NEW ALBUM - AEALO (ΕΑΛΩ) - Release date 15/02/2010

[black_reviewer]

Does anybody know anything about the vinyl version? I have no idea when they will begin to ship them.

[owen_christ]

Does anybody know anything about the vinyl version? I have no idea when they will begin to ship them.

Yes - SOM take delivery on Wed 3rd and I guess they'll start immediately

[skariotis]

My view on AEALO can be seen on my site.
Congratulations to the band!

[owen_christ]

That's a really good review - might even prompt me to break the habit of a lifetime and read the lyrics

[Jotun]

Yeah ! Got the box yesterday (which is limited to 1000 copy... it's written on it) ! The digipack is VERY nice, probably better than Theogonia's digipack.
The box is pretty cool... BUT the armband is too large (I wonder who can wear it... Probably a 120 kg guy or a bodybuilder ).

[Starflare]

Yeah ! Got the box yesterday (which is limited to 1000 copy... it's written on it) ! The digipack is VERY nice, probably better than Theogonia's digipack.
The box is pretty cool... BUT the armband is too large (I wonder who can wear it... Probably a 120 kg guy or a bodybuilder ).

Haha good to know. Well, actually I'm only a 105kg pencil neck nowadays, lost weight for cleaning the shit out of my diet.

[black_reviewer]

My view on AEALO can be seen on my site.
Congratulations to the band!

Hey man, your review is great, you totally hit the nail in the head with that one, I published my own review in Spanish for a Latin American site (http://www.metalicos.com/Paginas/Compac ... _Aealo.htm), but the English version is here so you can check it out:

ENGLISH VERSION
The humble labor of reviewing musical creations, as superfluous as it might be, can sometimes turn into a real torture for the reviewer, especially when the album to scrutinize belongs to a band which the writer admires very enthusiastically. In theory –and only in theory–, the sense of submerging yourself into an album in order to describe it, resides in making a final narration that corresponds as accurately as possible with its content; and in addition, the said narration has to be objective. But can you be objective, when the goal is precisely judging the quality of an artistic work?
Maybe the secret consists in not even asking yourself such questions.
I confess that I have started the review with this short introduction, because I profess a devout fervor for Rotting Christ. I simply believe.
But I also know that a review full of mindless adulation is totally worthless, so, even if the product is fantastic, you still have the responsibility of justifying your position.
After the praised Theogonia in 2007, an album that marked a sort of vigorous rebirth for the band, many of the interested voices asked the same question: How will Rotting Christ top what they did with this album? The answer is here after three years and it’s called AEALO.
The visit that Sakis and company paid to the Greek past, both lyrically and musically on Theogonia, is extended and deepened in AEALO. Sakis himself recognizes that this new proposal of the band, consisting on taking a look to the ancient Greek tradition, translates into a great quantity of idiosyncratic musical elements.
The Pliades choir from Ipiros, which mostly sings at funerals, has lent its art in order to introduce in AEALO, an ancestral vibe consecrated to the subject of the album: the feelings of a warrior during the battle. The word AEALO, transcripted into the Latin alphabet, is an ancient Greek word which means catastrophe, destruction or thrashing. This album is all that. A firm and lucid musical study about battle, but the purpose here is not paying tribute to war itself, it simply takes us through the sensations it causes, but also through the miracle which means surviving it, or the tragedy of watching those who do not endure it.
Musically, Sakis, Themis, George and Andreas rarely sounded this tight. The riffing is powerful and varied; the bass is delightfully audible and the drumming, either at blastbeating or martial cadences, fits perfectly. The production was once again responsibility of Sakis, who achieved one of the best sounds ever in the career of the band.
Sakis’ vocal range is the most eclectic one that we have heard so far, the guests like Alan A. Nemtheanga (Primordial) and The Magus (Necromantia) help to elevate AEALO to the rank of epic creation, and if I was able to find words to describe the feverish and flaming Orders from the Dead, original of Diamanda Galás and sang by herself, then I would never write a damn review in my entire life again.
Be it either the rhythmic pulse from Eon Aenaos, the hook of Demonon Vrosis (true heir of Athanatoi Este), or the brutal and fast Fire, Death and Fear, AEALO has no rough edges, is as diverse as existence and carries all the honesty of a band that, despite the inconveniences caused by their controversial name, has never given a particle of its integrity in exchange of gratification. You can ask Dave Mustaine about that.
AEALO has positioned itself as a true contender for album of the year, along with Ihsahn’s and Orphaned Land’s new outcomes, but the merit specific to the Greeks, is that their album is a solid piece of metallic fury where all their musical extreme influences are present, confirming that the band is in great shape.
Enjoy yourselves with the sounds of war, but above all, when the album ends, with the sensation of having prevailed over it.

[Starflare]

On friday morning I had the pleasure of waking up to the sound of my doorbell.It was the mailman carrying a huge package. From it, with shaky hands, I discovered was the long awaited RC album AEALO in a manly looking metal box. I can't stress this enough, Jotun already said that on the side of the box it says "Limited to 1000 copies", it is manly. This is how you motherfuckers make the box editions! I couldn't get enough of staring at it.

On to the contents! The sticker looks awesome, I can't believe anyone could waste it on anything but super-special thing! It's also the size of the box itself (diameter 24cm). Jotun hit the nail on the head with the bracelet, this thing is very big, and it's rolling freely in my hand even, and I consider my hands to be bigger than your average joe. a bit shame actually, since I really like the look of the bracelet. Perhaps the biggest disappointment (if I have to name one) to me, is the belt buckle. It looks really nice, but it's very small too, which annoys me since I was really looking forward to this piece, and realizing my belt is too wide for this was simply. Manly buckle for a girly belt. SHIRT! Oh yes, it sure does say XXL but when I hear the ripping sound as I pull it over my head and hear the ripping sound from the collar I can't help but wonder. The prints are extremely nice on fron and back, and I hope (probably in vain) that this shirt would stay as a box exclusive.

