Search - Akercocke :: Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone (CD + DVD)

One of the Most Beautiful and Dark Creations I've ever heard

Sunshine the Werewolf | Canada | 02/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"AKERCOCKE - Words that go Unspoken, Deeds that go Undone.

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Breathtaking is not a word that will be commonly associated with Death Metal or Satanic music. However Akercocke has created an album which does just that... It takes your breathe away, both in its beauty and in its aggression.

Now a lot of people seem to be pulling the `This sounds like Opeth' card. Granted there are some minor comparisons to be made but come on people every band that goes from Death Metal into Acoustics is not Opeth. In fact this is more reminiscent of Enslaved's latest album: ISA.



The first thing that really struck me about this disc is how `evil' it sounds... Now I don't mean `Slayer' evil (Let's be honest the scariest thing about Slayer was the studded arm guards Kerry King used to wear.) When I say `Evil' I mean `Evil' like the late: `Today is the Day'.

Just the chord progressions they use sound so dark and so dismal. To give them their darker than the norm sound the employ great use of atonal notes and other musical textures such as Keys, sound effects and other weird instrumentation.



Initially I had felt the singing/talking vocals seemed too reserved and awkward however after a few listens it only helps build their atmosphere... his agony filled voice mixed with his venomous black metal screams and guttural growls is a perfect blend of how a vocalist should vary his sound. Though none of his voices are top of their respected genre, it is the diversity in his delivery that deserves the praise.

As far as the other musicians go, the guitar, as previously stated, is downright evil. Whether it be going at breakneck grind speeds or the darker acoustic parts. The Bass sounds great in the mix and is even utilized as a primary instrument. (Listen to Part I of the Title track.) The drumming is fantastic, going from traditional Black/Death beats to prog-interludes that would make even Danny Carey proud.



Highly recommended for fans of darker Prog-Metal, If you like bands such as Opeth, Enslaved, Agalloch, or Frantic Bleep chances are you will appreciate this. I strongly urge you to check out this unique metal creation.



Favorite Songs: Shelter from the Sand, Words that go Unspoken, Deeds that go Undone (Part I and II) and Verdelet

-5 Stars





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Akercocke's most realized work

Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 10/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone is British extreme metallers Akercocke's most realized and diverse release to date. No longer the typical black metal meets death metal act, for their new release they've hooked up with noted producer Neil Kernon and released an impressive piece of work without compromising heaviness or aggression. Former guitarist of The Berzerker, Matty Wilcock, also has a finger in the direction and overall scope of the album, often rendering it atmospheric yet still heavy at the same time. Jason Mendonca on second guitar and lead vocals also shows significant improvement compared to earlier Akercocke releases, utilising deep clean vocals along with his usual death growls and black shrieks.



In some ways, I had to think of the musical route Extol have followed, always harnessing their sound and trying to bring in new elements. As with their last release, with plenty of clean vocals and acoustic guitars in the mix, Akercocke may also alienate some of their older fanbase, but they'll definitely be finding new listeners as well. This album is easily their most versatile and "out there" release; at one point there are hammering death metal riffs and insane speed-drums, while at others the band will navigate dramatic acoustic arpeggios through bizarre landscapes along with electronic sounds underlying the textural guitar harmonies. Though not similar to any particular band, comparisons to Nile could be drawn on "Dying in the Sun", a short intro laced with Middle Eastern melodies, a prayer heard distantly in the background, and some hungry wolves angrily howling or wailing over their prey (Ulver's Bergtatt anyone?), and some weird Arabic instrumentation. The intro then segues into the two-part title track, with the first part surprisingly kicking in with clean vocals and acoustic guitars, something a bit uncommon for such bands. You'd expect them to explode like a dynamite, as so many other bands seem to do. However, this song grows and becomes larger with each passing minute. Slowly, the song begins to gather all its elements and hits atmospheric heights with the arrival of a cool Egyptian-themed guitar solo, death metal growls, and amazing keyboard work. Part two is equally surprising. Again, it has clean vocals and grim acoustic guitars with a very dry sound that almost sucks you in. However, this time electronic elements and a sick bass pattern are detected before they cut out abruptly and leave the listener face-to-face with Mendonca's strange but powerful mix of black and death metal extremity.



