As darkness fell in our beloved city Wednesday night, the cold winter air returned, biting the flesh of a very dedicated albeit relatively smaller than normal following of metal fans outside the Starlite Room.
What in all of Rotten-Christendom could bring these people out of the safety and comfort of their warm homes? The answer is quite simple, melodic black metal pioneers, Rotting Christ, have arrived.
It's been twenty years since Rotting Christ became an entity in their native Greece and even with all the notoriety they have gained in the underground annals of Heavy Metal; nothing much has changed them as people. They are still the same down to earth, salt of the earth guys who would gladly give you the shirt off their back to help rather than turn their nose up at you. You see this reflected in their offstage behaviour and their sincere appreciation of their fans. All the stigma and stereotype that has surrounded them over the years could not be further from the true heart of this group.
Supporting their ninth full length release, "Theogonia" on this, the second leg of the "Lucifer over America Tour", Rotting Christ displays that consistently, they can still produce an album that can please their fans, allow them to make something different from previous releases, and stay true to their original vision all at the same time.
Opening their set to the theme from the Frank Miller film "300" came as no big surprise given the grand presence it creates, the overall sound of Theogonia as an album, and the background of the band. A few technical issues arose during the show that interrupted the intensity of the "Herculean" performance but in live shows this is something of a common expectation.
Despite the technical pitfalls, a great set list including "The Sign of Prime Creation", "In Domine Sathana", and "Threnody" made any previous inconveniences and interruptions fade away into distant memory. Their effective blend of Greek mythological imagery, Latin verses (which didn't stop fans from singing along surprisingly) and ominous chants in the back tracks set the tone nicely, turning the intimate venue of the Starlite Room into a sort of twisted perversion of a place of worship.
In this synagogue of doom worthy of Phobos himself, front man Sakis Tolis relentlessly envelops the room in his vocalizations, stirring fervor in the crowd that is compounded by the drums of his brother Themis. Amplifying the duo on either side of the stage like great pillars are bassist Andreas Lagios and relative new addition, lead guitarist Giorgos 'George' Bokos (joined in 2005). The animation of Bokos and Lagios amplify what has already become an exceptional show with ferocity of presence and fine display of technical skill.
They finish the night the same way they began it and an air of satisfaction hangs in the room long after the last amp gets switched off.
Those that came, saw something that has a legacy going back two decades, those that couldn't make it, I hope to see you out the next time, with your horns up, in support of one of the few purist underground metal bands still around today.
More than likely it will be much warmer then; I know this because when asked about their experience touring in Canada, vocalist Sakis Tolis expressed the group’s exact feelings as best he could.
"We're freezing our asses off!"
What in all of Rotten-Christendom could bring these people out of the safety and comfort of their warm homes? The answer is quite simple, melodic black metal pioneers, Rotting Christ, have arrived.
It's been twenty years since Rotting Christ became an entity in their native Greece and even with all the notoriety they have gained in the underground annals of Heavy Metal; nothing much has changed them as people. They are still the same down to earth, salt of the earth guys who would gladly give you the shirt off their back to help rather than turn their nose up at you. You see this reflected in their offstage behaviour and their sincere appreciation of their fans. All the stigma and stereotype that has surrounded them over the years could not be further from the true heart of this group.
Supporting their ninth full length release, "Theogonia" on this, the second leg of the "Lucifer over America Tour", Rotting Christ displays that consistently, they can still produce an album that can please their fans, allow them to make something different from previous releases, and stay true to their original vision all at the same time.
Opening their set to the theme from the Frank Miller film "300" came as no big surprise given the grand presence it creates, the overall sound of Theogonia as an album, and the background of the band. A few technical issues arose during the show that interrupted the intensity of the "Herculean" performance but in live shows this is something of a common expectation.
Despite the technical pitfalls, a great set list including "The Sign of Prime Creation", "In Domine Sathana", and "Threnody" made any previous inconveniences and interruptions fade away into distant memory. Their effective blend of Greek mythological imagery, Latin verses (which didn't stop fans from singing along surprisingly) and ominous chants in the back tracks set the tone nicely, turning the intimate venue of the Starlite Room into a sort of twisted perversion of a place of worship.
In this synagogue of doom worthy of Phobos himself, front man Sakis Tolis relentlessly envelops the room in his vocalizations, stirring fervor in the crowd that is compounded by the drums of his brother Themis. Amplifying the duo on either side of the stage like great pillars are bassist Andreas Lagios and relative new addition, lead guitarist Giorgos 'George' Bokos (joined in 2005). The animation of Bokos and Lagios amplify what has already become an exceptional show with ferocity of presence and fine display of technical skill.
They finish the night the same way they began it and an air of satisfaction hangs in the room long after the last amp gets switched off.
Those that came, saw something that has a legacy going back two decades, those that couldn't make it, I hope to see you out the next time, with your horns up, in support of one of the few purist underground metal bands still around today.
More than likely it will be much warmer then; I know this because when asked about their experience touring in Canada, vocalist Sakis Tolis expressed the group’s exact feelings as best he could.
"We're freezing our asses off!"
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