Rotting Christ, where have you been all my life??? Apparently in Greece concocting the most glorious black metal and crafting album after album of awesomeness, that’s where.
Their latest, and my indoctrination into the cult of Christ, is a dense slab of vicious beats, orchestral overtones, and pummeling riffs. If there’s only one album to convince you that Rotting Christ deserve your attention, it’s definitely Rituals.
“In Nomine Dei Nostri” is a compelling pile of blast beats, evil chants, and anthemic riffing. Think of this track as the “make you or break you” track. If you can handle this intensity from the onset then welcome aboard! If not then I hear the new Megadeth album is pretty straightforward.
Following that beast of an opener, Rituals gets more fierce and a little bit mystical with “Ze Nigmar”. The song is like a fully realized Type O Negative jam circa Bloody Kisses…..if TON had embraced their Slow, Deep, and Hard roots and really gone for the goth jugular on that album, that is.
“Elthe Kyrie” on the other hand is a goddamn anthem and a half with guest Danai Katsameni screaming away until the piledriving Sakis Tolis-led chorus and Themis Tolis laying down a brutal foundation.
“Les Litanies De Satan (Les Fleurs Du Mal)” is just heavy as shit (And features Samael’s Vorph on vox) then you have Paradise Lost’s Nick Holmes guest on “For A Voice Like Thunder” elevating this dominating track to a whole ‘nother level of amazing,
Language barrier aside, “Apage Satana” is probably a recruitment drive for the Dark Lord and if the soundtrack down there is anything like what’s happening here then sign me up! All in all, if you’ve been waiting to pull the trigger with Rotting Christ then Rituals is the album you need to hear. Yesterday!
Rituals is out now through Season Of Mist. Copies can be obtained via their webstore here, through Amazon, or through Itunes.