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Rotting Christ

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist

Rotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene.<ref name=allmusic>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They are also responsible for creating the signature Greek black metal sound prevalent in the early 1990s.

HistoryEdit

Rotting Christ was founded in 1987 as a grindcore act. They released a series of demos and splits with local bands during their rehearsal era. During this period, the group gradually altered their sound with influence from proto-black metal bands like Celtic Frost and Venom, and in the process became one of the inaugurators of black metal. Their 1989 demo, Satanas Tedeum, presented a crossover between black metal and grindcore. In 1991, the band released Passage to Arcturo, their career-breaking EP.

One of band's major debuts was on the 1993 "Fuck Christ Tour", which also featured Immortal and Blasphemy. During this concert, some audience members engaged in cutting and self-mutilation that resulted in hospitalization.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Before signing to Unisound Records (a now-defunct Athens-based independent record label founded in 1992),Template:Efn Mayhem's Øystein Aarseth had expressed interest in distributing the band through his Deathlike Silence Productions label,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but due to Aarseth's murder the same year, nothing materialized. The band signed to Century Media in 1996 and remained on their roster for 10 years before joining Season of Mist.

Rotting Christ has played in many regions outside their native Greece, including the Americas, Greater Europe, Russia, the United Kingdom, Malta, the Middle East and South Africa. Several heavy metal festivals around the world have hosted the band, including the 2003 Wacken Open Air in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Past tour-mates include My Dying Bride, Tristania, Tiamat, Vintersorg, Finntroll, Agathodaimon, Old Man's Child, Malevolent Creation, Anorexia Nervosa, Vader, Krisiun, Deicide, Behemoth, Melechesh and Nile, among many others.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Rotting Christ1.jpg
Rotting Christ performing in 2003

Rotting Christ was one of the first bands announced to perform the Barge to Hell festival, which is a metal-themed cruise organized by Ultimate Metal Cruises and took place aboard Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas. Barge to Hell set sail from Port of Miami on 3 December 2012.

Template:As of, Rotting Christ has been around for 37 years and is one of the longest running bands within the black metal genre. In celebration of the band's longevity, the 2-DVD + 2-CD compilation Non Serviam: A 20 Year Apocryphal Story, shot in Athens on 8 December 2007, was released in Europe and North America 23 February 2009.

Aealo, the band's tenth studio album, was released on 15 February 2010, in Europe and 23 February 2010, in the United States.

Their eleventh album, Katá ton Daímona Eautoú, was released in March 2013.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

They made their first appearance in South Asia on 13 September 2014, in India (Bangalore Open Air 2014 Edition) and 14 September 2014, in Sri Lanka.

Their twelfth studio album, Rituals, was released on 12 February 2016.<ref>Bowar, Chad. "Mayhem + Watain To Co-Headline 'Black Metal Warfare II' U.S. Tour with Rotting Christ". Loudwire. [1]</ref>

To coincide with their 30th anniversary, the band released a new 7-inch single "The Call" on 9 February 2018; the single's b-side is a live version of "The Sign of Evil Existence", which includes guest vocals by Behemoth's Nergal and Varathron's Stefan Necroabyssious.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The band also released an official biography entitled "Non Serviam: The Official Story Of Rotting Christ" in late November 2018, written by Sakis Tolis and British author Dayal Patterson (author of 'Black Metal: Evolution Of The Cult', 'The Cult Never Dies Vol. One' and 'Into The Abyss') and published by British publishing house Cult Never Dies. The book features extensive interviews with Sakis Tolis, Themis Tolis, Jim Mutilator, Morbid, George Emmanuel and members of the bands Watain, Mayhem, Enslaved, Moonspell, Blasphemy, Mystifier, Septicflesh, Behemoth, Macabre Omen, Cradle Of Filth and Immolation <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The book has since been released in Greek, Russian and Czech languages.

