After six years on the road Greece’s black metal unit, Decipher have finally graced the airwaves with their debut studio album. Arcane Paths to Resurrection is the kind of release that gives the exact same vibes as foreshadowed by it’s fantastic cover art.

The precision of the band is one of many things to be loved on this release, as these blokes from Athens have managed to fashion some well-paced and hard rehearsed music that has the ability to envision what falling into a void and experiencing madness at its most esoteric and hysterical is like.

One very common theme in a great deal of blackened death metal is the inevitable destruction of all life and all knowledge of existence in the most nihilistic form. Decipher have taken that theme and given it the Hellenic black metal makeover that it requires. Despite plenty of other bands from their country and nearby having taken on these themes, I think Decipher have painted a work from which newer generations of bands will take influence from and base their image and sound.

Influential vibes do hammer hard from these Greeks, whose line-up involves members of heavyweights: Lucifer’s Child, Warhammer and Abyssus. What we see here is the debut from a band who have much staying power and will be keeping the Hellenic fire burning as it gains the recognition and fortitude it so dearly deserves after many years of creating amazing bands.

Overall, Decipher have covered the excellent nihilism that makes extreme metal a place that will rightfully never see mainstream success of any kind. Another album that makes black metal the kind of place nobody with an interest in radio music will ever go near so if you want reminding of why black metal is so evil and so good to enjoy, whack this one on.

(7/10 Demitri Levantis)

https://www.facebook.com/decipherbandgr

https://decipherbm.bandcamp.com/album/arcane-paths-to-resurrection