I find it really difficult to start because this band is one of my favourites...
This compilation contains all of their works (unofficial all of them) plus some live recordings which had never been been released before. The production isn't the strong point of course because those were really hard times for the hellenic scene, but it won't cause any listening problems, really...
...especially since their music is of high class! We're talking about real quality here, no jokes.
Deceptor were pioneers in many ways. First of all, they had some progressive elements in their music, in a time when progressive metal worldwide was about to be born. Although they were experimental in some way, this is not annoying at all; in fact I would say that it was quite a success. Furthermore, their heavy/power style isn't what you can forget that easilly. The sound is "filled" pefrect with both guitars, which were along with the vocals the strongest part of Deceptor.
The vocallist was somekind of phenomenon because in the early days of hellenic metal having a good vocallist wasn't the main purpose; I could say that his voice reminds in a way the early-Queensryche and Sanctuary, but still has his own unique identity which characterizes the whole band.
The songs are very strong and it would be wrong to say that this compilation as a best of at the very same time. Many bands that use their fantasy in composing music often turn out to be boring or even tiring, but this just doesn't happen here. "Nemesis" for example is almost a ballad, but somewhere in the middle they play a guitar break (one of the best theme changes I've ever heard in metal) which forces you not to know wether you shall headbang or stay with an open mouth and listen to it.
When you start playing this cd you just don't want it to end. Unfortunately Deceptor showed up in a very wrong time. The circumstances for metal were very difficult in that time so they decided to end it (like many other good bands of the same time). I am sure that if they were a todays band they could have made an international career in no time.
PS. The -5% in the rating is for the production, not because of the music.