Genesis

Rotting Christ has always been a metal band cloaked in the darkest musical elements, ranging from black metal to the morbid, slightly unworldly tones of goth. After experimenting with their signature sound in the late '90s on such intrepid releases as A Dead Poem and Sleep of Angels, the band rightfully returned to the black metal sound that they championed in their earlier days with the impressive blast of Khronos 666. In 2002 the band once again emerged with an album of undeniably sinister proportions, as Genesis encapsulates every facet of this Greek juggernaut's ominous sound. The cascading, symphonic melodies that serve as a backdrop for Genesis are truly intimidating and they wrap each and every song with a haunting aura of darkness. Building on this macabre crescendo of aural atrocity, Rotting Christ does what they do best, which is rifling through ten songs with fierce determination. It seems that with Genesis the band wished to ascend to an unheard level of heaviness, as Themis' brutal drumming throttles the listener with savage blasts while Sakis rises to this challenge with some of his best guitar work of the group's 15-year career. Much of the album is highlighted by the added textures of George's keyboard, strengthening Rotting Christ's sound without weakening the aggressive punch the group is known for. When all is said and done, Rotting Christ has once again delivered with a powerful album of putrid black metal and fans should find Genesis a worthy successor to Khronos 666's diabolical intentions.