It’s Rotting Christ……Live……In their hometown….. With an extensive setlist…..Of course it’s going to be good! The only question was how good, was it going to be?
This Greek behemoth have been going since 1988, and over the course of 12 albums and more than 1200 gigs, they have evolved and developed their own style of hypnotic, and at times symphonic, black metal. Over the years I have seen them many times and watched them grow from supporting bands such as Decapitated and Boltthrower, to prestigious slots at festivals such as the Eindhoven Metal Meeting, Damnation and Bloodstock as well as an absolutely devastating performance at the legendary Inferno festival. Having been blown away every time, I was a little bit anxious about whether a live recording could capture the intensity of the live show……
This album was recorded in December 2013, and over the course of 31 tracks, thoroughly examines the extensive Rotting Christ back catalogue.
The show opens with 666 before blasting into Dub-Sag-Ta-Ke from the fantastic Aeola release and then set staple Athanatoi Este. The vehemence does not let up as the band unleash a barrage of mesmerising grandiose offerings. Perpetual live tracks and fan favourites such as Non Serviam and Grandis Spiritus Diavolos rub shoulders with rarely aired gems such as Dive the Deepest Abyss and The Nereid of Esgalduin. One track leads into another with Sakis and co gathering more and more momentum, and the listener falling under the spell of the pounding rhythms and mesmerising masterclass in Greek black metal. All too quickly, the album is being brought to a close with Enuma Elish and the stunning Noctis Era.
The sound is great and it goes some way towards capturing the atmosphere of the live Rotting Christ show (of course listening to a CD at home is never going to recreate the energy of the show!). The extensive plundering of the back catalogue makes this an opportunity to hear some tracks which are rarely played live these days, as well as the opportunity to hear older tracks alongside newer material, which plots the development of the band from their early days into the unique, honed band they are today.
This means that this release is of interest to those with a passing interest in Rotting Christ as well as the die-hards…..My coloured vinyl is pre-ordered.
(9/10 Andy Pountney)
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