Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone

In a short space of time, Akercocke had emerged from the London extreme metal underground to become one of the most heralded bands in metal, with an already formidable back catalogue to bear comparison with any of their peers. Over three fearsome, and virtually flawless albums, Akercocke had given an object study in how to successfully develop a core sound, their ever-growing tentacles reaching into increasingly more eldritch depths, while never completely severing the connection to the heart of the creature (or hearts, if we are going to stretch the cephalopod metaphor to its limit). Their fourth album, Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone was, on release, considered something of left turn, the band apparently jumping headfirst into the prog-rock ocean. On reflection, however, this reputation perhaps says more about the conservatism of the metal scene in 2005, than it does about Akercocke’s evolving sonic choices. While it is undoubtedly a courageous album for an ostensibly death metal act to release, it is at all times recognisably the same band that made Choronzon, and even the most progressive moments of this record sound like nothing less than a completely natural extension of everything Akercocke have done to this point. If the previous three records were the assembly of a spacecraft, Words That Go Unspoken… is that same vehicle leaving the Earth’s atmosphere, crewed by the engineers that built it.

The incendiary opening track ‘Verdelet’ initially offers few clues to the more expansive sound of the album, contrasting strongly with its immediate predecessor by eschewing a lengthy introduction, in favour of launching straight into coruscating death metal, which remains an integral part of the band’s armoury throughout. The familiar dissonant, ringing arpeggios, something of an Akercocke trademark, make an early appearance. More unfamiliar though, is the cleaner, crisper mix, and sense of spaciousness offered both by the stripped back instrumentation and more conventional riffing style. Prior to this point in their career, Akercocke have generally favoured a dense, suffocating production, which has resulted in their music seeming uniquely claustrophobic, every guitar figure building patterns on top of the previous one, gradually constricting the life from the trapped, but mesmerised listener. On Words That Go Unspoken… it is as if these walls have suddenly disintegrated, and in its place is a sense of the infinite. Where no life once dwelled, wide open space now appears, the terrain offering fertile soil for fecund growth and new life. The other key difference from what has come before is the move away from the black metal atmospherics that have characterised and distinguished the band’s sound since their debut. Although the album does not avoid the use of synths, their function is more often utilised as a lead instrument, rather than cloaking their intense tremolo blasts in the gothic grandiosity of old. Intriguingly, what we are left with is an Akercocke that are still recognisably Akercocke, but also much more direct in their metallic attack.

The brilliant ‘Verdelet’ is emblematic of these changes, featuring all of the hyperactive tempo-shifts that the band have become known for, forever twisting death metal into seductive new shapes, but also hosting one of the most straightforward and grooving thrash riffs that Akercocke have ever committed to tape – the mid-section of the track is as downright anthemic and accessible as the band have ever been, and as a result, ‘Verdelet’ is almost indecently infectious. The fun doesn’t end there, however, and it’s the second half of the track which really showcases the wide-ranging appeal of this iteration of Akercocke. Picking up the Eastern tones that were utilised more tentatively on the previous record, on Words That Go Unspoken…, the band fully commit to the rich and enveloping synth-based opulence that makes an appearance following the aforementioned thrashing grooves. For a band that have generally favoured multi-part songs playing host to numerous abrupt changes of mood and cadence, it is truly satisfying to hear the band exploring a more post-metal feel, in which small motifs and themes are gradually developed, and pulled and pushed into different directions. If Akercocke were once a highly adept Victor Frankenstein, bolting their monster together from disparate parts, here it feels that they are instead gestating a new being, nerves, arteries and limbs gradually extending outwards, marrying the triumphant metal classicism of the spiralling leads that lead the song into the more familiar wind-tunnel riffing of old, and then on into monochrome grimness, working through chromatic black metal patterns, before finally resting on a progressive death metal conclusion, which finds mid-period Deicide playing Disintegration-era The Cure as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Leading off with a track that acknowledges no boundaries is a masterstroke of sequencing, as it allows Akercocke to roam into virtually any musical space for the remainder of the album’s duration without it appearing particularly outré, and it all serves to make Words That Go Unspoken… an utterly intoxicating album. This is not to say that Akercocke have abandoned their roots entirely, and ‘Eyes Of The Dawn’ even offers nostalgic fans something of a throwback to the ferocity of The Goat Of Mendes, but it is also undeniable that the most entrancing musical passages to be found on the record are more often than not those that bear the least resemblance to their previous work. Perhaps this is partially because although Akercocke have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to compose superior death metal, the quality of their first three albums perhaps dictates that continuing in this direction can only ever result in diminishing returns, as the startling nature of their take on the genre is lost amidst the now contempt-breeding familiarity of this sound. It is surely also a consequence of the fact that hearing a band as versatile as Akercocke providing their unique slant on a broader array of sounds is never likely to be less than intriguing, and when it is as resoundingly successful as it is here, the joy in the listener being jolted anew by a band that could easily be taken for granted provides the same kind of gratification obtained from their earlier records, but in a refreshingly different way.

