Once a migthy progenitor of the greek black metal sound, and now merely a somewhat feeble gothic dark metal band, quite a shame really. It's not really that they perform their dark metal poorly, as they surely don't, the musicianship is pretty much beyond approch, nor is it that they changed over night, as it has been a gradual change, which has been long on it's way, but perhaps most noticebly started on the "Triarchy Of The Lost Lovers" album. "Triarchy Of The Lost Lovers" wasn't really a bad album, but overall couldn't conjure up the atmosphere that it obviously was intended to, this dark and sombre mood which it's clear they were going for, and have gone for since, and along the way gone softer as in having sacrificed the harder elements of their music for the more gothic and dark elements, but they never make it work, it all comes off sounding dull, and gives the impression of them trying too hard without having the feeling to put into it, as if they are trying to capture a rather illusive mood but aren't themselves in that mood, and thus it just doesn't work. In the end this is a rather bland and meaningless release from Rotting Christ, but I guess if you liked "A Dead Poem" this will also suit you, and if you wish to go out and buy it you can at least try and find the version of this album that has a bonus CD, with a compilation of Century Media bands like Sentenced, Borknagar, Alastis, The Gathering, Old Man's Child and Runemagick etc.

© 2001 sharund