Judith

by MacKenzie WilsonChristopher David made face with Requiem in White throughout the early '90s, making himself one of goth rock's rising stars around his native New York City. By 1995, he hooked up with bass player Damian James and drummer Brian Veit for a new project, a darkwave experimental group they called Judith. They made their debut that April at CBGB annual event, Night of Misanthropy, and Judith's first album Föhn was out by December. Since goth rock was still cult and fan-based throughout America, Judith challenged European audiences. Judith's infectious post-punk sound of lush choruses, heavy bass lines, and worldbeat percussion was strikingly similar to the likes of Die Krupps and Rosetta Stone. A deal with Neue Aesthetik was set by 1998 and Judith issued the beautiful chaos of La Reveuse. Monica Richards and William Faith of Faith & the Muse invited Judith to play the Blackout A.D. tour in 1999; this was Judith's first major tour of North America and dates in the U.K. and Germany followed the next summer. Having spent the latter '90s on the road and recording, David, James, and Veit took a well-deserved break before writing for a third album. Play of Light was issued in fall 2001.