The title track is most emblematic of the band’s new approach, containing only homeopathic traces of the band that made Rape Of The Bastard Nazarene. Tribal drums beat an opening tattoo, joined by meandering guitar figures, draped in roomy reverb, which gradually builds into classic metal guitar flourishes, not unlike the shades of 1980s metal that occasionally peak through the progressive metal of Ihsahn’s early solo albums. A little less like the Emperor mainman, this is the prelude to a thumping electro section verging on dubstep, which brings the digital side of the Akercocke sound to the fore with a greater degree of assurance than they have ever displayed, before a supremely arrogant Coroner-style tech-thrash riff obliterates any listener that remains unconvinced by Akercocke circa 2005. Sweeping clean guitars round out a majestic track, re-imagining the sound of Cynic’s Focus, minus the distinctive vocals of that particular album, and once again it seems that the band have effortlessly achieved the ingestion and seamless assimilation of almost the entire history of rock and metal, re-configuring a bewildering arsenal of lethal weapons into something entirely of their own, and it’s difficult to avoid being swept up in the sheer audacity of it all.

One could easily pick out almost any track other than the customary atmospheric interludes, themselves an irresistible call to pray at the altar of this mighty band, as a highlight, each one containing some nugget of triumphant majesty, or yet another alchemical combination of seemingly incompatible musical ingredients. Although Words That Go Unspoken… could not be said to be front-loaded, the tracks that, together with ‘Verdelet’, complete a stunning opening triple-whammy are rather special. ‘Seduced’ is a never-ending stream of dismembered ideas that all land as intended, initially combining black metal note selection with precise death metal riffing, as if Satyricon were covering Carcass, before channelling the major key hippie death metal of Lykathea Aflame to bafflingly successful effect, and even finding the time to resurrect the guitar-synths of Pestilence’s unfairly maligned Spheres for some ingenious lead guitar runs. ‘Shelter From The Sand’ tops this, with arguably Akercocke’s most epic track yet. The opening sections are the kind of dissonant death metal that has long characterised their sound, but the final third is a blissful blend of shimmering prog guitars, stark piano lines, and deft vocal melodies. Each fragile note is a sliver of beauty, like lone trees on a barren mountainside, and the band appear at once nakedly vulnerable in a way that they have never allowed themselves to be seen before. Commonly Akercocke’s music has been an ego-filled display of elite supremacy; ‘Shelter From The Sand’ transcends ego in favour of something more cosmically infinite, and less earthbound – spacegaze in place of shoegaze. Once again, we find Akercocke sonically prefiguring some of the extreme metal trends that have seen increased popularity in the 2010s and beyond, bringing together the kind of dreamy post-black metal of Alcest and Deafheaven and the sci-fi death metal of Blood Incantation and Cryptic Shift into a singular sonic brew, some years before these distinct takes on extreme metal solidified into the more focussed sub-genres that we see today. Elsewhere, penultimate track ‘The Penance’ feels almost like the culmination of everything that Akercocke have achieved thus far, perfectly packaged into a seamless display of magnificence. Within the first minute of the track, stuttering, off-kilter death metal has birthed spidery prog, which in turn gives way to chromatic, Marduk-style relentless black metal blasting, spliced with the grandiloquent melodicism of Opeth at their best, the frostbitten North intruding from a parallel dimension into warmth of the near East evoked by the Arabic-sounding intervals utilised in the track’s main melody. Few metal bands display this level of ambition, and fewer still have the skill to pull it off in the way that Akercocke do with insouciant ease.

