Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
Despite their neat, orderly exterior, Akercocke has always projected a terrifying musical appearance. They fuse black and death metal together, but also take it to the next level. The vocals range from high, torturous shrieks to low growls to clean chants. The guitars are a violent aural attack. The bass is thick and can actually be heard in the mix, while the drums are an insane discharge is metal mayhem. This band pioneered an extremely unique style right from the start by combining all of the above as well as adding very dark, somber atmospheres. Top it all off with lyrical themes of Satanism and sexuality, and you have one hell of a distinctive band.
Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone is no exception. If anything, their style has been taken to extremes, with every aspect making a significant presence on the record and contributing to its status as a smorgasbord of extreme metal.
Straight from the start this album is a salvo of artistic genre creations. The songs may be brutal and technical at first, but in time they will switch to a very melodic feel. Minutes later it may become a very somber and emotional track with clean singing and chanting, until smoothly transitioning to an atmospheric opus complete with clean guitars echoing into the distance. It's a stunning collection of melancholy sounds that keeps bringing something interesting with every song. The intro to
Verdelet may give the illusion that this is a thrashy death metal album.
Eyes of the Dawn sounds like an Eastern torture theme, while
Dying in the Sun just sounds like someone is being eaten by some kind of fiend.
The most entrancing aspect of the album is how the melodic, atmospheric parts balance out the extremity of the metal.
Verdelet is a key example of how the brutal metal shifts into a very gothic sounding chant. While the insanity is dominant, I'm hypnotized every time the clean guitars ring out and the vocals are sung.
Words That Go Unspoken and
Intracttable are also rich in this sense. Heavy metal with a very unique vibe to it.
Dying in the Sun in its entirety is an ambient tribute to cannibalism in its purest form. In my mind, the accents created by this contrast of sounds produce the illusion of a gothic cathedral in the night, with moonlight showing through the intricate stained glass windows.
Without a doubt, this is an extreme metal album. This isn't like most black/death metal where the music is death metal with the occasional shriek. Akercocke goes from low, guttural growling to a high, piercing shriek with the music backing it in the appropriate style.
Verdelet is, for the most part, a pure death metal song. Chunky riffs and techniques with growling make it quite the cunt smasher.
The Penance is again a thrashy metal experience that will skin you like worthless road kill. Unlike its predecessors,
Seraphs and Silence is pure insanity. Crazy riffing that cuts through your head like a dentist drill. While this album does appear attractive because of its atmosphere and unusual execution of melodies, this is an extreme metal album. The technicality of the record goes hand in hand with the brutality. While the riffs are nothing really overwhelming, the soloing is an interesting aspect. The ten-minute epic
Shelter From the Sand is a good summary of everything the band accomplishes on this new release, and is notable for numerous solos. The soloing is indeed commendable, but posses an unusual muted sound. It sounds intentional and adds a nice, peculiar air to the guitar playing.
In the long run,
Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone is an album that will stand the test of time. The unique sound and flawless execution make it an album that will undoubtedly be well embraced in the metal world. Key elements in extreme music are laced with a gothic beauty that no band has ever replicated. The vocals will undoubtedly be hit-or-miss with most people. The muted solo sound may also annoy, while the constant transitioning from heavy to soft may become repetitive. But beside the obvious faults, this is an extremely solid release from one of the UK's most extreme and most interesting metal bands.
Pros include:
- Very unique style
- Brutality and soft/clean sections compliment beautifully
- Respectable musicianship
- Excellent vocals
A mere few of the recommended song:
Verdelet
Seduced
Shelter From the Sand
The Penance
