ROTTING CHRIST release single "The Apostate"
24-04-2024
Greek extreme metallers ROTTING CHRIST are celebrating their 35th anniversary with the release of their 14th album. Due on May 24 via Season Of Mist, “Pro Xristoy” is bound to hold a revered place in the band’s heretical history. Always true to their name, with “Pro Xristoy” the members of ROTTING CHRIST pay tribute to the last of the Pagan kings by offering up more towering, gothic, melodic black metal. The Apostate, the latest single is now released.
Watch The Apostate’ below.
The Apostate tells the story of resistance against the tide of religious conversion. It is a tribute to those who stood unbowed, of Flavius Claudius Julianus, safeguarding ancient knowledge and values against the onslaught of oblivion. The track is an intricate weave of mesmerizing choirs, neo-classical arrangements, and the band’s signature blackened atmosphere. On The Apostate, ROTTING CHRIST encapsulate their relentless exploration of musical and thematic boundaries.
Watch the previously released ‘Saoirse’ below.
A renewed testament to their extraordinary craftsmanship lies in Pro Xristou, an album dedicated to the last Pagan kings, the unsung stewards of ancient values and knowledge, standing resilient against the deteriorating wave of Christianity. Saoirse, Gaelic for ‘Freedom’, embodies the call to freedom sounded by these guardians of olden wisdom. As deep and resonant as it is, the track takes you through the album’s core inspiration – the glorification of ‘before Christ’ traditions.
Saoirse – emblematic of the album’s overarching concept – becomes a manifestation of ROTTING CHRIST‘s evolution and their unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries. Expect a melodic symphony punctuated with moments of raw, unyielding harshness – a signature of the band’s unique style captured in a fresh light. Produced and recorded at Deva Sounds Studios in Athens, Greece, the song, like the album, teems with resounding choirs and histrionic atmospheres, drawing listeners into the rich tapestry of their audacious offering.
Now that ROTTING CHRIST are closing in on four decades, some followers might’ve wondered if there was any sacred ground left for them to conquer. But “Pro Xristoy” is a testament to a band that’s still on the rise.
“This album was inspired by the might of ancient pagan wisdom”, says guitarist/vocalist Sakis Tolis. “It’s a tribute to those who resisted the coming of Christianity, which destroyed all the values, traditions and knowledge of the ancient world”.
“Pro Xristoy” track listing:
01. Pro Xristoy(1:29)
02. The Apostate (5:01)
03. Like Father, Like Son (4:35)
04. The Sixth Day (3:56)
05. La Lettera Del Diavolo (4:01)
06. The Farewell (6:15)
07. Pix Lax Dax (4:33)
08. Pretty World, Pretty Dies (4:51)
09. Yggdrasil (5:04)
10. Saoirse (6:17)
11. Primal Resurrection (bonus track) (5:32)
12. All For One (bonus track) (3:37)
Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
CD Clamshell Box – Deluxe Digipak w/ Gold Foil + 2 Bonus
Tracks & Extras
12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Crystal Clear
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Crystal Clear, Red & Blue Mixed
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Green
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Turquoise
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Yellow
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Blue
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – silver & Black Marbled
Limited Box Set Vinyl – 12″ Gold & Black Marbled w/ Gold Foil + 2 Bonus Tracks & Extras
Cassette
Recording lineup:
Sakis Tolis: Guitar/Vocals
Themis Tolis: Drums
Kostas “Spades” Heliotis: Bass
Kostis Fouk: Guitar
Guest musicians:
* Amdroniki Skoula – Vocals (on “La Letra Del Diavolo”)
* Nikos Kerkiras – Keyboard
* Christina Alexiou – Choir
* Maria Tsironi – Choir
* Alexandros Loyziotis – Choir
* Vasilis Karatzas – Choir
* Andrew Liles – Narration (on “The Apostate”, “Pretty World, Pretty Dies”)
* Kim Diaz Holm – Narration (on “Ygdrassil”)
To kick off what’s shaping up to be a year’s worth of devilish festivities, ROTTING CHRIST is heading off on a tour of Latin America in early February. Fans from Mexico to Argentina will have the pleasure of banging their heads to an unholy litany of the band’s greatest hits. They’ll also be treated to new songs off “Pro Xristoy” that are bound to become setlist staples.
Sakis and his brother Themis started ROTTING CHRIST back in 1987. In the three decades since, these Greek titans have left their blackened imprint all over the metal world. They’ve released 13 studio albums and played more than 1,3000 concerts around the globe. Underneath all this hard work, ROTTING CHRIST have but one vision — an urge to not only push the boundaries of extreme metal, but to keep reinventing themselves along the way.
ROTTING CHRIST‘s evolution has unfolded across several distinct chapters. After starting out closer to the barely controlled chaos of grindcore, they went on to establish the iconic sound of Hellenic black metal. Their albums often embrace refined gothic soundscapes, only to plunge back into the depths of blasphemous fervor. Each chapter marked another, further exploration, and an unwavering commitment to push boundaries.
Pre-orders are now available AT THIS LOCATION.
In 2020, brothers Sakis and Themmis Tolis were bestowed the immortal honor of having a newly discovered fossil species named after them! Two researchers from the Natural History Museum in Luxembourg, Dr. Ben Thuy and and Dr. Lea Numberger, recently found a new brittle-star species and decided to name it “Brezinacantha Tolis” in honor of the Tolis brothers.
ROTTING CHRIST‘s latest album ‘The Heretics’ is streaming via the official Season of Mist YouTube channel below..
Track-list:
1. In The Name of God (04:14)
2. Vetry Zlye (Ветры злые) (03:13)
3. Heaven and Hell and Fire (04:52)
4. Hallowed Be Thy Name (05:06)
5. Dies Irae (03:46)
6. I Believe (ΠΙΣΤΕΥΩ) (03:42)
7. Fire God And Fear (04:50)
8. The Voice of the Universe (05:23)
9. The New Messiah (03:07)
10. The Raven (05:23)
Total: 43:36
Studio: Pentagram Studios (Athens, GR)
Producer: Sakis Tolis
Sound Engineer: George Emmanouil
Mix/studio: Jens Borgen, Fascination Street Studios (SE)
Guest Musicians:
Irina Zybina (GRAI): Vocals on ‘Vetry Zlye’
Dayal Patterson: Intoning on ‘Fire God and Fear’
Ashmedi (MELECHESH): Vocals on ‘The Voice of the Universe’
Stratis Steele: Intoning on ‘The Raven’
Line-up
Sakis Tolis: vocals, guitar
Themis Tolis: drums
Giannis Kalamatas: guitar
Kostas Heliotis: bass
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