I'm always a bit apprehensive when a loved band from the past returns from an extended hiatus. It's been ten years since Antichrist, long enough for there to be some cobwebs to brush off, rusty joints in need of lubrication. This is prejudice however, a prejudice which polluted my perception of the first couple spins of Renaissance in Extremis. The more I listened to this, the more it became clear these musicians did not take ten years off from music. The caliber of song-writing here is the best Akercocke has ever put to album. The musical skill exhibited so tight, so articulate, so filled with purpose it's obvious these musicians have been using the past ten years in their respective home studios and with other projects polishing their chops, becoming better, preparing for something they may not have been aware of before the decision to release a new Akercocke album. The stars aligned for these smartly-dressed London gentlemen and I doubt it'll be the last time.
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