Review by Kostas on August 20, 2023.

There were two elements which made up Kατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού. The first one was the unparalleled power which was the outcome of aggressive vocals and drums, the classic Rotting Christ riffs and some incredible solos. The second one was the haunting dark atmosphere. With Rituals, instead of evolving in both ways, the band decided to use the second element only and create a record that sounds deep and sinister but lacks energy.

It is true, there are no more fast riffs, not many solos and no aggressive warsongs. There is a kind of concept here which has to do with... well rituals. From all over the world once again, but unforrtunately the bestiality and power are gone. Everything sounds repetitive and conventional, although there are some clever ideas here and there, like the use of Sanskrit for 'Devadevam' and an interesting cover of 'The Four Horsemen' by Aphrodite's Child. Despite these ideas, however, and the incredible atmosphere some songs create, there is little to admire in the rest of the music. The old good Rotting Christ guitar lines have been replaced by recycled patterns that make the tracks sound boring and similar to each other. Moreover, drumming lacks intelligence and innovation and there are only a few bass lines that seem to be enjoyable and catchy.

Sakis' vocals are the good part. Alongside chants, whispers, and multiple singing styles, they help the album gain variety and the listener travel to different cultures through the music. This lean towards the folk and the occult themes is something that the Tolis brothers have shown interest in from as early as Theogonia. It has for sure been enjoyable in the past, but this time I just think they exaggerated with all these experimentations. It is sad, but in the end they lead to nothing at all. The most typical example is 'Ἄπαγε Σατανά (Apage Satana)'. Τhis song sounds like an endless introduction to something that eventually never came up. Maybe a good idea but definitely a bad outcome. I was actually wondering what some songs would sound like, if the band had worked more cautiously with some of these aforementioned ideas.

There are exceptions, of course, and songs that stand out as gems ('Ἐλθὲ Kύριε'). All in all, the band's experience and musical identity kind of save Rituals from being mediocre and make the album good. But that's all, just good. We are talking about no masterpiece nor trash. I'm pretty sure there are people out there who will lobe it, but musically talking, this is no big deal considering the abilities and past releases of the mighty Rotting Christ.

Rating: 6.7 out of 10

Review by Drew on July 14, 2016.

There are times before you actually listen to a new album by a band that you think you already know what to expect, but, once those first few notes play, you automatically know that your expectations were wrong and the album is not what you imagined. The newest release by Rotting Christ, Rituals is exactly an album like that, which will leave you wondering how this band keeps getting better and standing the test of time after 27 years.

When first seeing the cover art for, Rituals, I knew I was in for an interesting journey, but I did not know that journey would end with me getting goose bumps upon completion of listening to the album. The album starts by hitting you hard with the opening track, 'In Nomine Dei Nostri,' basically invoking Satan. I really like this track as the first one on the album because it’s appropriate for setting the tone and atmosphere; however, for me, it is not the strongest song on this album.

'Ze Nigmar' is a pretty solid track, which is spoken in Aramaic and performed in the most ritualistic way possible. It refers to the last seven sentences of Jesus on the cross according to the gospels. This track, along with the background of the song, provides a pretty haunting aspect to the CD. The fourth track on the album, 'Les Litanies De Satan (Les Fluers Du Mal),' is taken after a poem by Charles Baudelaire that denounces religion and Catholicism, specifically, and is an inspiration to Satanists today.

Although the album as a whole is excellent, the best tracks by far are the last two, 'Devadevam' and 'The Four Horsemen'. These two songs can almost go together as a continuation of one another and are an excellent way to end the album. After hearing both of these songs, I was left open mouthed, in awe, about how great Rituals is. This album would be a great addition to any heavy metal fan’s collection, especially if you are a black metal fan. It’s really hard now days to find albums that are great front to back; however, Rotting Christ did a great job with this release. Lyrically, musically, and spiritually, Rotting Christ’s Rituals captures everything a great album should be and more.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10