(written by Islander)
The Greek black metal band Ambrotos have had interesting and unusual lyrical themes from the beginning, having released a pair of EPs and a debut album (2022’s Transcendental Mastery) dedicated to pre-Socratic philosophy and ancient cosmology. With their forthcoming second album, Atrocious Chants, the band have shifted their lyrical themes, but they remain interesting — and the album’s cover art by contemporary Athenian painter Fanis Goulis points the way.
The album will be co-released on July 13th by Satanath Records and WP Productions. They offer this description of the new themes:
This new album delves into the fall of Constantinople and the decline of the Byzantine Empire, presenting a unique perspective that intertwines historical narrative with the religious beliefs and perceptions of the medieval era. At its core, the album explores the epic battle between Satan and Christ, offering a profound commentary on faith and conflict.
What we have for you today is the premiere of the album’s second advance track, “The Age of Torture“.
Through their previous releases Ambrotos have demonstrated a talent for launching brazen barrages of bombast and bonfire, leavened with dire and dark but hook-laden melodies. The new song you’re about to hear proves those talents haven’t waned, but its opening phase also connects with the new album’s conceptual underpinnings.
In that overture the band deliver ominous ecclesiastical melody and reverent choral voices — but they layer in wailing instrumentation and the utterly unhinged screams of a person being tortured (remember the song’s name!).
From there, swaths of pealing melody create a more sinister and cruel tension, and then the song leaps ahead with blasting drums, haughty roars, strangled screams, and searing riffage that sounds simultaneously deranged and tormented, simultaneously violent and steeped in pain.
Big bass tones dismally throb within the maelstrom of madness that Ambrotos create here – big enough to be heard within the piercing surrounding frenzies and hammering beats.
It’s an electrifying and frightening song, and if we have any complaint, it’s that it ends far too soon.
AMBROTOS is:
Humberto – drums
Kostas – guitars
Leo – vocals
Manolis – piano, keyboards
Atrocious Chants was pre-produced at Alamos Studios (Athens, Greece) from 2022 to 2024. It was produced by Leonardo Delgado and Ambrotos — and engineered, mixed, and mastered by Leonardo Delgado at Thunderstorm Studio (CDMX, Mexico) in 2025.
The labels will release the album on CD and digital formats, and they strongly recommend it for fans of Rotting Christ, Varathron, and Behemoth. Orders can be placed via the links below, and we’ve also included a stream of the album’s explosive (but also fiendishly twisted and eerily glittering) first single, “Thy Messengers“.
PRE-ORDER:
https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat424-ambrotos-atrocious-chants-2026
darkside666satan@gmail.com
AMBROTOS:
https://ambrotos.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ambrotosband
https://www.instagram.com/ambrotosband