Rotting Christ

"Genesis: The Birth Of Aural Evil"
(Century Media)

True to form and significance of the title, Rotting Christ's created the most groundbreaking record of their careers, and without even a trace element of permissive female lust or cinematic fx. Followers of Amorphis, Tiamat, or even Sentenced please take heed, aural evil need not lose its essence by way of progressive intent... there can be a beauty in darkness without narrowing the vision of a future past. Rotting Christ's music has evolved throughout the years, without question, at times wallowing a step or two deeper into the Gothic realm where many are wont to explore, yet they've retained the core of what's kept them one step above others of the extreme music realm they began with nearly a decade ago. or over a decade ago as the case may be. RC's roots can be traced all the way back to the late eighties! Everything about this record is explosive-the themes, subject matter, guitar parts, and production-welcome back to Stage One, yes, you can go home again! And their return home results in their most adventuresome creation that's structurally diverse, yet sufficiently modern, and an overall embodiment of a lifetime's experience. While the guitars remain firmly entrenched in your face, layer upon layer of multi-tracking radiates the surrounding musical depth amplified by percussive ambience, mournful chanting and magnified chorus. Led by the all seeing team of Kostas and Sakis, on guitars and vox, they've forged and fought through years of stylistic upheaval within the Black Metal realm that where others are left holding their balls wondering, RC's channeled aggression remains bold yet flighty as ever, extreme in its elegance, and unrepentant. "Genesis" is a look back inasmuch as a step forward, seeing RC return to their original logo for starters, while recapturing the intensity that marked their humble origins with a simply unsurpassed production job by the team of Andy Classen and Sakis. Yet the sound is fresh and exciting, akin to hearing a new band for the first time-something that their last "Khronos," respectable though it was, did not possess. "Genesis" is memorable and yields an immediacy in impact, whether from the circuitous guitar presence of "Daemons" or "Lex Talionis," the quickening double-bass onslaught of "Release Me" or "The Cell Of The Aethyrs," or the epic grandeur of "Under The Name Of Legion," no stone was left unturned for this long awaited inspired classic in the making. The resulting impact of "Genesis" will be felt the world over by dark Metal fans of all persuasions.

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