Rotting Christ's thirteenth studio album, The Heretics, was released on 15 February 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2020, Rotting Christ announced a collaboration with the video game developer Cold Symmetry on their action role-playing video game, Mortal Shell.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The game's launch trailer, released in August 2020, featured the song "χξς (666)" as its soundtrack.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In addition, a downloadable content pack, titled "Rotten Autumn", was released for the game in October 2020 and includes, among other content, an alternative soundtrack composed by Rotting Christ.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Rotting Christ's fourteenth studio album, Pro Xristou, was released on 20 May 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Line-upEdit

The permanent line-up consists of brothers Sakis Tolis (vocals and guitar) and Themis Tolis (drums). Third founding member Jim Patsouris played bass until 1996. Andreas Lagios was the bassist since 1997, taking the stead of Patsouris until the end of 2011. Nightfall's Giorgos Bokos joined as a guitarist in 2005, replacing Costas Vasilakopoulos. In February 2012, Bokos announced his departure from the band for personal reasons.<ref name=rocking.gr>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In December 2012, the new members of the band were announced: guitarist George Emmanuel and bassist Vagelis Karzis.<ref name=rockoverdose.gr>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> George Emmanuel and Vagelis Karzis amicably left the band in February and May 2019 respectively to pursue other projects.<ref name=InjectionEmmanuel>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=VagelisInstagram>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref>

Three keyboardists had previously been a part of the band; George Tolias, George Zaharopoulos (Magus Wampyr Daoloth of Necromantia) and a session musician known only as Panayiotis (on A Dead Poem).

The band members from the beginning, up to Triarchy of the Lost Lovers album, were using the pseudonyms Necromayhem for Sakis,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Necrosauron for Themis<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Mutilator for Jim (Dimitris).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> George Zaharopoulos used the pseudonym Morbid for early EP and split-LP releases up to Passage to Arcturo, and the pseudonym Magus Wampyr Daoloth<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> for Thy Mighty Contract and Non Serviam.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

PublicityEdit

Over the years, the group has faced controversy due to their name and gained international media attention in November 1999 during the 2000 United States Presidential Primaries for Republican Nomination, when candidate/Christian conservative Gary Bauer accused the band of being "anti-Catholic", among other things. In response to Bauer's criticism, Sakis Tolis wrote:

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They also have had to cancel some shows, most recently in May 2005, when Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine threatened to refuse to play at a Greek concert if Rotting Christ were on the bill.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In response to their forced cancellation, Tolis noted:

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I didn't expect something like that from Dave Mustaine, because, you know, he's supposed to be metal — you know, 'metal band,' all metal ... I just feel sorry for him and for every new Christian with new ideas, because we think Christianity is the worst thing to happen in human history. This is a well-organized trick in order to control society, so when I see someone that's very much Christian, that's full of the system, I feel very sorry for him because he's not free.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Nuclear Assault and former Anthrax bassist Dan Lilker defended Rotting Christ and criticized Dave Mustaine's actions,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as did Nevermore's Warrel Dane, whose bands appeared on Mustaine's Gigantour in 2005. Dane added:

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Everybody is free to believe anything he wants to; I just think that Dave misunderstood the whole subject. I have met the guys from Rotting Christ and I don't think that they are Satanists or something. I think that Dave overreacted on this.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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When playing in Malta, a country which in its constitution declares itself as Roman Catholic, trouble from the Church and other Catholic groups ensued when an unknown person stuck a Rotting Christ flyer to a church door. The band was allowed to play eventually even though they had to change venue.

In April 2018, Rotting Christ were scheduled to play in Georgia. Upon arriving in Tbilisi, founding members Sakis and Themis Tolis were arrested by Georgian authorities under suspicion of terrorism due to their band name, as reported by an announcement from the band's label, Season of Mist.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They had their passports and cell phones confiscated and were detained in prison, without being permitted legal representation or contact with the Greek Embassy for 12 hours. Afterwards, they were informed by their lawyers that the two were included in a "list of unwanted people for reasons of national security" that labeled them as "Satanists" and "suspects of terrorism". The two were eventually released, after arrangements made by the band's other members in collaboration with the local promoter, "who involved legal experts, journalists and activists in Georgia". The band was allowed to perform their scheduled concert and left for their next destination, Armenia, without hassle.

