Rock Sound 8/10 - UK - Apr 2010

It seems rather appropriate that Rotting Christ's latest opus was recorded at the summit of Mount Olympus; 'AEALO' certainly reaches similar heights. Deciding to infuse their black-metal roots with their cultural heritage (including female lamenting choirs and reed pipes) also pays dividends and adds another dimension to their already well-honed sound and delivery. The compositions here are awesomely crafted, and at times mesmerising in their power and scope, their intertwining chapters regularly flaunting quality musicians at the top of their game. Some twenty years on, Rotting Christ show no signs of tiring, and on this form that's most certainly ace news.

Powermetal.it 8/10 - Italy - Feb 2010

Più o meno una ventina di anni fa in concomitanza con l'esplosione della scena black metal norvegese (divenuta poi rinomata oltre che per indubbie qualità artistiche dei gruppi di appartenenza, soprattutto per numerosi fatti di cronaca che un po' tutti conosciamo), un altro movimento di tutto rispetto dedicato alla nera fiamma stava venendo alla luce nella penisola greca; gruppi come Varathron, Necromantia, Thou art lord e gli stessi Rotting christ affondavano le loro radici nella millenaria storia ellenica, lasciando ai posteri dischi di indubbio valore quali "The black arts", "His majesty at the swamp" o "Satanas tedeum" . Di questi i soli Rotting christ, tra alti e bassi, sono riusciti a varcare indenni il millennio, e sono giunti ai giorni nostri con una discografia variegata, ma sempre di livello elevato: "Aealo" è la giusta prosecuzione del discorso intrapreso col precedente capolavoro "Theogonia": un disco epico, oscuro e aggressivo, nel quale l'impatto sonoro dalle forti influenze black, incontra le atmosfere dark e il folclore greco, per un risultato che richiama ambientazioni arcaiche e pagane ormai perse nel tempo. Suggestiva la performance del coro folcloristico femminile delle "Pilades", impegnato in litanie ipnotiche qua e là in tutto il disco, impreziosito maggiormente dalla presenza in veste di special guest di Alan Nemtheanga, frontman degli irlandesi Primordial, e della "Serpenta" Diamanda Galas, poliedrica artista di origine greca che presta la voce nel brano di sua proprietà "Orders from the dead", rivisitato in chiave personale da Sakis Tolis e compagni. Apici compositivi di "Aealo" sono l'iniziale titletrack, caratterizzata da un'ossessiva e micidiale sezione ritmica (Themis Tolis alla batteria e Andreas Lagios al basso), "Dub sag ta ke", dove i riff di chitarra si intersecano con le cornamuse, e l'aggressiva e apocalittica "Santa muerte". Concludo dicendo che si tratta di un concept che analizza il mondo interiore e i sentimenti di un guerriero mandato in battaglia. Non abbiate nessuna remore nell'avvicinarvi a quest'opera: avete davanti quello che sarà uno dei dischi dell'anno in ambito estremo.

Metal Hammer 6/7 - Germany - Feb 2010

Ihr letztes Album THEOGONIA stand schon für eine Rückwendung zur schwarzmetallischen Finsternis, doch mit AEALO haben es die Griechen geschafft, inmitten der Dunkelheit das Feuer des okkulten Mystizismus neu zu entfachen. Endgültig vorbei sind die Zeiten gefälliger, Moll-tönender Riff-Kultur, hier treffen schroffe, fast Industrial-mäßig repetitive Härte und kalkulierter Bombast auf ausgefeilte exotische Klangfarben zwischen Fernost und griechisch antik. Wer Groove braucht, bekommt den Schierlingsbecher, stattdessen regieren rituelle Song-Strukturen und hypnotische Beat-Attacken – und wer jetzt an (alte) Samael denkt, liegt nicht völlig verkehrt, vor allem wenn mit 'Noctis Era' die erste Hymne einmarschiert. Überhaupt steigert sich AEALO von Song zu Song, die Höhepunkte finden sich fast alle in der zweiten Hälfte: das magisch fordernde '... Pir Threontai', 'Thou Art Lord', das unter Mithilfe von Primordial-Sänger Alan Nemtheanga die gotische Pracht der mittleren Rotting Christ-Schaffensphase perfekt in den Kontext dieses Album übersetzt, das atemlos hysterische 'Santa Muerte' und als Gänsehaut-Rausschmeißer die geniale Metal-Cover-Version eines Songs der griechischen Avantgarde-Ikone Diamanda Galas – von der Diva selbst gesungen.

