Akercocke – Choronzon (2003)

December 13, 2021

Choronzon was the album that got me into Akercocke, and was a fairly random buy off the strength of the “Leviathan” single (which had about half of the actual song cut out of it!). The single edit did not prepare me for the intense, hyper-speed death metal that was on show. In fact, I don’t think anything could have prepared me. If you take a step back, what an attack on the senses this is! Deep and fathomless vocals, clanking bass, lightening speed riffs and the drumming…Jesus H Christ!

Wrap all that death metal goodness in a Satanic package that seemed genuinely authentic rather than shlocky and baiting, and sprinkle in some experimental elements like unsettling ambient / instrumental tracks, unusual dissonant guitar chords, synthesizers, traditional and ethnic instruments… the searing Satanic evil of Akercocke’s work never sounded more convincing than it did on Choronzon (although Goat Of Mendes is a close second).

Choronzon was also a huge step up in production quality from the previous records, which have their own grimy, disgusting charm. But thats another story that I’ve already written about, many years ago!