Rotting Christ

Greek metal legends ROTTING CHRIST are finally returning to Belgrade after more than 19 years! One of the most important and influential bands in the European black metal scene will perform on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at Zappa Barka.

Greek black metal band Infernal Storm open the show. Formed in Kozani in 2020, they debuted with the EP On Thorns Ov Hell (2021), followed by XVII.IV.XX (2022) and Winter of the Ancient Wrath (2026). Their sound pairs raw black metal aggression with dark, atmospheric production, drawing on Rotting Christ, Emperor and Dissection.

Early bird tickets are available for 3,200 RSD via the Hengtajm website. Once the first batch sells out, the presale price will be 3,700 RSD, while tickets will cost 4,200 RSD on the day of the concert, if any remain. Information about physical tickets at Katakombe Bar and Zappa Bar will be announced later.

Rotting Christ were founded by brothers Sakis and Themis Tolis in Athens in 1987. Starting out with death/grind roots, they soon moved towards a darker sound that would establish them as pioneers of the Greek black metal scene. Following the cult 1991 EP Passage to Arcturo, their 1993 debut album Thy Mighty Contract laid the foundations for a sound that would have a major influence on generations of extreme metal bands. A year later came Non Serviam, an album whose title would become something of a life and artistic motto for the band.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Rotting Christ refused to remain confined to the boundaries of black metal, gradually incorporating elements of death, heavy and gothic metal into their sound while retaining their unmistakably dark atmosphere. With albums such as Triarchy of the Lost Lovers, A Dead Poem, Khronos and Sanctus Diavolos, they forged their own identity, evolving from underground heroes into one of the most important Greek metal bands of all time.

A major new chapter in their career began with the 2007 album Theogonia, which saw them increasingly incorporate Greek history, mythology and traditional elements into their music. They continued in this direction with Aealo, Kata ton Demona Eaftou and Rituals, combining extreme metal with ritualistic rhythms, choral passages and motifs drawn from various ancient cultures. The Heretics (2019) further cemented their status as a band that, even after decades, refuses to simply live off its own legacy.

Their latest studio album, Pro Xristou, released in 2024, marks another chapter in their impressive discography — another fusion of monumental riffs, melody, ritualistic atmosphere and Sakis’ unmistakable vocals. Inspired by the last pagan rulers who resisted the spread of Christianity and the disappearance of ancient traditions, the album sees the band continuing to evolve a sound they have been developing for more than three and a half decades.

In nearly 40 years of existence, Rotting Christ have toured virtually the entire world and long since transcended the boundaries of the genre they emerged from. At the heart of the band since its beginnings have been brothers Sakis Tolis on vocals and guitar and Themis Tolis on drums, while the current lineup is completed by Kostas “Spades” Heliotis and Kostis Foukarakis.

Their live shows have earned them a reputation as one of the most reliable and intense live acts in the extreme metal scene.