Texas metallic hardcore band JUDICIARY have announced their new EP, Stalagmite Angels, set for release on September 4 via Closed Casket Activities. Alongside the announcement, the band has unveiled the lead single and music video for “Wall of Skulls,” offering the first glimpse of the band’s latest evolution.
Following the release of 2023’s Flesh + Blood, JUDICIARY entered a new chapter with guitarist Juan Vazquez joining the lineup. According to drummer Austin Looney, the lineup change inspired the band to approach the new material with a fresh mindset.
“The goal with this EP was a hard reset, but we also wanted to chill out a bit, have fun, and do something that felt true to the four of us,” Looney said. “We wanted time to reconfigure things and let the music come naturally.”
While rooted in hardcore, Stalagmite Angels draws from a broad spectrum of extreme music, incorporating elements of death metal, black metal, d-beat, and thrash. Vocalist Jake Collinson, who learned guitar to contribute to the writing process, explained that the band filters a wide range of influences through its own distinct identity rather than imitating any one style.
The lead single, “Wall of Skulls,” is described by the band as both a tribute to the hardcore underground that shaped JUDICIARY and a statement of the group’s continued progression.
Lyrically, Stalagmite Angels is a concept release exploring themes of anger, self-belief, and personal growth. The EP envisions a subterranean world where hidden beauty exists beneath the surface, using that imagery as a metaphor for perseverance and transformation. The concept was inspired by films such as The Descent as well as influences ranging from harsh noise to artists including Hank Williams and Peso Pluma.
The EP was engineered and produced by Phil Odom at Bad Wolf Recording Studios in Austin, Texas, with mixing and mastering handled by Will Putney.
Stalagmite Angels Track Listing
- Wall of Skulls
- Sanguine Reality
- Hymns of a Calcified Warpath
- Soul Sutra
- Death Knell
With Stalagmite Angels, JUDICIARY continue expanding their sound while remaining firmly connected to the hardcore roots that have defined the band since its inception.