The highlight of the disc is the 10-minute track "Shelter from the Sand". Perhaps the best song to represent Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone, the band is unafraid to jump genres in the blink of an eye, as touches of Godflesh industrial effects and slower spoken parts saturate its intro eventually giving way to a nice brutal and clean vocal variation. Manic-filled laughters pop up briefly in the middle with great Voivod-type guitar work that is simply masterful. Ominous keyboards and drums enter the scene as the other instruments take a back seat, and then a brilliant piano section follows with ethereal clean vocals. I know all of this sounds un-metal, but people's opinions are bound to change the second they hear the track. The song is sealed with a symphonic touch and electronic sound bit together with the band's usual guitar and vocal combination. The last two tracks prove to enhance the scope of the disc, with interesting avant garde meets jazz solos and folk-laden vocals over acoustic guitars. However, both songs are marked by staggering screams and grunts that any extreme metal fan is going to enjoy. If you've never heard any Akercocke before, start right with this disc. Not only is it their best produced one, but musically it encompasses elements from all of their earlier releases enriched with new sounds along the way."

Unique, interesting & excellent all around

A. Stutheit | Denver, CO USA | 10/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although Akercocke are commonly referred to as "progressive blackened death metal," there's no doubt that they're now officially in a league and genre all their own. And the band might not steer entirely clear of the musical blueprint Opeth first created in 1995, but there are several crucial differences. For one, Akercocke incorporate a much greater black metal influence into their music. Next, singer Jason Mendonca has an even wider and more impressive vocal range than that of Mikael Akerfeldt. He's able to sing cleanly, croon, growl, summon super low, indecipherable bellows that are reminiscent of bands like Dying Fetus, and (like almost any black metal singer), he can also pierce your ear drums with high, banshee-like shrieks. And it makes Jason's performance even more impressive when one hears that he's capable of using all of those vocal styles in just one song! Oh, and Akercocke are from England, not Sweden.



"Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone" is clearly rooted in death metal, but it's never limited to just one type of music. It brilliantly blends death, thrash, and black metal with prog rock (ala Cynic), chilling overtones, overtly Satanic poetry, gothic keyboards, other delicate, ethereal ambience, and trippy sound effects (i.e. maniacal laughter and creepy, snarling animal noises). Indeed, this is a very richly textured and almost mind-blowing record which shows off so many great dynamics, diversities, and details that it makes Ihsahn's debut ("The Adversary") sound like a Mayhem release (well not quite, but you get the point). But that's not to mislead you -- the songs aren't nearly as difficult to digest as you might think. From front to back, this album is impeccably smooth, flowing, diverse, exciting, instantly identifiable, satisfying, complex, intriguing, memorable, and all around genius.



"Verdelet" is an excellent album opener that's highlighted by catchy thrash riffs, a blistering guitar lead, and forceful double bass heft. Then it's time for the positively stellar second song, "Seduced." This is a mostly instrumental track and is bolstered by speedy, churning riffs and rapid, airtight death metal blasts. After that comes another song, "Shelter From The Sand," which is very difficult not to love. It flies out of the starting gate with strong, buzzsaw guitar flurries and vitriolic vocals before the band pulls hard on the song's reigns and include a soft, harmonic break with ominous guitar feedback, slow, jangly piano keys, and limpid, British-accented singing.



The extremely unpredictable title track (which begins with prog-ish, beeping bass notes and echoing guitar strums before suddenly launching into a breakneck thrash tempo and fiery guitar licks) is another candidate for the best song on here, and there are three other highlights near the end of the album."Intractable" is almost dreamy; "Seraphs and Silence" tosses a tasty, winding guitar solo into the mix; and, lastly, "Penance" is fueled by raging guitar work which almost careens off the map.



To summarize, "Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone" is nothing short of excellent. It does lose out to Enslaved's "Ruun" for 2006's finest black metal album to date, but it is still, hands down, the year's most intricate, unique, innovative, meticulous, interesting, and original extreme music release."