Kingcrimsonprog
The Red Bank, New Jersey based Monster Magnet released their second full-length studio album Superjudge in 1993, which contained the singles "Twin Earth" and "Face Down," as well as the Willie Dixon cover song ‘Evil,’ and the Hawkwind cover song ‘Brianstorm.’
The album has historically been somewhat overlooked by a section of fans because it came between the cult classic debut Spine Of God and the fan-favourite third album Dopes To Infinity, whilst being praised and hailed by another section of their fans for the sound that resulted for just that reason.
Superjudge finds the band playing retro-sounding big, riffy rock/metal but it also finds them at arguably their most psychedelic. The album is full of phazers, flanges, Eastern scales and crazy lyrics. It has an overall trippy, freaked out attitude amidst the big riffs and hard rocking, despite protestations from frontman Dave Wyndorf that the album didn’t end up as effects-laden and progressive sounding as he’d initially planned.
Standout tracks include the six and a half minute ‘Dinosaur Vacume,’ as well as the album closer ‘Black Balloon’ which every Monster Magnet fan should enjoy, and of course the brilliant Eastern tinged album centerpiece ‘Cage The Sun.’
This was the first of many albums to feature Ed Mundell, who would go on to become a huge part of Monster Magnet for many years as well as well as helping found The Atomic Bitchwax. His contributions here help give the album a different flavour to the album and EPs which preceded it. It doesn’t just figuratively burst out of the speakers and capture your imagination, it could well take a few listens to worm its way under your skin as you absorb the clever lyrics, the neat little guitar touches and get to know the songs but if you like Monster Magnet or Stoner Rock/Metal in general then it is well worth persisting with.
Overall, Superjudge is a strong and underrated grower of an album that Monster Magnet fans should all check out, even if it isn’t as instant as Power Trip or considered as classic as Spine Of God or Dopes To Infinity by most fans.