The capital city's own extreme metal deviants Akercocke hare reunited after four years of inactivity and tonight marks their first headlining reunion appearance, following their initial return at Bloodstock Open Air last month. Famed for wearing full suits while performing, successfully convincing the metal world that they were indeed true Satanists, and pissing off the usual black metal contrary fanboys who vilify anything that receives a modicum of success outside of the genre without shedding its credibility, the band's blend of sinister prog guitar leads are entwined with a matrimony of death and black metal to spawn genuinely creative metal. Akercocke live in London was far from a rarity before they disbanded yet the sold out show tonight suggests that worshippers still cannot get enough of them. This reunion is made more seductive with the return of original guitarist Paul Scanlan who left the band in 2003.
The intro tape of 'Declaration' leads into 'Hell' from debut album 'Rape of the Bastard Nazarene', with Akercocke storming the venue, in spite of the drums over-powering the guitar sound. The line up may not be donning suits as per the old days (band shirts and bullet belts compose the uniform now) but their austere stage presence remains. The subsequent track is the punishing 'Becoming the Adversary', with bone-stomping rhythms and a cascade of chaos. Frontman Jason Mendonca alternates between guttural death growls, black metal shrieks and a multi-faceted clean voice. With a dual guitar barrage wielding brutality and foreboding melodic intricacy peppered by keyboard accents and an electronic bass drum on the kit, the Londoners' metal assault is almost otherworldly, paradoxically possessing both sophistication and bestiality.
With an hour and a half to summon hell, Akercocke have plenty of time to reference all five of their full-length submissions. Perhaps the return of Scanlan warrants five songs from the 'Choronzon' album – his last input for the band – and the likes of 'Enraptured By Evil', 'Leviathan' and 'Son of the Mourning' are readily devoured by the hungry venue. However, it is 'Of Menstrual Blood and Semen', 'A Skin for Dancing In' and 'Verdelet' that really evoke a clamorous uproar from the congregation, a fair mandate of some of the Londoners' strongest material. Other highlights include 'Marguerite and Gretchen' and 'Zulieka' from the first album again, bristling with primitive riffs and bludgeoning perspective. Admittedly, there are some mistakes here and there but it is still the juvenile days of the reunion and the songs undoubtedly are still suffocated by dust. In addition to these past reflections, the audience are treated to an airing of two new hymns 'Inner Sanctum' and 'Disappear', bristling with ominous prog leads and technical death metal work. Closer 'Il Giardino di Monte Oliveto Maggiore' sees this spectacle out with a bang, receiving deafening applause from the punters who evacuate the Underworld in approving tones and continue their weekends.
Akercocke's home town reunion show was an absolutely pleasure – a dexterous exhibit of technicality, shadowy atmospherics and scathing might. A new album is approaching; the new tracks sounded delectable tonight and hopefully the remainder of the album follows suit, leading to more live shows in London very soon.
FUTURE GIGS
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