Somewhat frustratingly, as they did on Choronzon, Akercocke choose to close the album in perplexing fashion, with ‘Lex Talionis’. Although there is something amusingly contrarian about their tendency to opt for the atmospheric comedown as the final track over the mounting epic of metallic might that they could so easily choose, it also leaves the listener with a sense of loss and slight disappointment, when the knowledge that the perfectly sequenced and fulfilling alternative is so close at hand. ‘Lex Talionis’ itself is an interesting track, the heat of North Africa and the Middle East palpably permeating the band’s lift of Black Sabbath’s ‘Spiral Architect’, creating an enticing and enveloping atmosphere, but it’s ultimately a desultory journey, travelling, but never arriving. While it would have worked perfectly as an interlude, after the all-conquering fury of ‘The Penance’, it is unavoidably anti-climactic. This should not unduly affect our evaluation of Words That Go Unspoken… as a whole though. Although not the complete departure that some would have us believe – at its heart, this is an Akercocke record that exists in a clear relation to the discography that preceded it – it is an album on which the band utilise the total freedom that their mastery of the metal genre affords them to produce an extravagant and progressive triumph. It’s not quite their best; that honour remains bestowed upon The Goat Of Mendes, but it is a vital addition to their catalogue that bears virtually endless repeated plays, and conclusively proves that artistic evolution and the expansion of an extreme metal band’s sound need not come at the price of the band’s soul, which remains resolutely intact.

First published here:
https://alifetimeofmusic537956501.wordpress.com/2021/04/25/akercocke-words-that-go-unspoken-deeds-that-go-undone/

This is the fourth album from the criminally underrated British extreme metal act Akercocke. The band as sadly split-up as of 2014. While we as listeners might not truly ever know where they might have ended up musically on later albums given their diverse musical influences, we can surely be thankful to Satan below that these aristocratic heathens gave us this extreme musical masterpiece, which is their finest hour.

"Verdelet" starts out as perhaps a summary of what the rest of the album entails. What is noticeable is that the album is very well produced, with none of the "necro" aspects of low fidelity basement black metal but also maintaining an organic feel as well. The production definitely has a bass presence as opposed to the weak and thin sounding production of other metal albums from the 2000s. The riffs have a slightly thrashy vibe to them, and the drumming of David Gray is a highlight. What is exceptionally striking is the vocal performance of frontman Jason Mendonca. He goes from deep, guttural growls ala Suffocation's "Effigy of the Forgotten" as well as very strong clean vocals. Then later on in the climax of the song the inhuman black metal shrieks come to the forefront. Essentially, this shows that Akercocke were indeed very adept at mixing all of the best elements of pure death metal, abrasive black metal, and emotional clean passages to create an atmosphere that has arguably yet to be surpassed in the realm of extreme metal. Indeed, Akercocke could very well be viewed as a more extreme version of Opeth. They, like Opeth, are very much progressive rock influenced as well as being influenced by various extreme metal bands. However, Akercocke are more adept at molding these influences into a truly transcendent experience.