Terrorizer 9/10 - UK - Feb 2007

Both of Rotting Christ's last offerings – the mighty 'Genesis' and the more than worthy 'Sanctus Diavolus' – have been underrated, even in the praise they quietly earned. It's easy to forget just how long these stalwarts of the underground have been crafting and refining their art, and just how little of their occult aesthetic agenda they have compromised in that time. Think about it: what band that wanted to achieve sales and general acceptance after nearly two decades' plugging still even call themselves Rotting Christ? Even their name is a telling mark of individuality and of gutsy perseverance as their peers mature and win plaudits all round them for the trouble. But plaudits can be won for stamina, and for endurance. For fighting in the face of that stuff even when it would be easy, and probably lucrative, not to. This then is Rotting Christ's answer to modern groove, to artistic emptiness, to every other dilution of modern extreme metal. It's fast, its heavy, it's dark and it's wickedly exciting. Those trademark sinewy guitar lines remain, a treasure of darkly melodic licks unmolested even by their slight paling in the late '90s. It takes a band of real substance to use keyboards to genuinely complimentary effect. And because these Greeks are just that, their keys add a permanent aura of grandeur to the proceedings. They always did. Listening to Rotting Christ at their best, and particularly live, is akin to some sort of invocation. They're powerful, high priest-like, and able to command a mood. They are one of few bands whose sound sucks in their surroundings, adding it to the churn and swirl of their delivery. 'Theogonia' does it with ease. In a manner disarmingly similar to the recently fêted Melechesh, their ethnic interests are now really starting to make their presence known, and not subtly. The dusty battle clash and Arabic wailing of the punishing 'Enuma Elish' makes surely for one of the album's highlights, culminating in an almost rapturous celebration of pure, thunderous and anthemic extreme metal. And once again, feel that speed: this album is as no-holds-barred as they've ever gotten. Remember the glory days of great Samael, Moonspell and Rotting Christ? Well just like that, it's brutal, mysterious, authentic, and effortlessly classy. But above everything, its them.

Metallian 5.5/6 - France - Jan 2007

Après une entente de plusieurs années avec Century Media, la séparation est maintenant effective. Le groupe nous revient donc avec un Theogonia de belle facture (comme d'habitude direz-vous !), et déjà sa pochette évoque un état d'esprit plus intime, plus ancien, plus underground en quelque sorte. Ce sentiment continue de se projeter dans la création musicale de la bande à Sakis. Sans délaisser son aura de prédilection, Rotting Christ revient à des sonorités plus agressives et en même temps plus proches de ce qu'il faisait dans les années 90. Ce n'est pas un retour aux sources, mais on peut avancer que toutes les données sont réunies pour contenter les fans des albums les plus récents comme ceux des plus anciens. Il y a un côté mystique très développé et épuré, peut-être est-ce dû à l'utilisation d'ambiances folkloriques grecques, toujours est-il qu'une nouvelle fois, la sensibilité de l'interprétation est impressionnante. Ce n'est pas poli de parler de soi à la première personne dans une chronique, mais tant pis. Ce qui me plaît à moi, c'est que Rotting Christ continue d'utiliser souvent cette fameuse transition batterie / guitare / basse qui sert de break / transition avant de passer à une autre idée. C'est un roulement de batterie mid-tempo qui est très fréquent dans son répertoire. C'est vraiment la marque de fabrique du combo. Les connaisseurs entendront ce que je veux dire par là. Arrêtons de fantasmer sur un passage qui dure cinq secondes pour continuer d'avancer Il est important de mentionner que la première version sera disponible avec un DVD bonus : que du bonheur pour les fans que nous sommes !