Poll results for favorite Judge track off of "Bringin It Down"

Original Revelation Records Judge Bringin' It Down ad

Here are some poll results I gotta discuss. Bringin' It Down...perhaps one of the heaviest (by every definition of the word) SE records of its era, and one that still sparks debates and varied opinions to this day.

Maybe eventually we'll do a full blown examination of every single aspect of this masterpiece, for now I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the results, especially because they were somehow in line with my own rating of the songs almost to a T.

The title track took the victory spot here, and was my #1 vote as well. With a blistering verse, enormous fast chorus, and crushing breakdown/mosh, this song clearly showcases JUDGE's absolute magnitude to write a song that makes me unable to decide whether I want to scream along at the top of lungs, dive off of every object in sight, or dance as hard as humanly possible. Throw in lyrics that (albeit a bit strangely) align drug and alcohol abusers along with racist bigots and wish the same fate upon both, and you basically have one of the angriest and best songs ever. The chorus lyrics during the mosh are some of the best SE lyrics ever, hands down..."A beer, a joint, like a gun at your head." Jesus. The original lyrics ended with the absolutely EPIC line, "You stay off the tracks when JUDGE is coming through." The omission of this on the actual Bringin' It Down recording is the only mishap here. If I could write a song half as good in this my life I would die content.


Porcell photo from Bringin' It Down, Photo: BP

The runner-up spot was also my selection, the album-closing Where It Went. Best known for the video and its consideration by some as the album single of sorts, this is in many ways JUDGE at their most progressive on the album. A heavy, dark bassline opens into a "pack it up front at City Gardens and put your fists in the air while GUS SE dives over you" singalong that almost brings me to tears considering I was born about 10 years too late to have done such a thing. The fast part of the song has a very "SE dudes listening to Leeway" feel and the slight cross-over vibe here is a good example of how JUDGE got pegged with the "metal" tag on the record. The lyrics here are Mike's best...if they don't hit you in some way, well then I've got nothing for ya.

I won't go into the rest of the songs other than to say that to me, there are no weak links on this record, just songs that maybe aren't as incredible as the others. I was a little surprised that Like You placed as high as it did (I love it but know that many don't) and that Take Me Away wasn't a second place winner. Porcell once told me that was one of his favorite songs ever (especially the intro), and I thought most people felt the same. I'd detail some of the background and tidbit info on the actual Normandy Sound recording, but I will save it for a later date and say that if you haven't checked that Decibel article, you definitely should as it gives some cool info.

Whether you are a fan or not, it's tough to imagine JUDGE gaining the notoriety they gained if the Chung King recording was the only representation of these songs. Whether the production is a little too slick here or not, Bringin' It Down has come to represent the JUDGE we know and love. Oh, by the way...

STAY OFF THE TRACKS... -Gordo DCXX

Bringin' It Down - 77
Where It Went - 61
Like You - 52
Take Me Away - 46
The Storm - 46
I've Lost - 20
Hear Me - 19
Hold Me Back - 16
Give It Up - 11


Judge at City Gardens during the filming of Where It Went, Photo: Ken Salerno