Rotting Christ ‎"Κατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού" CD

The title means "True to His Own Spirit" in English. The same sentence can also be seen on Jim Morrison's tombstone, again in Greek.

Rotting Christ have always been a relatively consistent band, despite their sound undergoing natural evolution over their 30+ year career. While some albums are certainly better than others, they've yet to release a record that in genuinely 'bad' or even 'mediocre', as their entire discography stands strong enough for each album to offer the listener something a bit different. Their 'modern' era arguably began with 2007's Theogonia, which established the dynamic structures and introduced traditional instruments and vocals to their signature Greek black metal sound that have become staples of their music ever since.
2013's Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού very much continues in this vein, but whereas Theogonia and 2010 follow-up Aello focused on traditional Greek elements (particularly in the latter, which many apparently found to be a bit 'too Greek'), this particular outing takes the listener on a trip around the civilisations of the world, from the Americas to Europe to the Middle East.
But while the more diverse collection of source material strengthens this collection of tracks, it would still fall short without good songwriting to back it up. Frontman and main songwriter Sakis Tolis (vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards) is on fine form here, and right from the excellent opener 'In Yumen - Xibalba', it is clear that he and brother Themis (drums) were very much enjoying themselves on this particular outing. The opening track sets a melodic black metal precedent that recurs regularly throughout the album in songs such as 'Gilgamesh', 'Rusalka' and the title track, which are well interspersed among more anthemic rockers 'Grandis Spiritus Diavolos' and 'Iwa Voodoo', and ritualistic-styled numbers 'P-unchaw kachun - Tuta Kachun', 'Ahura Mazdā-Aŋra Mainiuu', and epic closer 'Χ ξ ς'.
While Rotting Christ have faced some criticism for becoming a bit formulaic and recycling certain guitar riffs, the tracklist here shows more than enough diversity for naysayers to back off, at least when it comes to this particular album. Take the rendition of the traditional Romanian tune 'Cine iubeşte şi lasă' as a good example; featuring guest female vocals and, in the first half, a grand piano, it offers something quite different to what Rotting Christ are known for, but does not feel out of place.
Credit must go to sound quality of the final product, too. Sakis is clearly a very good musician, with some face-melting guitar solos ('Iwa Voodoo', 'Rusalka') and killer riffs accompanying his signature vocal delivery, and Themis is more than competent behind the drum kit. Sakis' production work on the album, along with Jens' Bogren's mixing, helps elevate the big, dark and atmospheric sound; polished but not overly so, so that it still features more than enough raw edge for it to feel natural.
Overall, there's a hell of a lot to like about Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού. It's well-written, well-balanced and doesn't really feature any weak tracks (only 'Ahura Mazdā-Aŋra Mainiuu' could be considered a touch forgettable). Most importantly, it succeeds in delivering a top-quality modern-era Rotting Christ experience.

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