"Shelter from the Sand" is the "epic" track of the album. This track has some very pointed lyrics as well as showcasing what most extreme metal music should aspire to. Speaking of the lyrics, the lyrical content of the album is above and beyond what more arguably juvenile bands would be coming up with. Given the fact that the band wears suits on stage, the lyrics and the music itself maintains a certain eloquence and classiness that is missing from, say, latter era Deicide lyrics. "Eyes of the Dawn" is an example of how passionate the satanist from and Akercocke perspective could be:

"I shall exercise my right to be hateful!
Cleanse this tired mind
Protect...this fragile mind
For it falls upon me....
To break the seventh seal!!!"

Such lyrics are tantamount to the point of how eloquent, yet passionate, emotional, and defiant the lyrical philosophy of the band would be to Christian detractors. "Intractable" is another stand out track that repeats a riff at the beginning of the song that ended the previous track, but in a more emotional context. Jason Mendonca's clean vocals really shine here. The man just shows that not only is he a competent extreme metal guitarist, but his vocal prowess in the realm of extreme metal is untouchable. The most inhuman growls combined with the most potent black metal banshee shrieks ala Ihsahn on "In the Nightside Eclipse."

The music throughout the entirety of the album, much like the vocals, runs the summit of the best aspects of extreme metal. Brutal death metal fills, violent black metal runs, and soft Depeche Mode-esque clean and experimental passages are interspersed with progressive rock tendencies ala Rush and Yes. Not to mention, the obvious thrash and progressive death metal influences of the likes of Sabbat, Dark Angel, and Death. Lucifer Morningstar would be pleased. This album could almost be viewed as the "Dark Side of the Moon" of extreme metal. A masterpiece that combines the best aspects of the genres it is influenced by combined with atmospheric production to create a numinous experience. The musicianship on the album combines the technical prowess of progressive rock while maintaining the structural pragmatism to make each track memorable.

Even the album cover itself is a testament to the atmosphere of the album. Rather than go for a typical gory cover ala Cannibal Corpse, or an overt satanic influence ala Deicide or Krisiun, Akercocke take a more subtle route and show a very film noir-ish photo of a mysterious Jack the Ripper like man entering a building of some sort. It is left up to the viewer's imagination to fill in the blanks as to what this mysterious individual could be up to, and the subtle nature of the entire album art adds to the transcendent nature of the album. In our own lives, the words that we don't say and the deeds we never do can have just as much of an influence on us as the things we actually do end up saying or doing. So the album title as well as the aforementioned lyrical content make for a more thought provoking display of metal brilliance that proves extreme music is not just for "mindless heathens" but can indeed be just as viable as the most meticulous progressive rock bands.

All in all, "Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone" is a master achievement that shows just what extreme metal is capable of when lyrical and conceptual intellectualism meet technical musical prowess. This is highly recommended to anyone who is a fan of the most extreme death metal or black metal, as well as progressive and experimental tendencies and intellectually tinged lyrical content. Although the band may be no more, they have fully solidified themselves in the annals of extreme metal history due to their forward thinking ways of not being confined by genre limitations.

Akercocke are one of the UK’s most exciting extreme metal bands. They combine elements of death metal and black metal and add their own unique, progressive touch. Over the past 12 years and five albums they have evolved into one of the most extreme and interesting bands in the scene today. Their fourth album, Words that Go Unspoken, Deeds that Go Undone, is one of their best releases so far.

What makes this album special is how it includes the different elements of Akercocke’s sound in just the right amounts. Choronzon is alright but it seems to focus on the heavy, blasting death metal and raw, destructive black metal side of their sound. There are some progressive touches on the album, such as the magnificent Leviathan, but the majority of the album is what seems to be mindless blasting. “Words” however is a progressive metal masterpiece full of rich, textured sounds capes, excellently constructed pieces of music and extraordinary musicianship.

