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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great blend of black/death metal, February 10, 2002
BR>Background: Akercocke originate from London, England and were formed in early 1997 by friends David Grey and Jason Mendoca. Both had previously been in the underground black metal band "Salem Orchid", which disbanded several years earlier, and had a strong following in the underground in England. Akercocke seems to be getting a lot of press recently, partly because of the heavy Satanic imagery and partly because of their country of origin.
Packaging: The packaging is very professionally done. The lyrics to all songs are included as well as a video for the song "Infernal Rites". The artwork includes depictions of satanic worship and female nudity. The nudity does not appear gratuitous and the imagery is not "hokey" ala some of the Norwegian bands out there. I have read many criticisms of the video, and I guess I can see why. The "lip sinking" is not done very well and the whole video seems kind of contrived.
Production: "Goat of Mendes" was recorded, engineered and produced by Martin Bonsoir at Goat of Mendes studios. It was mastered by Noel at Transfermation. The line up includes Jason Mendonca, Paul Scanlan, Peter Theobalds, David Gray and Martin Bonsoir. Dean Seddon of Hecate Enthroned lends some vocals on the track "The Serpent". Additional guest musicians participate with violins, keyboards, cello, trumpet, sasz and the clarinet. The main force behind the band appears to be David Gray who writes all of the lyrics and wrote the band bio on their website. The production is definitely adequate on this recording. It has a dark, death metal type of feel to it and the overall sound kind of reminds me a little bit of older Morbid Angel. You can make out all of the instruments and the vocals are mixed very well.
The Music: I think the one word that best describes this music is "schizophrenic". This music is very diverse. The main focus is "old school" brutal death metal but you can also hear influences of black metal, grindcore and good old heavy metal at times. As with most extreme metal, the guitar is the major focus here, and it is very well done. The guitar parts are actually quite innovative, with brutal death metal riffs, fast black metal melodies and melancholic doomy parts being incorporated into the same song. What I really enjoy is the use of non-traditional metal instrumentation (rustic horns, violins, even Latin chants) along with the many transitions in the songs. Most of the songs are quite lengthy and are broken up by very weird interludes. A few of the interludes remind me of a soundtrack to a Stanley Kubrick film. Actually, listening to this recording kind of gives me the same feeling as watching "A Clockwork Orange". Beneath all of this bizarreness is an underlying black metal sensibility, which actually makes the music quite enjoyable. As with everything else on this recording, the vocals are also very diverse. Most prominent is a mix of brutal deep death metal grunts and screechy black metal vocals, occasionally interspersed with melancholic clean and female vocals. I typically don't like the use of female vocals, but these are used very well, similar in a way to how Cradle of Filth uses them. Imagine the brutality and production qualities of Nile mixed with the melody of a black metal band like Cradle of Filth.
Recommendation: I really enjoyed this release and think I will be listening to it well into the future. I also am going to do everything I can to find the previous release from this band as well. Once again, this is not for the faint of heart as this music is very aggressive and even brutal at times. Highly recommended.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The beginning of the Fourth wave of black metal?, October 27, 2001
I must admit (rather embarrasingly) that I did not know who Akercocke were when I picked up this album. A friend of mine informed that they had been really hyped, something that I somehow managed to miss. So on to the music then.At times, this reminds me of old Mayhem. Tortured, rasping screams on top of blasting drums and frantic guitars. At other times it reminds me of Immolation, Sadistik Exekution...but still with an air of freshness to it. Being a black metal fan, as well as a CD-reviewer for a Swedish fanzine, I'm always overjoyed when I find something I like; something original. And this is original. Akercocke couldn't care less what you think of their music - or at least that's the feeling I get. If they want a female choir they use a female choir. If the want a cello, they use a cello, etc. If you want original, hateful, agressive black metal, then you want Akercocke.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Satan Rocks!, October 8, 2001
Draw a circle on the floor and sit in it. Conjure a mixture of the vocal stylings of Cradle Of Filth with the songwriting style of King Diamond and Venom and throw in some interesting instruments other than guitars and keyboards and you have a very heavy black metal album from the UK and not Norway for a change. Akercocke sound a lot like other black metal bands but their packaging is different as well as their wardrobe. A cool booklet with the lyrics is packed with some unique photos. Grab your favorite virgin and sit under a full moon and hail the Goat! (Be sure to wear your Sunday best.)
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