ROTTING CHRIST — Passage to Arcturo (review)

ROTTING CHRIST — Passage to Arcturo album cover EP · 1991 · Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Passage to Arcturo" is an EP release by Greek death/black metal (later black/gothic metal) act Rotting Christ. The EP was released through Decapiated Records in May 1991. 1990 didn´t see any releases from Rotting Christ so the last release before this EP was the "Satanas Tedeum" demo from October 1989.

Stylistically the over a year long recording break, has meant a maturity in the songwriting, but "Passage to Arcturo" still sounds like the natural successor to "Satanas Tedeum" (1989). It´s maybe slightly more black metal tinged (the guitar sound on both releases have that thin black metal sound to them), but the music is still a combination of death metal and black metal elements. Labelling this a pure black metal release would be wrong (personally I think this release swings more towards death metal). Just listen to the vocals, which are predominantly death metal growling. The band again incorporate the occassional horror tinged keyboard part (and even piano on "Gloria De Domino Inferni"), which enhances the dark an occult atmosphere of the music. "The Forest of N'Gai" is an example of the use of keyboards, but they appear more frequently here than on the preceding demo.

"Passage to Arcturo" features a raw demo quality sound production, but it´s not bad sounding at all and you´re able to hear every instrument and vocal part in the mix. If anything the relatively lo-fi sounding production values only add to the authenticity and occult atmosphere of the EP. Upon conclusion "Passage to Arcturo" shows progress and development from Rotting Christ, and although it´s not a perfect release (the musicianship is still a bit untight, and the spoken work sections unnecessary and a bit cringe worthy), it´s a good quality death/black metal release. A 3 star 60%) rating is warranted.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us