Rotting Christ - The Heretics

Review by Oluwatobi Williams

Album Review: The Heretics by Rotting Christ (2019) Rotting Christ’s 2019 album The Heretics is a masterclass in atmospheric black metal with enough twists to keep even the most jaded metalhead hooked. Across its runtime, the Greek legends blend death metal grit, black metal fury, and a touch of pop/rock sensibility into something that feels both ancient and modern. Released via labels like Season Of Mist and Satanath Records, this record hit shelves worldwide—from Europe to Brazil—and it’s no surprise why it resonated globally. One track that sticks out is “In The Name Of God.” It’s not just the choral layers provided by Alexandros Louziotis and others that make it memorable—it’s how Sakis Tolis weaves melody into chaos. The song builds slowly, almost teasing you with whispers before exploding into blastbeat-heavy madness. And let’s be real, when those choirs kick in alongside Sakis’ raspy growls, it’s goosebumps all around. Themis Tolis on drums deserves props here too; his precision keeps everything grounded while still sounding unhinged. This track nails what Rotting Christ does best: creating music that feels ritualistic yet accessible. Another standout is “Vetry Zlye” (or “Ветры злые,” if you prefer Cyrillic). With lyrics penned by Sakis and haunting narration from Dayal Patterson, this one leans heavily into Slavic folklore vibes. The interplay between Sakis’ guitar work and George Emmanouil’s engineering creates an eerie, cinematic soundscape. You can almost picture winds whipping through desolate plains as the song progresses. There’s a rawness to it that cuts through the polish, making it feel more human than some of their earlier work. Credit where it’s due: Vyacheslav Smishko’s artwork perfectly matches the tone of The Heretics. It’s dark but intricate, much like the music itself. Meanwhile, Jens Bogren’s mix and Tony Lagdren’s mastering ensure every scream, drum hit, and keyboard swell hits hard without overwhelming the listener. Even minor details—like Ashmedi’s guest vocals on “Phobos”—add depth without overshadowing Rotting Christ’s core identity. What makes The Heretics special isn’t just its technical brilliance or genre-blurring ambition. It’s the way it lingers after listening. Tracks like “Heaven & Hell & Fire” and “The Voice Of The Universe” stick in your head for days, partly because they balance aggression with melody so well. Sure, there are moments where things get repetitive, but honestly? That repetition adds to the hypnotic quality of the album. Reflecting on The Heretics, I’m reminded of something weird: rotting fruit. Hear me out. Just as decaying apples leave behind sweetness mingled with decay, this album thrives on contrasts—beauty clashing with brutality, faith wrestling with heresy. Maybe that’s why it works so damn well.

Artist: Rotting Christ
Album: The Heretics

2019

Rating: 4.5

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Filename: rotting-christ-the-heretics.zip

MP3 size: 126 mb
FLAC size: 751.8 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Fire God And Fear	04:50
Vetry Zlye	3:14
The Voice Of The Universe	05:23
The Sons Of Hell
Heaven and Hell and Fire	4:52
Fire, God And Fear	04:50
Ветры злые	3:15
Dies Irae	3:45
Fire God and Fear	4:49
In The Name Of God	04:14
The New Messiah	3:7
In the Name of God	4:13
Heaven	04:52
Πιστεύω	03:42
The Raven	5:23
Hallowed Be Thy Name	5:6
Heaven & Hell & Fire	04:52
The Sons of Hell	4:18
Phobos
The Voice of Universe	5:22
Ветры Злые	03:13

Video

Rotting Christ - The Heretics - (Full album 2019)

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Catalog Numbers

Labels

Season Of Mist
Urubuz Records
Satanath Records, Kattran Records

Listen online

lyssna på nätet
écouter en ligne
ouvir online
ascolta in linea
lytte på nettet
online anhören
kuunnella verkossa
escuchar en línea
online luisteren

Formats

Vinyl
LP
Album
CD
Slipcase
Cassette
Limited Edition
Green
Clear
Silver
Box Set
Deluxe Edition
Limited Edition Vinyl
Album Vinyl
7"
45 RPM
Single CD
Repress
Red
Test Pressing
White Label
Limited Edition CD
Digipak
White
Red / Black Marbled
Gold

Companies

Role	Company
Licensed From	Season Of Mist
Phonographic Copyright (p)	Season Of Mist
Copyright (c)	Season Of Mist
Recorded At	Pentagram Studios
Mixed At	Fascination Street Studios
Mastered At	Fascination Street Studios
Exclusive Retailer	Bowel Of Noise Underground Record Store
Pressed By	Optimal Media GmbH
Manufactured By	Optimal Media GmbH
Lacquer Cut At	Optimal Media GmbH
Engineered At	Optimal Media GmbH
Glass Mastered At	CDA ImPressing Solutions, USA
Distributed By	Kattran Records
Marketed By	Shop.mazzar.ru