This change of direction may be in some part due to the introduction of new guitar player Matt Wilcock, who was brought in after Choronzon to replace Paul Scanlan. He fills his predecessor’s shoes perfectly providing brutal riffage and some excellent solos. The other members exceed expectations as they all exhibit a high level of skill in their instruments and all give an incredibly tight performance. Drummer David Gray gives an outstanding performance, never missing a beat whether he’s playing high speed double bass, machine gun blast beats or complex cymbal work.

Jason Mendonça, as well as playing both lead and rhythm parts for guitar, performs vocals. He utilises a good mix of growls and screams as well as clean vocals (another feature of Akercocke’s sound which was not as prominent on Choronzon). The vocals, written mainly be David Gray, deal with standard Akercocke subjects such as the band's satanic beliefs. These lyrics don’t get boring as Mendonça delivers them perfectly, no matter what style they’re in.

One thing that is impressive about Akercocke is their song writing ability. Most songs have several sections and it’s not uncommon to find that a song will have many different moods and feelings mixed together in it. For example, album opener Verdelet starts of with a heavy and brutal introduction but soon develops into a technical masterpiece which combines every element of Akercocke’s sound to perfection. This, when coupled Gray’s lyrics, provides essential Akercocke listening and one of the highlights of the album.

One great thing about the album is the production. All instruments are captured clearly including the more unusual ones such as the ones used on Eyes of the Dawn and the instrumental dying in the Sun. The mix has been done so that no instrument is overpowering and so that the different sections of the songs fit seamlessly together. All the different tracks are mixed perfectly in order to create an album which is full of atmosphere.

The album is best listened to as a whole so that you can absorb all the different parts of the sound from the Choronzon style blasting of Seraphs and Silence and The Penance to the more melodic stylings of the title track and album closer Lex Talionis. This said the album does contain two standout tracks in the form of the aforementioned Verdelet and the epic Shelter from the Sand. It’s these songs encompass all the great things about Akercocke and make the album so good.

Overall, this album is a progressive masterpiece and any fans of Akercocke or extreme metal at all that don’t have this should go out and get it today. There’s something for everyone on this album and that’s what makes it such a great listen.

Rest assured, the dark days of Akercocke are well behind them in their bid to dominate the global market of black/death crossover acts. The scene which plays host to these crossover bands is really beginning to thrive and, partially, that has something to do with the British band Akercocke, who express the aspects of this crossover scene with more experimentation and guile than most do. ‘Rape of the Bastard Nazarene’ was a simplistic black metal record, in theory, that consisted of far too many errors. These errors were in numerous fields, not just one. The vocals, the lack of creativity on guitar and much more. However, Akercocke have slowly become more marketable due to their ability to be able to use elements of other genres, such as avant-gardé and progressive, and intertwine them with the strongest aspects of both black and death metal. I like to look at Akercocke’s records in three stages, as I’ve said on previous reviews. First being the weakest, second being where the majority of the change is implemented and this stage, the third, being where all the elements come together as one and create a diverse specimen filled with special characteristics.

Akercocke’s fourth record, ‘Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone’ takes the most appealing aspects of the previous effort, ‘Choronzon’ and blends them with the style one assumes they were aiming for with the last two efforts which, whilst creative and diverse in sound, didn’t compel the listener like this effort does. As the career of this act began to unfold, Akercocke’s best elements shone through for all to see. In particular, the vocals. Take the vocal exploits on songs like ‘Verdelet’, the epic ‘Shelter From The Sand’ and ‘Intractable (Words That Go Unspoken Part 2)’. These aforementioned songs truly inspire in terms of the vocals. ‘Choronzon’ began to introduce the audience to what would be considered normality on latter Akercocke records, more importance on clean vocals and less use of the harsh vocals, which depicted the raw emotive sound of Akercocke well, but not well enough. The intricate nature of Akercocke, as a band, can be clearly seen on this record, which is the defining moment of the bands career so far. Again, take ‘Shelter From The Sand’, it’s brilliantly diverse nature intensifies with the introduction of the piano and clean vocals, which combine to devastating effect. Once again, the lyrical exploits of Akercocke are much the same as they once were. Perhaps disappointing, but it was expected with their ideologies.

