RMR covered Rotting Christ for a few years already. They’re one of the feistiest established Extreme Metal bands still standing in the metal multiverse. But they’re also a band that doesn’t give a damn what others might think and just do their thing, blackened as it may be. So, over time, the Greeks around Sakis Tolis delivered a variety of flavors. From virulent black, to death, and gothic doom ‘n’ gloom, they got everything in their baggage.
But around the middle of the last decade, a shift in style occurred. With Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού (Katá ton Daímona Eautoú)1 a sudden angry rhythmic stomp appeared. One that wasn’t quite that present on Aealo yet. But a true rockslide of burly riffing, abject almost ritualistic heaviness, and a megaton of Tolis’ gravelly croak manifested itself on Rituals in 2016. This record featured some serious heft with a few true gems, and – surprisingly – garnered a fair amount of praise on RMR.2 In contrast, The Heretics landed slam on the wrong side of the RMR crew. There was just too much déjà-vu – and it pretty much came without the feisty oomph of Rituals.
So, with some trepidation, the Review Desk let ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟU roar. And to nobody’s surprise, RC employ glaringly similar and overly rhythmic song structures filled with gravelly rasps, darkly ominous monologues, and angry shouts seemingly perfect to summon some daemon. That said, the theme runs on the story of a pagan lord resisting the urge to join the tepid congregation of the Nailed God. And that explains those anguished and rushed vocals surging forth throughout the tracklist. A tortured pagan soul writhing in the seething fire of missionary poison.
Contrary to its predecessor, Pro Xristou gained some considerable muscle. A burly sound that’s well-embedded in decently heavy yet often melodic riffing, discrete tremolos, and some snazzy solos. Ambient sounds and proficient sampling will round that harshly metallic soundscape up some more. And this results in a finely chiseled sound of a band finally content in its new soundscapes. An army of session musicians, guest vocalists, and narrators neatly support all of the above. And this is – again – a surprise to nobody with the only full members seeming to be Sakis and Themis Tolis.
You’ll find The Apostate, for instance, with its rough-hewn riffing, heavy stomp and ever-returning refrain. La Lettera Del Diavolo garnered some high praise throughout the metal multiverse – and it has its merits. Yet there’s just too much of Elthe Kyrie (Rituals) in there. So, that one didn’t quite sit too well with this here zine, despite Androniki Skoula‘s (Deviser – Evil Summons Evil in 2023 on guest vocals) valiant efforts to wail our dissent away. The most balanced track, though, definitely is Like Father Like Son. Same as all other songs, it thrives on ever-returning riffs and simple structures. But the RMR crew appreciated its venomous bite and straight-in-yer face punch.
Ultimately though, Pro Xristou turned out way beefier than The Heretics ever was. And that truly saved its bacon more than once. And while the RMR crew bemoans the loss of versatility, this sense of experimentation that let Rotting Christ meander across many Extreme Metal sub-genres, their 8-year-long journey into more ritualistic and almost cinematic fare starts to pay dividends. Many a band out there rides the wave of their own success. And we cannot fault an act that had the audacity to refuse changing its style. It’s called artistic freedom, after all.
But – if they wish to become a second AC/DC of the dark and occult, there’s ways to go still. The latter band is known to push their known brand since the ’80s successfully. In other words, you know what you get. Whereas RC here are prone to sudden directional changes at the whim of one Sarkis Tolis and they often try to overcompensate by ‘stealing’ from the past and then repeat everything out into space.
In other words, ΠΡΟ ΧΡΙΣΤΟU surely ain’t the best cut of the band’s many offerings. Boy, we even visited with A Dead Poem to – possibly – get some answers, but didn’t. But this here record blows The Heretics out of the water while staying true to the band’s new style directions. And it did garner the grudging respect of the Review Desk with its brutal stomp, delicately melodic, and ritualistic Death Metal with a blackened twist. All of that chock-a-block with Tolis’ angry croaks and ominous monologues.
There you go. Until next time we meet.
Record Rating: 6/10 | Label: Season of Mist | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 24 May 2024