Credits

Role	Credit
Artwork	Vyacheslav Smishko
Layout	Vyacheslav Smishko
Bass	Van Ace
Choir	Alexandros Louziotis, Giannis Stamatakis, Stratis Steele, Theodore Aivaliotis
Drums	Themis Tolis
Engineer	George Emmanouil
Guest	Dayal Patterson (tracks: B2), Stelios Steele (tracks: A1, B5)
Narrator	Dayal Patterson (tracks: B2), Stelios Steele (tracks: A1, B5)
Vocals	Ashmedi (Melechesh) (tracks: B3)
Guitar	George Emmanouil, Sakis Tolis
Keyboards	Sakis Tolis
Lyrics By	Sakis Tolis (tracks: A1 to A5, B2 to B4)
Mastered By	Tony Lindgren
Mixed By	Jens Bogren
Music By	Sakis Tolis
Percussion	Manos Six, Nikos Velentzas, Sakis Tolis, Stamatis Ampalatis, Vasilis Koutsoyflakis
Producer	Sakis Tolis
Lacquer Cut By	SJ

Notes

Hype sticker on plastic sleeve:
First pressing on black vinyl!
Incl. 4-page insert
Brazilian edition. Comes with slipcase and poster.
Exclusive Greek edition (green), limited to 300 copies.
Comes in a 4-panel Digipak
Deluxe gatefold with 4-page insert.
Embossed silver logo and album title on laminated jacket.
No barcodes.
Limited to 300 copies.
Tour edition, sold exclusive from the band, few copies were sold from Bowel Of Noise.
30 copies were signed with silver marker by the band on Feb. 19th, except from George Emmanuel who signed on Feb. 20th.
Gatefold laminated sleeve with embossed silver hotfoil artist name and title.
UV printed labels.
4-page booklet with lyrics and credits.
Sticker: "Silver vinyl strictly limited to 300 copies worldwide! Incl. 4-page insert 8 22603 54871 6 SOM487LPA"
Cat # "SOM487LP" on label A and spine, cat # "SOM487LPA" on sticker.
Recorded in Pentagram Studios in Athens - (Greece)
Mixed and Mastered in Fascination Street Studios in Orebro (Sweden)
© & ℗ 2019 Season Of Mist
Special deluxe wooden box containing
'The Heretics' on CD incl. bonus track 'The Sons of Hell' in deluxe numbered Digibook with alternative cover incl. liner notes on 'The Heretics'' concept
'The Heretics' on 12" black heavy weight vinyl (33 rpm) in deluxe gatefold
exclusive 7" black vinyl with bonus tracks "The Sons of Hell" and "Phobos" in jacket
liner notes/concept
candles.
Limited to 500 copies worldwide!
Limited to 400 copies.
Sticker: "Red vinyl strictly limited to 400 copies worldwide! Buckle up for a fascinating musical ride through the eternal war between good and evil! Metal Hammer 9/10 Rock Tribune 8,5/10 Metallian 5/6 8 22603 24871 5 SOM487LPCR"
Cat # "SOM487LP" on label A and spine, cat # "SOM487LPCR" on sticker.
Only 10-copies pressed.
This deluxe edition includes 'The Heretics' in CD digipak including bonus track "The Sons of Hell" with 24-page booklet + the following exclusive items: wristband with embroidered Rotting Christ logo, woven patch with embroidered Rotting Christ logo and poster.
Limited to 6.000 copies worldwide.
A limited edition of 1200 copies in the collectible 6-panel digipak, contains a 24-page booklet.
Ограниченное издание из 1200 копий в коллекционном 6-панельном digipak, содержат 24-страничный буклет.
For sale in Russia & CIS Countries Only.
White vinyl limited to 400 copies.
Includes 4-page insert.
Gatefold cover.
Limited to 600 copies.
Sticker: "Transparent red & black marbled vinyl strictly limited to 600 copies worldwide! Incl. 4-page insert 8 22603 74871 0 SOM487LPCM"
Cat # "SOM487LP" on label A and spine, cat # "SOM487LPCM" on sticker.
Golden vinyl limited to 300 copies. Includes 4-page insert. Gatefold sleeve.

