VARATHRON The Crimson Temple CD

VARATHRON The Crimson Temple CD

There are three bands that invented Hellenic Black Metal.

Rotting Christ. Necromantia. Varathron.

Everyone will tell you Rotting Christ is the best one.

Everyone is lying.

Varathron was always the best one. And The Crimson Temple is the proof.

35 years into their career, at an age where almost every single one of their contemporaries are making lazy, uninspired cash grab albums and playing festival sets of 30 year old songs, Stefan Necroabyssious and the greatest lineup Varathron ever had came out in 2023 and dropped one of the absolute best albums of their entire career.

This is not a “good for an old band” album. This is a perfect Varathron album. This stands shoulder to shoulder with His Majesty At The Swamp and Walpurgisnacht. This is actually better than both of them in many ways.

Triumphant, epic riffing. Arcane, mystical atmosphere. Perfect production that is rich and powerful but still retains that gritty, dark feeling that no other band on this planet can replicate. And the thing that makes this album truly special: the masterful, seamless integration of traditional Hellenic folk instruments and melodies.

No cheesy gimmicks. No forced folk bits. They are woven directly into the fabric of the riffs. There are breakdowns on this album that you will want to dance to. And they are still 100% unapologetic black metal.

There is not a single weak track on the entire album. The closing track Constellation Of The Archons is a seven and a half minute masterpiece, and easily one of the greatest songs Varathron ever wrote.

Varathron have done something completely impossible here. No band in the history of black metal has ever been this good, this far into their career. No band has ever dropped two back to back absolute masterpieces 30 years after their debut.

If you have ever liked any Hellenic Black Metal ever. You need this album.

Tracklist

1. Ascension
2. Hegemony of Chaos
3. Crypts in the Mist
4. Cimmerian Priesthood
5. Sinners of the Crimson Temple
6. Immortalis Regnum Diaboli
7. To the Gods of Yore
8. Shrouds of the Miasmic Winds
9. Swamp King
10. Constellation of the Archons

Release Details

Listen HERE