“Hollow inside but dreaming
I curse this world
That it should keep turning
I curse this God
Who decrees that I should die
I will give you Hell
Avail the sins of the past
I curse this God
I will give you Hell?”

It’s songs like this that truly make this record a worthwhile purchase. The beauty of the Akercocke sound was always second to the dogged, harsh and raw emotive sound of the British heavyweights. However, as the career of this band has progressed, so has the influence behind the music and what aspects drive the soundscapes forward. On previous efforts, the raw and rasping vocals, which combined elements of both black and death vocals, were the main driving force behind the music, but that is no longer the case. The clean vocals have much more of a place within the daring and diverse soundscapes, which are dynamically portrayed through the use of two matured guitars, Jason Mendonça and Matt Wilcock, who combine superbly on this effort. It’s pleasing to witness the journey that Jason has taken, in particular. From a poor performance on ‘Rape Of The Bastard Nazarene’ to the heights of this effort, his maturity is beginning to shine through, as are his undoubted talents in both the guitar and vocal departments, particularly the former. The use of two experienced and exciting guitarists is evidence that Akercocke benefit from this ploy more so than they would if only one guitarist was in use. I’d like to draw your attention to songs like ‘Eyes Of The Dawn’, with it’s fantastic intertwining performances. The way in which the percussion sets out to devastate the audience with strong and clinical use of double bass, the way the guitarists blend individual riffs to form a impenetrable wall and the underlying bass, which draws out the inner beauty of the songs effectively when the songs take a turn into fast paced territory, which doesn’t always allow for effective experimentation, especially in a more beautiful and delicate way. The bass doesn’t lose any importance because unlike the very first record, the production is perfectly suited towards the endearing sound, which displays a vast range of emotions through domineering soundscapes and, in particular, an outrageously outstanding vocal performance from Jason.

There aren’t many negatives that one could possibly point out. The difference from this opus to the last even, is outstanding. The qualities of the previous records have been brought together with a new sound, which is created primarily by a diverse and innovative sound, importantly contributed by each and every element of the record. From bass to drums, each musician deliberately and effectively stamps their authority on the apocalyptic Akercocke sound. Whilst I do consider the next effort, ‘Antichrist’ to be a continuation of the Akercocke brand, this record is the defining moment in a long career. Pay particular attention to the vocals, both clean and harsh.

Akercocke have blazed quite a twisted, curved path in the metal world as of late, making a name for themselves due to blatant, overt satanism, album covers with good ol' naked titties, wearing expensive tuxedos all the time, and, most importantly, a progressive and seamless blend of death and black metal, sprinkled liberally with calm/haunting acoustic progressive rock passages. I've made it quite well known that I despise Opeth, so I'm sure it might be a little strange to learn that I'm an Akercocke fan, considering the music is so similar. Well, the way I see it, Opeth is banal, overlong, and some of the laziest songwriters in metal. Akercocke on the other hand, possesses just as much musical talent as Opeth, but they write full on songs that are captivating, interesting, effective, and overall impressive. The metal sections are fast and crushing, while the calm parts are haunting and atmospheric.

My main beef with this album is actually the main reason I hate Opeth so much, and that's the transitions. Music doesn't always have to flow pleasantly, an unexpected duke to the jibblies can be quite effective when used tastefully (see Cryptopsy's Phobophile for a prime example). Here, the transitions between blistering metal fury and calm acoustic passages transition with an almost audible clunk. The fact that these transitions occur approximately twelve quadrillion times a song only amplifies the frustration. Take the opening track, Verdelet, as an example. It starts with pummeling double bass drums and a galloping death metal riff strongly resembling the opening riff of .44 Caliber Brain Surgery by thrash/death band Demolition Hammer. This obviously makes for some skull crushing, ball thrashing heavy metal. Then, from out of the great blue sky, comes a dirt ridden acoustic bridge with the vocalist screaming in a low, anguished, clean voice "I CURSE! THIS WORLD!". While both sections are textbook examples of awesomeness in the context of metal, they work together about as well as two fat kids trying do decide who gets to eat the last brownie. This happens time and time again throughout the duration of the record.

