Local Review: The Midnite Judges — Verdict

The Midnite Judges
Verdict
Self-Released
Street: 10.12.2025
The Midnite Judges = Oingo Boingo x The Misfits

Fully clad in George Harrison’s Sgt. Pepper uniform, the frontman takes stage holding a guitar and a gavel. Fog fills the room as he strikes the neck of his guitar repeatedly, letting the strings ring out sharply with each strike. The rest of the band joins in. The music is contorted, and moves slowly, building up, escalating more and more, until: “THE COURT IS NOW IN SESSION…” cuts into the crescendo, ending it suddenly.

This was my first introduction to the Midnite Judges; an opening act for Bleu Grave at the Velour Live Music Gallery. Their album Verdict had just been released a few days prior, and the intention of this show was to play the new record in its entirety. Hearing the band live, I just knew I had to hear the record.

Verdict is a record that is significantly enhanced by its live performance, in my opinion. The studio mixes are all over the place, like an old-school punk record. The low end is muddy at times, with the kick and bass blending together frequently (though the reference headphones used are Audio Technica ATH-M50Xs, which have less than desirable bass response), but the vocals sit very well in the mix, and the mid – treble region remains consistently clear. Does it sound bad? No, it sounds decent, but it’s a very loose mix and just isn’t consistent across the record.

If we only determined the quality of music based on production though, we’d only ever listen to Steely Dan. The songwriting here is incredibly well done, and the “gothic mock trial” concept the album and band follow is very novel. It’s 12 Angry Men for people who dance to Bauhaus and tolerate Steve Morrissey. It sounds like if Siouxsie and the Banshees was led by a court drama-addicted Danny Elfman. It’s very fun and fits well among other goth and horror punk records.

My personal favorite track is the album’s closer, “Domine Mi” (that’s Latin for “my lord”). It’s one of the more driving tracks on the record. Evangelists from the ‘80s would be quaking in their boots at the sound of the satanic pitch-shifted and screeching vocals. The guitar sounds like a flock (or gaggle?) of banshees, proclaiming the demise of someone close.

If you’re less interested in the up-tempo work on this record, you may enjoy something more along the lines of “Rain Remains,” or “The Effects of a Frenzied Mind.” “Rain Remains” is a down-tempo keyboard-focused track with thumping bass and a beautiful Wurlitzer sound. “The Effects of a Frenzied Mind” is goth reggae from hell. The best part about reviewing goth records is that nobody can tell if  “from hell” is a compliment or criticism. It’s a compliment here.

Regardless, I find this record fitting for the Halloween playlist. A great soundtrack for decorating, costume prep or holding down the fort at the house and handing out candy. Verdict is available on all major streaming platforms, but if you get the opportunity to see this band live (which I highly recommend — They have some of the greatest stage presence of the Provo scene), I encourage you to pick up a copy of Verdict on CD. The physical version contains 7 additional bonus tracks, quite literally doubling the album’s length.

On that note, see local bands live in general. It’s the best way you can immediately support the scene along the Wasatch front. That and boycotting Ticketmaster, of course. —Ezra Smith

Read other album reviews from SLUG:
Review: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Phantom Island
Local Review: Jill Whit – I’ve Been Thinking About Me, Actually