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(8/10) Rotting Christ's "Ritual" isn't made for becoming the soundtrack of the coming sping season. This longplayer is black and dark, from beginning to end.
Sakis, Themis, Van Ave and George found their old strength again and wrote an album that puts a spell on you. The guys put 27 years in the balance and wrote a diverse and homogenous album that is painting a gloomy picture.
Rotting Christ could gain a few interesting guests for contributing to "Rituals". Paradise Lost's Nick Holmes added some spoken words for "A Voice Like Thunder" which is as impressive as intense. Next to Holmes also Samael's Vorph added some vocals to "Rituals". "Les Litanies De Satan" is the song and Vorph's hypnotising vocals are a key component for the dark vibe that's spread by this tune.
Also to mention is the extroverte "Elthe Kyrie" with the desepate vocal part of Dania Katsameni from the National Helenic Theater. This song has emotional depth and brings across real distress in the verse while the melodic chorus represents almost a kind of hopeful counterpart.
Interesting as well as entertaining is "Tou Thanatou" with a certain folk touch before "The Four Horsemen" marks the end of an album that I haven't expected to be that strong. Some metal bands interpreted the Aphrodite's Child song but nobody did it in such an apocalyptic way as Rotting Christ does it on "Rituals".
The rest of the album is in no way inferior to the mentioned tracks. Rotting Christ unleashed a terrific album that's more than 'just' music. This album is the metallic version of a Greek tragedy.
(8/10)
Tracklist
- In Nomine Dei Nostri
- נגמר זה (Ze Nigmar)
- Ἐλθὲ Κύριε (Elthe Kyrie)
- Les Litanies De Satan (Les Fleurs Du Mal)
- Ἄπαγε Σατανά (Apage Satana)
- Του Θάνατου (Tou Thanatou)
- For A Voice Like Thunder
- Konx Om Pax
- देवदेवं (Devadevam)
- The Four Horsemen
- Lok'tar Ogar (bonus track vinyl)
Label: Season Of Mist
Genre: Dark Metal
Release Date EU: February 12th, 2016