I think the thing that stands out the most to me is the drummer. Just listen to him, even during the quiet progressive passages, he is still playing extremely fast metal beats. This doesn't mix well on paper, but it translates to a very interesting take on musical stylings when actually played. I also feel that the vocalist deserves mention, as he has an extremely versatile voice. His clean voice is deep and fitting with the haunting passages it usually accompanies, while his deep death metal gurgles are completely indecipherable, yet carry a cadence that keeps the intensity cranked up to eleven. Not to mention his high pitched black metal howls are top notch and terrifying as well. Honestly, there isn't anything to complain about when it comes to the band's technical ability.

To be completely honest with you, this is probably a love it or hate it album. The extreme metal segments could probably dissolve most human scrotums if played loud enough, while the other parts are, once again, creepy and unsettling. So it all boils down to whether you can tolerate either facet. Akercocke is one of the more unique bands I've found as of recently, playing a captivating style that few bands actually manage to pull off well, so I would recommend them. Check out Verdelet, Seduced, and The Penance for some furious death metal, but be wary of the strange bits thrown in throughout the album (I EXERCISE MY RIGHT TO BE HATEFUL! in Eyes of the Dawn is one of the more blatant). Reviews for this style don't mean much really, but I don't usually like anything described with both the words "progressive" and "extreme" tacked on to the genre, but I highly enjoy this, so maybe that means something.

This album absolutely reeks of perfection. Every riff, solo, acoustic interlude, and death growl fits perfectly into where it is placed. Jason Mendonca and the rest of the guys from Akercocke definitely have something otherworldly brewing.

The album opens with Verdelet, which in the length of 1 track already tells you what the whole album is about. About 30 seconds into the song the clean spoken vocals kick in and instead of sounding like some faggy metalcore band alternating between clean vocals and growls, its fits perfectly.

The rest of the album is absolutely exquisitely executed. The songs vary in length (Shelter from the Sand is an epic 10 minutes) and structure (Some are pure blackened death, other are soft acoustic ballads and some are just a mash up of both). Everything falls perfectly into place. The lyrics are typical satanic ones but with a metaphorical twist that’ll make you read them twice.

In conclusion, this, without a doubt, is one of my favorite albums and is highly recommended to fans of blackened death, progressive, or any types of metal. The clean vocals are excellently done and the growls are done even better (Its hard to believe it’s the same person). The keyboard or synth sounds fit perfectly and don’t make the album sound artificial at absolutely any moments. The drumming is pretty complex and the guitar keeps churning out riff after skull crushing riff. It is your obligation as a metalhead to own this album.

