Rotting Christ – Pro Xristou
Rotting Christ- Pro Xristou
Season of Mist
Release Date: 24/05/2024
Running Time: 55:17
Review by Rory Bentley
8.5/10
For a band with such a gnarly name, Greek Metal legends Rotting Christ have deservedly garnered a reputation for sophisticated, sleek and dare I say classy sounding Metal. Melding Black, Death, Doom and Goth among many other styles they have established themselves as scene legends and a band guaranteed to put something of significant quality out with every release. “Pro Xristou” does not break this hot streak and sees the band ascending to new heights of grandeur and elegance while still packing a serious punch.
Thematically the record explores the experiences of various cultures throughout history in their battles against Christian oppression and invading forces, which explains why almost everything on here sounds like it’s being played in the middle of a burning cathedral while an unholy choir wails away in the background! The title track that gets us rolling seems like ‘Metal Intro 101’, all bluster, crushing chugging riffs and dramatic orchestration. Normally this kind of pomp and ceremony would be followed by some standard high-octane extremity that offers little to no continuity to what’s came before, however this ain’t the way the Rotting lads roll. If anything, things get grander and more regal sounding as the album rolls along. The relentless triplets and furious pace of ‘The Apostate’ are accompanied by a choir that’s constantly on a 10 and orchestration that would make Hanz Zimmer think about calming his ass down.
‘Like Father Like Son’ then takes things up a notch with a greater emphasis on melody via a gorgeous guitar lead and Sakis Tolis’ commanding growl, partially spoken and somehow given extra gravitas by the Greek lilt in his pronunciation, like a wizened old storyteller. The song hits me right in the feels every time in a way that few Metal bands are capable of without doing a straight up ballad. By the time ‘The Sixth Day’ has piled on yet more sumptuous slightly Gothic leads, I’m reminded of Paradise Lost with a bit less in the way of gloom or Primordial with a more palatable vocalist (sorry Alan). They capture a style of Metal that, while bursting with melody, is almost oppressively melancholic, meaning that they can create an atmosphere of heaviness without necessarily needing the amps up to 11 and the drums at warp speed.
Of Course, when the time comes to throw down and hit the gas, RC can still fucking go! ‘La Lettera Del Diavolo’ is a straight up Black Metal throat-ripper that will blow your socks into a different area code. Featuring frequent collaborator Androniki Skoula on typically terrifying dramatic form and some ominous church bells, it’s the least subtle thing on here yet still finds space for those illustrious symphonic elements amid the furious gallop of the band. Speaking of galloping ‘The Farewell’ openswith the thundering of hooves riding to battle, as if it didn’talready feel like living in a Ridley Scott movie that’s gone massively over budget and adds more dramatic bells to the mix while bolstered by a nasty stomping riff that holds everything the fuck down and ensures there’s still bludgeon within the bluster.
Apart from having a title that is frankly upsetting on grammatical level, ‘Pretty World, Pretty Dies’ is perhaps the song that captures all of the album’s disparate elements in one place the best. There’s the clashing of swords in the intro, more dramatic voiceovers and the riffage is satisfyingly hench. It also features the kind of swaying longboat-riding Viking grooves that get my pulse racing and my drinking horn swinging. The folky female croons on here are a thing of beauty as well and add another refreshing element deep into the runtime.
If there was a criticism to level at the record, and it’s actually not one that particularly bothers me, it’s that things stay largely in the same tempo and feel. Pretty much every track is a stately-sounding cinematic epic that often compromises on the heaviness to bring the storytelling to the forefront. There’s definitely meaner sounding Rotting Christ records and there’s definitely records in their catalogue that have more variety, however if you accept the record’s deliberate decision to luxuriate in this more grandiose aspect of the band’s sound and just go with it there’s a great deal to enjoy.
By the time the closing strains of ‘Saorise’ have rung out, we’re left with another fantastic addition to a legendary catalogue capable of appealing to a much wider fanbase than the necro die-hards. Are Rotting Christ a Death, Black, Goth or Symphonic Metal band? I don’t know but they’re still a fucking great one after all these years.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Pro Xristoy (Προ Χριστού)
02. The Apostate
03. Like Father, Like Son
04. The Sixth Day
05. La Lettera Del Diavolo
06. The Farewell
07. Pix Lax Dax
08. Pretty World, Pretty Dies
09. Yggdrasil
10. Saoirse
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’)
LINKS
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