Rotting Christ is one of those bands I never fully 'got' so when Season of Mist were gracious enough to send me a copy of their forthcoming live record Lucifer Over Athens I thought this might be my chance. After all, wasn't it Maiden live records that got me into metal in the first place? After spinning all 31(!) tracks of Lucifer Over Athens I've come to realize that while Rotting Christ may not be my cup of lambs blood there is certain a very visceral power to the band that proves they will reign on for years to come.
The thing is, Rotting Christ have perfected their brand of quasi anthemic black metal with all of its death metal and grincore fringes. What they do has a sort of triumphant grit to it, an enduring sense of evil that reflects the triumphant darkness of the genre. Lucifer Over Athens sees the band unleashing this on a massive stage and making it impossible to deny the endless power of rage. The fact of the matter is that Rotting Christ know what's up and they know how to tear out the listeners throat. Every guitar line here is perfectly executed but raw enough that you know this is a true live recording. The way the band blazes forward is delicious and speaks to their enduring skill as songwriters and musicians.
At the end of the day it's hard to deny that there isn't a certain charm to Lucifer Over Athens. Rotting Christ are fully aware of the visceral power of black metal, hell, that's what attracted me to the genre so much when I was younger. Lucifer Over Athens represents twenty seven years of black metal ferocity and if anyone ever deserved a live record like this it was Rotting Christ. Chock the brim with unyielding dedication to darkness this record is an invitation to tear out your heart, and then dive into the fucking pit.
Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/rotting.christ.tr?fref=ts
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