A species of prehistoric brittle star, Brezinacantha tolis, was named after the Tolis brothers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Musical styleEdit

Early in their career, they were responsible for creating what is known as the "classic" Greek black metal sound which can be heard in other bands such as Varathron and Thou Art Lord. Despite the name, the band's traditional lyrical themes involving evil and occultism has evolved into a more "mystic" path,<ref name=rusmetal.ru /> and they have modified their musical direction on each album, utilizing elements such as clean melodic baritone vocals, doom, gothic metal and industrial music traits, and male/female Benedictine chants. Recent albums, beginning with Khronos, have shown the band taking a more modern, faster and more aggressive approach to their blackened-gothic style. Their 2007 album, Theogonia, especially, has been described as more "atmospheric" and "epic" by their label.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The group's choice of producers, engineers and mixers has also been varied; Swedish extreme metal figures Dan Swanö (Unisound), Peter Tägtgren (Abyss Studios) and Fredrik Nordström (Studio Fredman), German producers Andy Classen (Asphyx, Belphegor), Siggi Bemm (Therion, Theatre of Tragedy) and Waldemar Sorychta (Lacuna Coil, The Gathering) as well as Xy (Samael percussionist/keyboardist) have all contributed to production on the band's albums.

Band membersEdit

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Current members

  • Sakis Tolis − lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, bass (studio only) (1987–present)
  • Themis Tolis − drums (1987–present)
  • Kostas "Spades" Heliotis − bass, backing vocals (2019–present)
  • Kostis Foukarakis − lead guitar, backing vocals (2019–present)

Session musicians

  • Markus "Makka" Freiwald − drums (1996)
  • Panayiotis − keyboards (1997)

Template:Col-2 Former members

  • Jim "Mutilator" Patsouris − bass, backing vocals (1987–1996)
  • George "Magus Wampyr Daoloth" Zaharopoulos − keyboards, backing vocals (1991–1995)
  • Costas Vasilakopoulos − lead guitar, backing vocals (1996–2004)
  • Andreas Lagios − bass, backing vocals (1997–2011)
  • Georgios Tolias − keyboards, backing vocals (1997–2003)
  • Giorgos Bokos − lead guitar, backing vocals (2005–2012<ref name=rocking.gr />)
  • George Emmanuel − lead guitar, backing vocals (2012–2019<ref name=InjectionEmmanuel />)
  • Vagelis "Van Ace" Karzis − bass, backing vocals (2012–2019<ref name=VagelisInstagram />)
  • Stamatis "Melanaegis" Petrakos − bass, backing vocals (2019)
  • Giannis Kalamatas − lead guitar, backing vocals (2019)

Template:Col-end

  • Rotting Christ Party.San 2016 13.jpg

    Sakis Tolis, Party.San 2015

  • Rotting Christ Party.San 2016 01.jpg

    Themis Tolis, Party.San 2015

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:120 bottom:60 top:0 right:20 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:1987 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1988 Scaleminor = increment:2 start:1987

Colors = 

 id:vox    value:red    legend:Lead_vocals,_rhythm_guitar
 id:Guitar value:green  legend:Lead_guitar
 id:Bass   value:blue   legend:Bass
 id:Drums  value:orange legend:Drums
 id:Keys   value:purple legend:Keyboards
 id:album  value:black  legend:Studio_album
 id:bars   value:gray(0.95)

Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom BackgroundColors = bars:bars LineData = 

 layer:back
 color:album
 at:11/11/1993
 at:10/10/1994
 at:20/08/1996
 at:01/10/1997
 at:09/03/1999
 at:28/08/2000
 at:26/08/2002
 at:20/09/2004
 at:22/01/2007
 at:15/02/2010
 at:01/03/2013
 at:12/02/2016
 at:15/02/2019
 at:24/05/2024