Barcodes

Barcode: 822603148718
Label Code: LC 25993
Barcode (Printed): 7 898951 008267
Barcode (Scanned): 7898951008267
Barcode: 822603148749
Barcode: 822603848717
Barcode (Printed): 8 22603 14872 5
Barcode (Scanned): 822603148725
Barcode (On the sticker): 822603648713
Barcode (Text): 8 22603 54871 6
Barcode (Scanned): 822603548716
Matrix / Runout (Side A Runout Etched): BI 50252 - 01 A1 57 SOM 487 LP =Λ
Matrix / Runout (Side B Runout Etched): BI 50252 - 01 B1 57 SOM 487 LP +Λ
Barcode (On the sticker): 8 22603 84872 4
Other (LP cat.number): SOM 487LP
Other (CD cat.number): SOM 487D
Barcode (Text): 8 22603 24871 5
Barcode (Scanned): 822603248715
Matrix / Runout (Side A Runout Etched): BI 50252 - 01 A1 57 SOM 487 LP VV
Matrix / Runout (Side B Runout Etched): BI 50252 - 01 Β1 57 SOM 487 LP VΛ
Matrix / Runout: SOM487D AI57967-01 manufactured by optimal media GmbH
Mastering SID Code: IFPI L577
Mould SID Code: IFPI 9712
Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, Hand-Etched, '1 |' mirrored): BI50252-01 A1 SJ SOM 487LP 1|
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, Hand-Etched, '1 |' mirrored): BI50252-01 B1 SJ SOM 487LP 1|
Barcode: 822603948721
Matrix / Runout: SOM487B AI5773-01 manufactured by optimal media GmbH
Mould SID Code: IFPI 9710
Matrix / Runout: 12/28/2018 03:17.PM#32346 3327361 01
Mastering SID Code: IFPI LN09
Mould SID Code: IFPI JI26
Barcode: 822603948714
Barcode (Text): 8 22603 74871 0
Barcode (Scanned): 822603748710
Barcode (Hypesticker): 822603448719

Interesting fact about Album

Did you know that Rotting Christ's album *The Heretics* is a global effort in more ways than one? Released in 2019, it features contributions from musicians and artists across Europe, the US, Brazil, and Russia. The album’s haunting artwork was done by Vyacheslav Smishko, while Tony Lindgren mastered it, and Jens Bogren handled mixing. Even the choir includes voices from Greece, adding an atmospheric depth to their blackened sound. It’s like a metal United Nations, with each track carrying a piece of different cultures and talents.

Comments

lifeonloc

2025-03-14

The project's 2019 album, The Heretics, confirms many things: 1) Sakis Tolis is totally voiceless, featuring much less shrieking vocals than any pre-Rituals albums; 2) He has lost his total inspiration, refusing to write memorable riffs like "The Sign of Prime Creation" in favor of minimal post-In Flames chugging progressions ("In the Name of God") or B-minor Austere tremolo melodies ("Vetry Zlye", "The Voice of the Universe"); 3) Also problems with songwriting are becoming even more problematic, as "Dies Irae" is a re-work of the Gregorian chant composition with conventional note arrangement, and "The Raven" is yet another A-minor variation of countless Burzum/Satanic Warmaster/Darkthrone/Nargaroth riffs re-written many times, which still sounds more listenable than the rest of the album; 4) If the Tolis brothers continue to push away continually their live collaborators the way they have done for years, resulting with lesser releases like this one, then it means Rotting Christ IS FINISHED.Highlights: "The Raven".

anditgoesonblog

2025-03-13

The Raven

zombat638ec15add78

2025-03-13

Love this album!!! Skol

dailystatuslahore

2025-03-12

Christ is the one who gives you life, luck, other sh**, you have good music, but do not mock my savior

cirugias10

2025-03-12

they are comimg to hoogeveen to graveland in may im there greets from the netherlands

alpukatdo

2025-03-11

Excelente

surabhimundra

2025-03-11

)ewish influence in the Reform Movement of Christianity concerning the Chism called forth by Cardinal Pierleoni in Holy Church. A decisive importance for the development of the so called jay heresy in the middle ages, in which Popes, Councils and Inquisition with Justice see the origin of all heresies.
For the Inquisition proved that the Secret joos i.e. the chosenite heretics, were the organizers and spreaders of the remaining Heretical Movements.
Book reference:
The Plot Against The Church by Maurice Pinay.///The Plot Against Christianity by Elizabeth Dilling.///American Freemasonry And Catholic Education by Kenney.//) Freemasonry And The Antichristian Movement by Cahill.///Judaism And The Vatican by Leon de Poncins.///The War Of Antichrist With The Church And Christian Civilization by Dillon.///Onward Christian Soldiers by Donald Day.///The Occult War by Emanuel Malynski.///The Beasts Of The Apocalypse by Olivia O'Grady.///

51728472b07c4c0c

2025-03-11

rscintafitri

2025-03-10

Congratulations for 1000000 listenings!

reachsinghabhi

2025-03-10

Dude in mustard,I’m gonna remove ur genetic from this planet .

gomengomengo

2025-03-09

God does not hold me in sacral mire, hopes and dreams of rising power, each day we wish for an end to this age most dire, sins burned way by our intentions of anger and adversarial path burning away weakness with strength and strife, burn and scar minds by wishes for making our own life, a glorious world and hymns.