A Greek Orthodox priest in Greece has drawn international attention after releasing an experimental album titled Paradise Metal, which fuses Byzantine chant, heavy metal, dubstep and rap into a highly unconventional musical project.
Father Dionysios Tabakis, based in Nafplio in the Peloponnese, has described music as a spiritual extension of faith, arguing that all instruments are part of divine creation.
“The guitar was made by God,” he said, adding that “God has created all things” and rejecting the idea that electric instruments are inherently secular or sinful.
Byzantine tradition meets modern sound
The album incorporates a wide range of styles, including doom metal, techno, Christmas carols and Orthodox-inspired chant, creating an experimental soundscape that has attracted global niche audiences.
Tabakis has said he sees music as a form of exploration, comparing instruments to “windows through which you can see the universe”.
Critics and online recognition
Paradise Metal gained wider recognition after receiving a 7.6 rating from Pitchfork, placing it above works by Daft Punk and Aphex Twin in critical comparison.
The album includes tracks such as You’re Flexing Big Time (Church Rap) and Techno in a Monastery, reflecting its unusual fusion of religious themes and electronic production.
From priesthood to cult music status
Despite his growing profile in experimental music circles, Tabakis remains an ordained priest within the Greek Orthodox Church, one of thousands serving in Greece.
He has said he does not intend to leave the church for a music career and continues to see his priesthood as central to his identity.
Raised in a poor family in Piraeus, Tabakis was introduced early to Byzantine music and later taught himself a wide range of traditional instruments, which he now blends with modern digital production techniques.
Cultural debate within the church
His work has sparked discussion around the Orthodox Church’s historical discomfort with secular instruments, particularly electric guitars, which some traditions have long associated with irreverence.
Tabakis, however, argues that beauty in music reflects divine intent and insists that artistic expression can coexist with religious devotion.
Paradise Metal is out on Heat Crimes/Elhellell. Father Dionysios Tabakis plays Iklectik, London, 13 November
Information from The Guardian
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