Metal Reviews

Just got finished viewing-or rather glancing up from time to time from a safe six foot distance away-and not that I'm faint of heart or repulsed by Satanic cult acts and various assorted impieties but damn me for ignoring the warning signs-the sleep depraved shall rest not yet another night.

This is one of those records that not only earns its "Parental Guidance" warning label, it damn near seers it right into your skin before you've even gotten the case open!

Praised as putting British Extreme Metal back on the map, and though I'm not qualified to
argue considering how far removed I am, I've heard the likes of Cradle Of Filth at their worst and to throw something like that out there in spite of it is really going out on a limb… speaking of which keep them all at your sides while you're in mid transit here, you can never be too sure what the final outcome could be-though a horrible death and eternal damnation would be a solid guess.

If the name sounds funny, "Akercocke," as it did to me, and I'm sure there's some great mystical meaning behind it all, trust me you won't be laughing for long.

Here's a band that embraces any and all things dreary, dark and demonic and you won't find them hiding out in the woods with their werewolf guise and greasepaint; that's the scariest part, by day you'd think they were just as normal as…

They impress by way of their tight delivery and this electrical surge that just spews forth over and again outlining sudden time changes, brutal beats, and unforgiving riffs inspired by the unholiest of the underground that reach as far back as the almighty Venom, Slayer, Bathory, and "Rooooaaaaaarrrrrrr" era Voivod.

Akercocke create an extreme noise that swallows up and savors the worst necrophobic Black Metal terror and Death Screams, making for a vile mix that extends well beyond shock tactics, impropriety, and sickness.

Let's put it this way, when you view the video enhancement, a magnified offshoot of Danzig's originally banned black and white "Mother" video, and then skim through the rather thick cover booklet, "Goat Of Mendes," primal symbol revealed over and again fueled by bloodlust and blasphemy like none you've ever seen, you realize they're not fooling!

Released by Peaceville: http://www.peaceville.co.uk

Akercocke Website: http://www.akercocke.com/