Greek black metal legends, Rotting Christ, are celebrating 35 years with their 14th album, ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ (Pro Xristoy). Mixed by Jens Borgen, and mastered by Tony Lidgren at Fascination Street Studios (Örebro, Sweden), it comes out May 24th via the Season of Mist record label. Keep reading below for more information.
Their new album is bound to hold a revered place in the book of Rotting Christ. ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ (Pro Xristoy) commemorates band’s 35th anniversary with more of the doomy, towering, gothic overtones that they introduced to Greek black metal. “The Farewell” opens with the faraway sound of clopping hooves and a tolling bell before descending into an ominous chorus of Benedictine chanting. “Like Father, Like Son” courses with sinewy blast beats, pained guitar melodies and Sakis’ mutilated baritone. The riffs are like hydras: sharpened with reverb but majestic for the myriad ways they glow and intertwine. Heck, you might even dare to say that they’re downright catchy.
ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ tracklisting:
01 Pro Xristoy (Προ Χριστού) (1:29)
02 The Apostate (5:01)
03 Like Father, Like Son (4:35)
04 The Sixth Day (3:56)
05 La Lettera Del Diavolo (4:01)
06 The Farewell (6:15)
07 Pix Lax Dax (4:33)
08 Pretty World, Pretty Dies (4:51)
09 Yggdrasil (5:04)
10 Saoirse (6:17)
11 Primal Resurrection (Bonus Track) (5:32)
12 All For One (Bonus Track) (3:37)
Total runtime: 55:17
More from Rotting Christ:
In the dimly lit catacombs of extreme metal, one name stands as a monolith: Rotting Christ. Sakis Tholis and his brother Themis started this band together back in 1987. In the three decades since, these Greek titans have left their blackened imprint all over the metal world. They’ve released 13 studio albums and played more than 1,3000 concerts around the globe. Underneath all this hard work, Rotting Christ have but one vision – an urge to not only push the boundaries of extreme metal, but to keep reinventing themselves along the way.
Rotting Christ’s evolution has unfolded across several distinct chapters. After starting out closer to the barely controlled chaos of grindcore, they went on to establish the iconic sound of Hellenic black metal. Their albums often embrace refined gothic soundscapes, only to plunge back into the depths of blasphemous fervour. Each chapter marked another, further exploration, and an unwavering commitment to bush boundaries.
But the real turning point came in 2007, when Rotting Christ signed a pact with Season of Mist. They unleashed a series of albums for the French label that defied any and all expectations. From the piercing Theogonia and the symphonic grandeur of Aelo to the ritualistic intensity of Κατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού, the cinematic experiences created by Rotting Christ became a spectacle of bombastic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements. The unexpected is their modus operandi, with the use of various languages (Latin, Arabic, Greek, English) as well as the extensive use of famous poetry woven into their music, like Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven on The Heretics.
In 2019, Rotting Christ’s epic journey continued with The Apocryphal Spell compilation, which offers fans an intimate glimpse into unreleased and rare material. This allowed them to gather strength, preparing for the release of their next, highly anticipated, 14th full-length studio album: Pro Xristoy.
Pro Xristoy (‘Before Christ’ in Greek), serves as a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge. In this thematic odyssey, intricately woven through tracks such as “The Apostate” and “Ygdrassil,” Rotting Christ delves into the legacies of historical figures such as Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings, embodying the might of Pagan wisdom in the face of Christian adversity. The album encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ’s signature style – melodic, yet harsh at times – reinventing themselves yet again, while remaining rooted in their 35-year legacy.
Line-up
Sakis Tolis – Guitars & Vocals
Kostas Foukarakis – Guitars
Kostas Cheliotis – Bass
Themis Tolis – Drums
Guest Musicians
Amdroniki Skoula – Vocals (on ‘La Letra Del Diavolo’)
Nikos Kerkiras – Keyboard
Christina Alexiou – Choir
Maria Tsironi – Choir
Alexandros Loyziotis – Choir
Vasilis Karatzas – Choir
Andrew Liles – Narration (on “The Apostate,” “Pretty World, Pretty Dies”)
Kim Diaz Holm – Narration (on “Ygdrassil”)
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