BarData = 

 bar:Sakis      text:"Sakis Tolis"
 bar:Costas     text:"Costas Vasilakopoulos"
 bar:Bokos      text:"Giorgos Bokos"
 bar:Emmanuel   text:"George Emmanuel"
 bar:Kalamatas  text:"Giannis Kalamatas"
 bar:Foukarakis text:"Kostis Foukarakis"
 bar:Mutilator  text:"Jim Mutilator"
 bar:Lagios     text:"Andreas Lagios"
 bar:Karzis     text:"Vaggelis Karzis"
 bar:Petrakos   text:"Stamatis Petrakos"
 bar:Heliotis   text:"Kostas Heliotis"
 bar:Themis     text:"Themis Tolis"
 bar:Magus      text:"Magus Wampyr Daoloth"
 bar:Tolias     text:"Georgios Tolias"

PlotData= 

 width:11
 bar:Sakis      from:01/01/1987 till:end        color:vox
 bar:Sakis      from:01/01/1987 till:01/01/1996 color:guitar width:3
 bar:Sakis      from:31/12/2003 till:end        color:Keys width:3
 bar:Costas     from:01/01/1996 till:01/02/2004 color:Guitar
 bar:Bokos      from:22/09/2005 till:16/02/2012 color:Guitar
 bar:Emmanuel   from:16/02/2012 till:25/02/2019 color:Guitar
 bar:Kalamatas  from:25/02/2019 till:01/11/2019 color:Guitar
 bar:Foukarakis from:01/11/2019 till:end        color:Guitar
 bar:Mutilator  from:01/01/1987 till:31/12/1996 color:Bass
 bar:Lagios     from:01/01/1997 till:16/02/2012 color:Bass
 bar:Karzis     from:16/02/2012 till:20/05/2019 color:Bass
 bar:Petrakos   from:20/05/2019 till:01/11/2019 color:Bass
 bar:Heliotis   from:01/11/2019 till:end        color:Bass
 bar:Themis     from:01/01/1987 till:end        color:Drums
 bar:Magus      from:01/01/1991 till:31/07/1995 color:Keys
 bar:Tolias     from:01/01/1997 till:31/12/2003 color:Keys

</timeline>

DiscographyEdit

Full-lengthsEdit

Live AlbumsEdit

  • Lucifer Over Athens (2015)
  • 35 Years Of Evil Existence (2025)

EPsEdit

Demos, singles, and DVDsEdit

  • Leprosy of Death (1988, unofficial demo)
  • Decline's Return (1989, demo)
  • The Other Side of Life (1989, split EP with Sound Pollution)
  • Satanas Tedeum (1989, demo)
  • Rotting Christ / Monumentum (1991, split with Monumentum)
  • Dawn of the Iconoclast (1991, EP)
  • Ade's Winds (1992, demo)
  • Apokathelosis (1993, EP)
  • The Mystical Meeting (1997, single/live/cover compilation)
  • Der Perfekte Traum (1999, single/live)
  • In Domine Sathana (2003, live DVD)
  • A Soundtrack to Mikael Häll's Doctoral Dissertation (2012, Malört förlag, split 7-inch single with Negative Plane)
  • Promo 1995 (2013, EP)
  • Lucifer over Athens (2015, live album)
  • The Call (2017, b side the sign of evil existence live, special edition 45rpm EP)

CompilationsEdit

  • The Mystical Meeting (1995)
  • Thanatiphoro Anthologio (2007, best-of compilation)
  • Semigods of the Serpent Cult (2009)
  • Non Serviam – A 20 Year Apocryphal Story (2009, live DVD/CD)
  • 25 Years: The Path of Evil Existence (2014)
  • Their Greatest Spells (2018)

BooksEdit

  • Non Serviam: The Official Story Of Rotting Christ (2018)

Music videosEdit

Year Title Directed Album
1999 "After Dark I Feel" Arnaoutoglou Vassilis
2007 "Keravnos Kyvernitos" Bob Katsionis Theogonia
"Enuma Elish"
2013 "χξϛʹ" Jon Simvonis, Aji Stone Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού
2015 "Apage Satana" Jon Simvonis Rituals
2018 "Heaven and Hell and Fire" Haris Kountouris The Heretics

NotesEdit

Template:Notelist

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project

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