Decipher – Arcane Paths to Resurrection Review

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It beats the hell out of me the variety and diversity of today’s Black Metal bands. It may sound odd to some young fans, but back then in the so-called good old days this diversity wasn’t so present. Black Metal was the symbol of the ultimate Metal rebellion, so bands had to sound as ultimate as possible taking all musical limits to the edge. There was no room for any kind of melody at all. The main rule was to make Motörhead sound as choir of old nuns. Well, it’s true that most of them got it right and did it. But time showed melody is always necessary and sometimes mandatory if one wants to make music and, moreover, to make it as complex as one can. Time proves to be possible to be sonic ultimate and still melodic. By what we are seeing today, melody is the ingredient that makes a band ultimate in some cases. The melody adds some mystery to the songs. There is some kind of eeirie mood that is only fulfilled with melody. That’s exactly what Decipher with “Arcane Paths to Resurrection” are showing us.

“Chants of the Unholy” opens up the album with that kind of drumming that Black Metal made it famous with a relentless guitar riff with some discord notes making it heavier than hell. Vocals sound so desperate, but so desperate that it’s impossible not to notice them. What calls the attention in the album is Decipher’s ability to reinvent themselves in each track. Moreover, this ability is reproduced in each track as they all change a lot in a way that the initial moments of “Chants of the Unholy” make it totally different from its final. That’s art I must tell you, my dear child of the night. The album goes on with “Lost in Obscurity” whose guitars have some sort of 1980s Black Metal inspiration. They remind a lot Venom. In spite of this, “Lost in Obscurity” sounds very modern and updated as it maintains Decipher’s ability to create an truckload of riffings and moods. I have to say that Decipher made it possible to honor the grand past and still be loyal to the present with an eye to the future. The guitar strummings are followed by some background eerie voices that cause some goosebumps to any alive human being. Decipher’s ability was to make them as subtle as possible. It takes a while to notice them. “Arcane Paths” takes these moods to another level being as subtle as the previous. Well, as subtle as possible, if you now what mean. The track works as a bridge to the wicked, but so evil beautiful “Enslaved to Be” with its dark and gloomy guitar riffage.

Yes, “Arcane Paths to Resurrection” is an album to be praised. Its contribution to the loud is to be praised as well. The ability of mixing Black Metal spirit with melody is something to be always remembered.

Decipher “Arcane Paths to Resurrection” will be released on April 21st via Transcending Obscurity Records.

Track Listing:

  1. Chants of the Unholy
  2. Lost in Obscurity
  3. Arcane Paths
  4. Enslaved to Be
  5. Altar of the Void
  6. Penance
  7. Sanctum Regnum

Watch “Enslaved to Be” official lyric video here:

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