Then there's the album too! Unlike Jotun, I must say that immediately upon looking and touching, I declare this digipak insanely lot more better in quality than Theogonia is. This rant is merely about everything but the music. Of course the album is playing even as I type this, but judging that, I need more time. And eventhough I have pointed merely negative aspects here, I repeat what I said above: This is how the box editions are made motherfuckers! Seriously not regretting to put 65€ for this!

[black_reviewer]

Ha! that's one passionate post Starflare! I'm sure the box is an invaluable treasure for you.. I'm still expecting the album, and will make sure to let you all know how that son of a bitch sounds on vinyl format. Bye for now, time to go the stadium to catch metallica live, not the greatest band in the world in my opinion, but damn.. I've never seen them before

Forgot to add: I just made an interview with Sakis (not 2 weeks ago) for the website of a friend who runs a tv show in my country, check it out here:

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuse ... =530296417

Cheers!

[owen_christ]

Great reviews and interviews there! I've posted more pics of the LPs on the rare thread - here's the metal box:

Mother arrives this week and I bet she sticks fucking biscuits in it

[Starflare]

After extensive listening I can finally say with confidence that it is indeed a great album, but sadly, it leaves something to wish for too. My main gripe would be that Sakis seems to have only a few tricks here and the album sounds a bit repetitive from time to time in my ears. The choirs have been used with different success rate, from the unbelievable feelings in "Fire, Death & Fear" to the annoying repetition of "Nekron Lahes..". Playing is tighter than ever, but sadly this doesn't cover the simplicity (in a negative way) of some compositions (for example: "Eon Aenaos"). Sakis sounds better than ever, his vocals simply kill here, nothing to say but praises . Despite pointing some negative issues that annoy me, the album is fantastic! Better than Theogonia? Easily! I just love the warrior-spirit that roars to me in "dub-sag-ta-ke", and the creeping sensation of terror in "Fire, Death & Fear" and the majestic dread that is "...Pir Threontai".

One thing I can't really understand though: Orders from the Dead. Thematically it sits really well in the album, but musically it shatters the created continuum, making me wish the album would've ended in Santa Muerte. Good song on it's own, but it simply doesn't fit.

EDIT: Heh, nice one Owen. My friend (fellow RC fan) called it candy-box .

[skariotis]

One thing I can't really understand though: Orders from the Dead. Thematically it sits really well in the album, but musically it shatters the created continuum, making me wish the album would've ended in Santa Muerte. Good song on it's own, but it simply doesn't fit.

My thought after I listened for the first time to Aealo was, that many people will not understand Orders from the Dead and even the Pleiades choir (Nekron Iahes...).
This, I thought, is absolutely nothing for european and american ears. They're simply not used to this kind of vocals (The only greek music which is internationally well-known is the bouzouki stuff and the sirtaki dance - even if there is good stuff in this field, 90% is total bullshit full of clichès).
I probably would have problems myself with Pleiades, but my roots are from the region where this ancient singing is still alive, so there was nothing "new" to me!

After extensive listening I think Orders... fits very well.

I've read ten tons of reviews for Aealo, to find out how European and American listeners received this unusual approach and I'm stunned how many fantastic reviews it got! But some few reviewers couldn't deal with Pleiades and Diamanda Galas. It's just too strange for some people.

[Evensong XES]

I respect the fact that Aealo and Rotting Christ are indeed Greek representative, but coming from America, I find nothing remotely strange, indifferent, or unfamiliar about the mournful pleiades or the bombast and sincerity of Orders From The Dead. The music may be more ethnic and identified by a specific region or culture, however this does not make Aealo an exclusive album only listenable or appreciable by mediterranean ears. The current of Rotting Christ's constant lament is universal, and Aealo's music means no less to me as an American than it does to anyone else around the world.

[Starflare]

My thought after I listened for the first time to Aealo was, that many people will not understand Orders from the Dead and even the Pleiades choir (Nekron Iahes...).
This, I thought, is absolutely nothing for european and american ears. They're simply not used to this kind of vocals (The only greek music which is internationally well-known is the bouzouki stuff and the sirtaki dance - even if there is good stuff in this field, 90% is total bullshit full of clichès).
I probably would have problems myself with Pleiades, but my roots are from the region where this ancient singing is still alive, so there was nothing "new" to me!

After extensive listening I think Orders... fits very well.

I've read ten tons of reviews for Aealo, to find out how European and American listeners received this unusual approach and I'm stunned how many fantastic reviews it got! But some few reviewers couldn't deal with Pleiades and Diamanda Galas. It's just too strange for some people.

Actually, the Pleiades is really not far from the Finnish folk singing either (sure it has it's own distinctive tone of course). But the main gripe I have is not the Pleiades itself, but more like how they are used, and as I stated, at best they fit into the music so awesomely it's completely out of this world, and at worst something repetitive and boring, but of course I will give them more chances to convince me. After all, the best part of the DVD was the ladies in the studio . Sorry I have no idea about Greek culture so I cannot say anything, but if someone is interested in showing two Finns around, I'm planning a trip to Greece in the late summer of 2011 .

[BlackHorizon]

Hi everyone!
Here is a new interview with Sakis of Rotting Christ for their last epic album AEALO & not only!

Enjoy it:

English: http://rockpages.gr/detailspage.aspx?id=3875&type=1&lang=EN

Greek: http://rockpages.gr/detailspage.aspx?id=3875&type=1&lang=gr