames*, which sparked controversy in the black metal scene. A split with *Weltmacht* (a collaboration between Krieg and Judas Iscariot featuring Duane Timlin) included *Heaven in Flames* and *Ancient Hatred*, with *Heaven in Flames* incorporating keyboards. In 2000, a four-way split with prominent bands—Krieg, Eternal Majesty, Judas Iscariot, and Macabre Omen—titled *None Shall Escape The Wrath* was released. Shortly after, a new EP, *Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten*, featuring Cryptic Winter on drums, hit the market. *Under the Black Sun*, a live album recorded in 2000 at a Judas Iscariot concert in Germany, captured an extraordinary and unrepeatable performance with black metal luminaries, including Akhenaten on guitar and vocals, Imperial on bass (Krieg), Butcher on drums (Maniac Butcher), and Kanwulf on guitar, who organized the event.
In 2001, another split with Krieg featured a cover of *Crimson Evenfall* by Akhenaten. The EP *March of the Apocalypse*, recorded in 1996 but unreleased until 2002, followed. *To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding* was Judas Iscariot’s final album, unforgettable to fans. The original version, released by *Red Stream*, had issues that were resolved in the *No Colours Records* reissue. This 40-minute album, again featuring Cryptic Winter, stands out from other black metal bands, with the track *In The Valley Of Death, I Am Their King* including keyboards in the *No Colours* release. Unlike the band’s other albums, it vividly showcases raw music, nihilistic and anti-Christian themes in its lyrics, drawing listeners closer to Akhenaten. His vocals, at times veering into brutal territory, carry a unique intensity. Judas Iscariot’s music, as true American black metal, was a powerful statement against many so-called prominent bands. Another EP, *Moonlight Butchery*, was released that year. The final released work by Judas Iscariot was the EP *Midnight Frost To Rest With Eternity*, featuring a rehearsal of *Heidegger* and *The Cold Earth Slept Below*, this time with Cryptic Winter on drums, marking the end of Judas Iscariot.
On August 25, 2002, the anniversary of F.W. Nietzsche’s death—a significant influence on Judas Iscariot’s music—Akhenaten ended the project and went silent in Germany. Akhenaten was a towering figure in black metal, and Judas Iscariot was his everything. The project rejected other bands, embraced anti-Christian and staunchly nihilistic ideals, and embodied an egotistical, dictatorial spirit. Alongside Nargaroth, Judas Iscariot rejected Mayhem, and Akhenaten opposed all contemporary black metal. At the 2000 Germany concert with Kanwulf, he explicitly distanced himself from others, insulting various countries and prominent black metal bands. Akhenaten primarily rejected Mayhem, famously declaring them “nonsense and rubbish.” A committed nihilist, he denied concepts of hell and the afterlife and opposed Christianity. While influenced by bands like Burzum and Darkthrone, Akhenaten did not value them highly. He saw no materialism in music, believing that mixing music with money stripped it of worth. Judas Iscariot wasn’t just black metal—black metal was Judas Iscariot.
