ROTTING CHRIST are a Greek extreme metal duo formed in Athens in 1987, built around brothers Sakis and Themis Tolis, and among the most enduring and consistently evolving acts in the genre.

Originally released in 2002, ‘Genesis’ - a title drawn from the Greek G???S?S, meaning "birth" - arrived as a record of genuine synthesis, drawing together the gothic melodicism of the band's mid-period work and the harder, more percussive energy of their earlier material. Produced by Andy Classen at Stage One Studios in Germany, the album carries a tight, punchy sound: booming bass, controlled guitar distortion, and a drum mix that serves the music without overwhelming it. Gregorian chant passages weave through the faster sections, the band's characteristic start-stop rhythmic syncopation runs throughout, and Sakis delivers some of his most commanding vocal performances to date. Tracks like "Daemons", "Lex Talionis", and the emotionally charged "Ad Noctis", which later appeared on the Brütal Legend video game soundtrack, showcase the band operating at peak compositional confidence, while "Release Me" and "Dying" sit among the stronger moments of their entire middle period. In retrospect, ‘Genesis’ reads as the last step before ROTTING CHRIST entered their run of consecutive top-tier records; the record where the elements were all in place and the sound fully their own.

 

For fans of MOONSPELL, TIAMAT, SAMAEL.

Artwork by Mike Bohatch.

 

Tracklist:

Side A: Daemons / Lex Talionis / Quintessence / Nightmare / In Domine Sathana

Side B: Release Me / The Call of the Aethyrs / Dying / Ad Noctis / Under the Name of Legion