Akercocke - Goat Of Mendes
Peaceville Records - 2001
By Philip Whitehouse
Visit the Akercocke website.
Visit the Peaceville Records website
I'm still stunned. I doubt I can write coherently. As far as I'm concerned, Akercocke have just released the best extreme metal album of the year, and it's hard to see how it can be beat. A group of taliored-suit wearing Satanists have just left me speechless, stunned and gasping for more.
From the first moments of Goat Of Mendes, any extreme metal fanatic will know that they're in for something special. A combination of a double-bass drum barrage and a high-pitched, wailing guitar riff like the tortured screams of the damned sinews out of the speakers, grabs you by the throat and won't let you go until you've been pummelled by the insanely fast-palm muted riffage, gobsmacked by the fret-melting solos, scared into a gibbering, incoherent mess by the vitriolic, flesh stripping screams and resonant, earthquake summing growls and been overpowered by the sheer blasphemic, sinful atmosphere of the whole affair.
Akercocke are masters of their art, in that they know when to hold back and slow the tempo down, when to let the keyboards and samples deliver an atmosphere, and exactly just when to BLAST for all they're worth. The force of this music is truly astounding!
I personally never would have thought this was possible, following Akercocke's debut effort 'Rape of the Bastard Nazarene'. Sure, that release contained all of the signs that a rebirth like this was possible, but the production buried that promise. This time round, Akercocke have simultaneously created a record that lives up to that promise, and redefined all expectations of themselves and of the extreme metal genre as a whole.
The expertly structured, venom-spitting blasphemy assault of title track 'Goat of Mendes' goes perfectly with even more vicious assaults on faith such as 'A Skin For Dancing In' which even includes a (relatively) mellow chorus section with clean vocals!
The lyrics, although largely indistingishable, are actually quite intelligent should you find out what they mean. Obviously, they're all extolling the virtues of Satan, but they do it in a far more restrained manner, if that's the appropriate word for this music! One lyrical theme explored in depth is that of abstinance versus indulgence (the Catholic idea that people shouldn't be having fun against the Satanist ideal that people should enjoy themselves at all times). This theme is explored particularly in focus to Our Sisters Of The Cross, meaning that... err... self-pleasuring nuns are an occurance in about five songs.
But I digress. I'm basically telling all fans of extreme music that this album is possibly the most important release of the year - it's the most punishing, intelligent and accomplished extreme metal album I've heard in a very long time, and that in conclusion, you should get this album right now.
Even if it means selling your soul to the Devil.
10/10
Peaceville Records - 2001
By Philip Whitehouse
Visit the Akercocke website.
Visit the Peaceville Records website
I'm still stunned. I doubt I can write coherently. As far as I'm concerned, Akercocke have just released the best extreme metal album of the year, and it's hard to see how it can be beat. A group of taliored-suit wearing Satanists have just left me speechless, stunned and gasping for more.
From the first moments of Goat Of Mendes, any extreme metal fanatic will know that they're in for something special. A combination of a double-bass drum barrage and a high-pitched, wailing guitar riff like the tortured screams of the damned sinews out of the speakers, grabs you by the throat and won't let you go until you've been pummelled by the insanely fast-palm muted riffage, gobsmacked by the fret-melting solos, scared into a gibbering, incoherent mess by the vitriolic, flesh stripping screams and resonant, earthquake summing growls and been overpowered by the sheer blasphemic, sinful atmosphere of the whole affair.
Akercocke are masters of their art, in that they know when to hold back and slow the tempo down, when to let the keyboards and samples deliver an atmosphere, and exactly just when to BLAST for all they're worth. The force of this music is truly astounding!
I personally never would have thought this was possible, following Akercocke's debut effort 'Rape of the Bastard Nazarene'. Sure, that release contained all of the signs that a rebirth like this was possible, but the production buried that promise. This time round, Akercocke have simultaneously created a record that lives up to that promise, and redefined all expectations of themselves and of the extreme metal genre as a whole.
The expertly structured, venom-spitting blasphemy assault of title track 'Goat of Mendes' goes perfectly with even more vicious assaults on faith such as 'A Skin For Dancing In' which even includes a (relatively) mellow chorus section with clean vocals!
The lyrics, although largely indistingishable, are actually quite intelligent should you find out what they mean. Obviously, they're all extolling the virtues of Satan, but they do it in a far more restrained manner, if that's the appropriate word for this music! One lyrical theme explored in depth is that of abstinance versus indulgence (the Catholic idea that people shouldn't be having fun against the Satanist ideal that people should enjoy themselves at all times). This theme is explored particularly in focus to Our Sisters Of The Cross, meaning that... err... self-pleasuring nuns are an occurance in about five songs.
But I digress. I'm basically telling all fans of extreme music that this album is possibly the most important release of the year - it's the most punishing, intelligent and accomplished extreme metal album I've heard in a very long time, and that in conclusion, you should get this album right now.
Even if it means selling your soul to the Devil.
10/10
