Joudy Unleashes a Hauntingly Triumphant Reinvention With Their Rendition of “Angel” by Massive Attack
- STAFF
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
By: Staff
Joudy reimagines “Angel” with blistering precision and haunting finesse—this one leaves an indelible mark.
We were genuinely amped when we stumbled upon the latest release from Joudy — their cover of Massive Attack’s “Angel.” This track already hits like a gut punch in its original form, but Joudy’s reinterpretation injects it with a new kind of fury and haunting energy.
Choosing to release it alongside a cinematic music video was a savvy move, giving the song’s dark atmosphere a visual counterpart we could fully sink into. So let’s not waste time — this one commands attention from the first note, and we’re diving in headfirst.
From the opening moments, it’s clear Joudy isn’t pulling any punches. Carlos Rey’s bass lays down a line that’s not only deeper and more thunderous than the original, but also feels more deliberate — clean, defined, and devastating. Each note lands with the kind of weight that grips you hard, and the phrasing brings in sharp staccato breaks that amplify the song’s tension. What follows is a carefully engineered balance of restraint and pressure. Hulrich Navas enters subtly, his ghost notes and cross stick patterns adding a muted percussive layer that further accents the low-end growl without disrupting the ominous mood. This kind of dynamic drumming — where space and silence play just as important a role as sound — elevates the intensity while keeping everything tightly coiled. The electric guitar work from Diego Ramirez shimmers and pulses, its tones glowing with a slow-burn vibrancy that never overpowers but always builds. There’s a sense of glowing momentum in his playing — the kind that raises your heart rate in anticipation without giving anything away too soon.
Then the vocals enter, and suddenly the atmosphere thickens. Ramirez delivers each line with a controlled power that’s almost spectral. There’s this remarkable illusion at play — as though his voice is receding into the distance, not fading in volume, but physically moving away. That effect brings a strange kind of intimacy, like you’re chasing the voice, trying to hold onto it before it slips too far. The visuals echo that same sensation.
Then we see a woman, her back to the camera, her emotional state a mix of sadness and mystery, and it mirrors the song’s core themes. Though the lyrics are minimal, they land hard. The power lies in suggestion rather than detail — a woman with magnetic power and a dark edge. And for anyone who's danced with that kind of darkness in love, the impact is visceral. Joudy doesn’t just play this song — they inhabit it.
Visually, the black-and-white cinematography casts a dreamlike gloom over the video, drawing us into something that feels half-memory, half-nightmare. The close-up shots of the band members, particularly the tightly framed images of Ramirez’s mouth delivering those echoing lines, give the performance a raw, vulnerable edge. The editing choices — cutting between intense eye contact and moments of internalized emotion — create a sense of immediacy that’s hard to shake.
As the track builds, Navas unleashes a thundering drum foundation that doesn’t just support but propels Rey’s bass into a state of rolling hypnosis. There’s a physicality to the rhythm section that feels like it’s restraining your body — keeping you locked in place while the sound moves through you. The guitars begin to wail — not melodically, but emotionally, like they’re voicing a pain words can't quite grasp.
The repetition of the phrase “love you” is hypnotic and haunting. It’s delivered so many times it ceases to be language and instead becomes a mantra — or maybe a warning. And just when you feel lulled into its trance, the band detonates. The climax erupts with fiery precision, like a waterfall crashing down with crushing force and crystalline beauty. The sound becomes immersive — vast but never muddy — and it’s during this apex that the performance becomes overwhelming in the best possible way. The editing gives each band member a moment to address the audience, not with words, but with presence — a subtle but powerful choice that strengthens the viewer's connection. The actress’s portrayal is equally effective — capturing both allure and melancholy in a way that feels unsettlingly real. When her wings finally unfold, it’s a surreal twist that reframes the narrative, adding a mythic dimension to her character and reinforcing the supernatural charge that’s been pulsing under the surface all along.
By the end, what Joudy has accomplished with “Angel (Massive Attack Cover)” isn’t just a respectful rendition — it’s a full-on transformation. They’ve taken ownership of this song, redefined its emotional scope, and added a weight to it that feels both modern and timeless. Covers rarely feel this essential, but this one does.
This version of “Angel” is a stunning act of musical reinterpretation. Every performance within it — Ramirez’s eerie vocal control and soaring guitar work, Rey’s deep, propulsive bass tone, and Navas’s calculated yet thunderous drumming — coalesces into something that feels more like a rebirth than a retelling. Joudy captured the complex emotional duality of love as both beautiful and dangerous, an intoxicating force that can just as easily heal or destroy. That nuance, that emotional honesty, is what elevates this cover to something far beyond homage. In a song already haunted by shadows, Joudy managed to summon new ones — and we’re absolutely here for it.
Joudy’s cover of “Angel” is a cinematic slow-burn that detonates into pure sonic catharsis
Joudy may be known for their heavy sonic footprint, but their evolution as a band has clearly been shaped by more than just raw volume. Emerging from Venezuela’s underground, the trio — Ramirez, Rey, and Navas — have cultivated a sound that’s both expansive and deliberate, where every choice feels driven by deep emotional intent.
This powerful reinterpretation was brought to life through the collaborative efforts of an exceptional creative team:
The song was recorded and mixed with sharp precision by Tom Beaujour and was meticulously mastered to an amazingly crisp final performance by Alan Douches.
The video was flawlessly directed and produced by Esteban Chacin and Gabriel Duque, capturing the song’s eerie beauty with cinematic intensity.
The graphic artwork, created by Jose Andrade (Frase8), is visually arresting, while the press photo session by Kevin Condon delivers a raw, intimate aesthetic that perfectly matches the band’s mood.
Their fearless artistry was already evident in their previous full-length, Destroy All Monsters, but with their recent releases, Joudy has doubled down on atmosphere, tension, and immersive mood. There’s a cinematic quality to their work that blurs the line between music and visual storytelling — a fusion that defines their identity.
We think Joudy is focused on crafting complete experiences: compositions that don’t just play in your ears, but pull you into an entirely different world, and we can't wait to hear what they bring next.
Definitely check out this release on any major platform — make sure to playlist, stream, and share Joudy’s amazing cover version of “Angel.”