21. Antichrist Imperium - "Volume III: Satan in His Original Glory"

Consisting of former and severing members of cult British black metal institutions Akercocke, Voices, and Werewolves; Antichrist Imperium was created to exhume the unfinished demos that the former band left in the studio when they disintegrated in 2005. They frame it as a modern retelling of Akercocke’s satanic bile.

This, as the title suggests, is album number three and it happily continues to mine the generous creative well which was Akercocke’s mature and progressive take on occult metal. Our Scandinavian cousins do all this devil-worshipping business with a dash of piazza and a pantomime-like nod and wink. However, this is a very “kitchen sink” British working-class take on satanism that revels in the grim and realism. It is coarse and gritty and full of harsh tones and textures. 

But for all is wonton nihilism it is still a stunningly well-constructed record, breathtaking in its creativity, reach and ambition. Disturbing and discombobulating but also exquisitely detailed, this is an album that keeps giving on each listen.