### Akercocke: Antichrist

#### 14/02/11 || Daemonomania

Who knew Daemo would be covering so much ‘Cocke? And not with his mouth or anal cavity? Surprise abounds. Anyway, after being impressed with 2005’s “Words that go unspoken…” I figured picking up their newest one would be a sure bet. There is no such thing as a sure bet. Is it Mafia guys are going to break my legs while selling off my children’s internal organs because I couldn’t roll a seven or eleven? No, more like little Jimmy’s going to have to go to community college instead of an Ivy League because I should have bet on black like Wesley Snipes always says.

Biggest problems with the album, you ask? “Antichrist” comes across as a poor attempt to replicate the formula of blending black, death, and some poppy/electronic/odd parts to produce a menacing whole. All of these elements are still present but aren’t incorporated in the same spiffy way. Problem number two? What really becomes apparent as you make your way through tracks like “Summon the antichrist” is that the brutal style death metal guitarist guy has gotta go. I haven’t heard riffs this boring since…uh…since…fuck you. Problem number 3? Jason Mendonca’s attempts to strain his clean vocals to the very limit of his range. He sounds like CrAckerfeldt going through puberty whilst dodging the unwanted sexual advances of a grubby elderly gent. Or something. The last track, acoustic “Epode”, would sound fruity enough via Mendonca’s warbling without lyrics like these:

Thinking of words To describe you No one can know How much I trust you Calling Satan Master of dark deeds

These dark deeds certainly involve sex furniture and playful spanking. Not that the entire album is a failure. Moments throughout remind you that this is a very cool bunch of stiff-lipped wankers; “The dark inside” and “Footsteps…” stand up with anything off of “Words”. Plus the lyrics do get more literate, evil, and MANLIER in spots. For example:

Legs agape Stretching slow Show yourself unto me The soft wet kisses To the mouth of the vagina Taste exquisite to me

Yeah! Don’t just look at it – EAT IT. So if I were in a position to give these suited Satanists a few pieces of advice, I’d say get a better rhythm guitarist(s), work on the cleans, up the songwriting to match thy former glories, and don’t take your devil bromance too seriously. Better luck next time.

- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: Earache
- Website: Akercocke MySpace
- Band
- Jason Mendonca: vocals, guitar
- Peter Benjamin: bass
- David Gray: drums
- Matt Wilcock: guitars

- Tracklist
- 01. Black Messiah
- 02. Summon the Antichrist
- 03. Axiom
- 04. The Promise
- 05. My Apterous Angel
- 06. Distant Fires Reflect in the Eyes of Satan
- 07. Man Without Faith or Trust
- 08. The Dark Inside
- 09. Footsteps Resound in an Empty Chapel
- 10. Epode