Rotting Christ - Sanctus Diavolos
Century Media - 77555-2 - 2004
By Philip Whitehouse
Possibly the biggest and most respected group of the Greek black metal scene, Rotting Christ have achieved such critical and commercial success by showing the willingless to expand on the black metal template and open themselves up to other influences. Over the last few albums, they have increasingly flirted with Amorphis-esque gothic atmospheres while retaining the heaviness of old. On this, their ninth studio album, the band branch out even more as a three-piece following the loss of a guitarist - and Sanctos Diavolos stands as their most diverse, entertaining and ultimately most satisfying effort to date.
From the straight-off-the-starting blocks pummelling of the black-as-fuck opening track, to the inclusion of a choir providing backing vocals at choice moments (the same choir who used to crop up on Septic Flesh albums, no less), to a marked industrial influence to certain songs, Rotting Christ unveil yet another new side to their musical vision seemingly every track. 'Athanati Este' contains some lead guitar work which will necessitate exploratory surgery to remove from your cranium, whilst also mingling melancholic black metal with traditional Greek music in such a transparent and unforced way that you'll wonder why the connection hasn't been made before. Compare that to the following, Fear Factory-with-corpsepaint industrial firestorm of 'Tyrannical', with it's seamlessly syncopated machine-gun riffage and double-kick rhythms and dissonant, droning synths. Then compare that to 'Sanctimonious' - replete with mournful choral chants, My Dying Bride-like foghorn synths and a general atmosphere of brooding depression that makes Type O Negative seem like eight-year-olds on a prescription of crystal meth.
Despite the disparity between the musical threads that make up this album, nothing ever feels forced, or contrived, or showy - it all hangs together into a rewarding, entertaining, mature and above all, cohesive listening experience. It never drags (although the passage from 3:00 to 3:45 or so in 'Tyrannical' is absolutely begging for a guitar solo), it never gets confusing, and at no point are you thinking 'why have they done this?'. Rotting Christ have just delivered the finest album of their already impressive career... why haven't you gone and bought it yet?
9/10
Official Rotting Christ Website
Century Media Records
Century Media - 77555-2 - 2004
By Philip Whitehouse
Possibly the biggest and most respected group of the Greek black metal scene, Rotting Christ have achieved such critical and commercial success by showing the willingless to expand on the black metal template and open themselves up to other influences. Over the last few albums, they have increasingly flirted with Amorphis-esque gothic atmospheres while retaining the heaviness of old. On this, their ninth studio album, the band branch out even more as a three-piece following the loss of a guitarist - and Sanctos Diavolos stands as their most diverse, entertaining and ultimately most satisfying effort to date.
From the straight-off-the-starting blocks pummelling of the black-as-fuck opening track, to the inclusion of a choir providing backing vocals at choice moments (the same choir who used to crop up on Septic Flesh albums, no less), to a marked industrial influence to certain songs, Rotting Christ unveil yet another new side to their musical vision seemingly every track. 'Athanati Este' contains some lead guitar work which will necessitate exploratory surgery to remove from your cranium, whilst also mingling melancholic black metal with traditional Greek music in such a transparent and unforced way that you'll wonder why the connection hasn't been made before. Compare that to the following, Fear Factory-with-corpsepaint industrial firestorm of 'Tyrannical', with it's seamlessly syncopated machine-gun riffage and double-kick rhythms and dissonant, droning synths. Then compare that to 'Sanctimonious' - replete with mournful choral chants, My Dying Bride-like foghorn synths and a general atmosphere of brooding depression that makes Type O Negative seem like eight-year-olds on a prescription of crystal meth.
Despite the disparity between the musical threads that make up this album, nothing ever feels forced, or contrived, or showy - it all hangs together into a rewarding, entertaining, mature and above all, cohesive listening experience. It never drags (although the passage from 3:00 to 3:45 or so in 'Tyrannical' is absolutely begging for a guitar solo), it never gets confusing, and at no point are you thinking 'why have they done this?'. Rotting Christ have just delivered the finest album of their already impressive career... why haven't you gone and bought it yet?
9/10
Official Rotting Christ Website
Century Media Records