Wow, just wow. The first Akercocke album to not feature boobies on the cover is as crushing as ever.
1.) Verdelet: This song is simply an amazing opener. It opens with a blasting riff and drums, but then quickly sweeps you into an atmosphere with the clean vocals and clean guitars. The riffage is as good as ever, switching between clean, almost-power-metal styles, to amazing Blackish solos. The variations between everything are amazing, styles, vocals...it all fits together in something that just shreds, not to mention that the drumwork is stunning.
10/10
2.) Seduced: It opens up with a death-style riff, followed by a deep, Mortician-esque growl. It then goes into some killer double-bass work, which stays with the song, even in the slower, grungy parts.The parts that are spoken are a little strange, if nothing but creepy, but the guitars clearly make up for anything it leaves out. Then, trading between black shrieks and death growls, it creates a masterpiece, which is followed by more technically-astonishing death.
10/10
3.) Shelter From the Sand - Opening up with a spoken, slow part, it quickly leads into brutal death/black work, then trades off between the two unexpectedly for a bit, before slowing down and going from a spoken march to a soft, melodic part, then back between the two before going to a great guitar solo. More double bass work and spoken parts set the mood of the song. The only part of this song that gets annoying is the "maniacal genious" laugh/cackle that he does for about thirty seconds...thankfully, this is soon replaced by more shreiking and growls. More melodic parts, soon followed by technical death help keep the song going, if for a little too long, but the song doesn't overstay its welcome by much, because it then shifts to haunting organ-work and clean spoken parts, setting the mood for...a sappy part in a love story. Alright, it's a little weird, but it's alright, because hey, its Akercocke.
10/10
4.) Eyes Of The Dawn – Slow, atmosphere-setting intro leads into a death-style riff. Soon after, drums and growls join, then build up to some intense death/gore metal. Once the drums really kick in, it loses it’s gore style and gets into the better, technical-seath style. Then back to a gore sound, which kind of gets old after a little bit, but is soon replaced by a blasting of drums and guitars, leading into yet another spoken, odd part. Nothing really stands out until the drums at around 3:00 or so, which are amazing as usual. Then, it leads into a really grungy sound with a death voice, leading back into the pounding rhythm of the double-bass and vocals.
9/10
5.) Words that go Unspoken (Part 1) – Good intro, a spoken, melodic part leads into a grungy sound, then back into the softer, melodic part. It stays slow, but atmospheric for a while, before leading back into pulsing drums with a guitar solo, then into a weird industrial sounding overtone, but they do it well. After that, it leads into a death blast again, before going melodic, then back again to the grinding death, and topping it off by soon adding the Black Shrieks to it. This whole song is very atmospheric, one of my favorites on this album.
10.10
6.) Intractable (Words that go Unspoken Part II) – This song opens up slowly, some industrial tones to it, and stays slow and atmospheric for a while. Picture Type-O Negative with a little more dark/death to them. It then leads into the Technical Death that Akercocke is known for (See: Amazing.) It stays heavy for the rest of the song, sometimes going to Melodic Death, but always stays Dark and Heavy.
10/10

7.) Seraphs and Silence – This song blasts open with a Death tone, leading headstrong into ear-searing shrieks, followed by…Dani Filth?. Oh well, it fits I suppose. After a little more blasting, it leads into a slower, but still dark acoustic part, before blasting back with Gore-Death riffs and drums. Again the Dani scream comes up, but never stays longer than a few moments. Another spoken part (Haha, “Suck on the breast.”) followed by more dark, slow parts. It then picks back up, and is followed by more shrieks, more blasting on the drums, and a creepy laugh. Altogether, a good song, just not the best.
9/10
8.) The Penance- Opens with a typical death riff/screams, then goes into a short industrial part with an interesting riff, but then leads back into a black-style riff with more shrieking. The song really picks up and goes into amazing death at around 1:35 with an amazing death riff, then breaks down for a moment before leading back into it, and keeps it grinding for a while before dipping back down into another breakdown. Then, an odd spoken/screamed part comes on…typical Akercocke-style. It trades between spoken, shrieks, and growls for a while, before breaking even further down into a heavy, grungy death riff. It picks back up and leads into a really good solo. After the solo, it almost sounds like a baby is being murdered….which either creeps you out or excites you (hopefully the first.) before leading back into more death and grunge.
9/10

9.) Lex Tailonis – Opens with a really atmospheric part soon leading into rhythmic drums, guitars, and a flute. It’s reminiscent of Folk Metal, and is done well. The spoken part comes up, continuing the Folk-mood. It soon gets a little darker, but keeps the same slow rhythm. This song is a really good outro, it’s not amazing music, but it does keep the mood and atmosphere.
10/10

Overall, this album is not a disappointing one in any way. It should be easy for Death, Gore, and Black metal fans to like. It shreds the whole way through, and never disappoints for more than a few seconds.
95/100