Choronzon (album)

Last updated
Choronzon
Chroronzon.jpg
Studio album by
Akercocke
Released4 November 2003
Genre Blackened death metal, progressive metal
Length54:39
Label Earache
Producer Akercocke
Akercocke chronology
The Goat of Mendes
(2001)		Choronzon
(2003)		 Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
(2006)

Choronzon is the third studio album by English death metal band Akercocke. It was released on 4 November 2003, through Earache Records.

Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, aggressive, powerful drumming featuring double kick and blast beat techniques, minor keys or atonality, abrupt tempo, key, and time signature changes, and chromatic chord progressions. The lyrical themes of death metal may include slasher film-style violence, political conflict, religion, nature, philosophy, and science fiction.

Akercocke are an English extreme metal band from London, formed in 1997 by Jason Mendonca and David Gray. The band also features Paul Scanlan and Nathanael Underwood.

Earache Records is an independent record label, music publisher and management company founded by Digby Pearson, based in Nottingham, England with offices in London and New York. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing early grindcore and death metal records between 1988 and 1994. The label roster has since diversified into more mainstream guitar music, working with bands such as Rival Sons, The Temperance Movement, Blackberry Smoke and The White Buffalo. The company also hosted the 'Earache Express' stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2017 and 'The Earache Factory' at Boomtown Fair 2018.

Contents

Background

The sample at the start of the album is from the opening scene of the Hammer House of Horror episode "Guardian of the Abyss".

Hammer House of Horror is a British television series made in 1980. An anthology series created by Hammer Films in association with Cinema Arts International and ITC Entertainment, it consists of thirteen 51-minute episodes, originally broadcast on ITV.

Release

A promotional music video was released for the track "Leviathan", and was shot by Kerrang! 's Paul Harries.

A music video is a short film that integrates a song with imagery, and is produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. There are also cases where songs are used in tie-in marketing campaigns that allow them to become more than just a song. Tie-ins and merchandising can be used for toys or for food or other products. Although the origins of the music video date back to musical short films that first appeared in the 1920s, they again came into prominence in the 1980s when the channel MTV based their format around the medium. Prior to the 1980s, these kinds of videos were described by various terms including "illustrated song", "filmed insert", "promotional (promo) film", "promotional clip", "promotional video", "song video", "song clip" or "film clip".

<i>Kerrang!</i> British magazine about rock and metal music

Kerrang! is a British weekly magazine devoted to hard rock and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent. It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper. Named after the onomatopoeic word that derives from the sound made when playing a power chord on a distorted electric guitar, Kerrang! was initially devoted to the new wave of British heavy metal and the rise of hard rock acts. In the early 2000s it became the best-selling British music weekly.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Chronicles of Chaos 8.5/10 [2]
Kerrang! Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]

The album was praised by Kerrang!, who wrote, "Akercocke have had enough time and financial clout to deliver the album they've been threatening to make all along. And its absolutely fucking magnificent [...] countless moments of innovation that will dazzle and delight anyone lusting for a dash of the truly inspirational [...] You will not hear a more imaginative or daring record this year", and calling it the best album of 2003. [3] Terrorizer called it "the most inventive Akercocke album yet". [4]

<i>Terrorizer</i> (magazine) Extreme music magazine

Terrorizer was an extreme music magazine published by Dark Arts Ltd. in the United Kingdom. It was released every four weeks with thirteen issues a year and featured a "Fear Candy" covermount CD, a twice yearly "Fear Candy Unsigned" CD, and a double-sided poster.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by David Gray.

No.TitleLength
1."Praise the Name of Satan"7:10
2."Prince of the North"2:04
3."Leviathan"7:47
4."Enraptured by Evil"4:06
5."Choronzon"2:07
6."Valley of the Crucified"5:09
7."Bathykolpian Avatar"5:25
8."Upon Coriaceous Wings"1:46
9."Scapegoat"4:13
10."Son of the Morning"5:32
11."Becoming the Adversary"6:49
12."Goddess Flesh"2:31

Personnel

Akercocke

Record producer Individual who oversees and manages the recording of an artists music

A record producer or music producer oversees and manages the sound recording and production of a band or performer's music, which may range from recording one song to recording a lengthy concept album. A producer has many, varying roles during the recording process. They may gather musical ideas for the project, collaborate with the artists to select cover tunes or original songs by the artist/group, work with artists and help them to improve their songs, lyrics or arrangements.

Production

Neil Kernon is an English musician, record producer, mixer and recording engineer from London, England. He is a Grammy Award winner, and has worked on over 100 Gold and Platinum records.

Audio mixing (recorded music) audio mixing to yield recorded sound

In sound recording and reproduction, audio mixing is the process of combining multitrack recordings into a final mono, stereo or surround sound product. In the process of combining the separate tracks, their relative levels are adjusted and balanced and various processes such as equalization and compression are commonly applied to individual tracks, groups of tracks, and the overall mix. In stereo and surround sound mixing, the placement of the tracks within the stereo field are adjusted and balanced. Audio mixing techniques and approaches vary widely and have a significant influence on the final product.

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References

  1. ↑ Serba, John. "Choronzon – Akercocke : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  2. ↑ Smit, Jackie (23 November 2003). "CoC : Akercocke – Choronzon : Review". Chronicles of Chaos . Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 Lawson, Dom (October 2003). "[Kerrang! review]". Kerrang! .
  4. ↑ "[Terrorizer review]". Terrorizer . November 2003.
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