Yoth Iria’s ritual has resumed.
Jim Mutilator (bass, Medieval Demon, ex-Rotting Christ, ex-Varathron), Vasilis Stavrianidis (drums, Terrordrome, Twilight, ex-Head Cleaner), Nikolas Perlepe (guitar, Ritual of Odds, Dimlight, On Thorns I Lay), Naberius (guitar, Karma Violens), and He (vocals, Rakoth, Superstatic, ex-Cruachan) are now signed to Metal Blade Records, with whom they are releasing Gone With the Devil, their third album.
We kick off the album with Dare to Rebel, a track rooted in the band’s Greek heritage that features massive vocals and driving Black Metal, delivering heady melodies and majestic intensity, while even making room for clean vocals that counter growls. The track remains fairly accessible while asserting the band’s identity, much like Woven Spells of a Demon, which relies on piercing leads and orchestrations to balance its aggressive and slightly darker touches, as well as intense choruses where the vocalist showcases the full range of his talent. Traditional instruments add a welcome touch of mystery, complemented by whispers, and then female backing vocals introduce us to The Blind Eye of Antichrist, the album’s most grandiose track, which already sounds like one of the band’s next crowd-pleasing anthems for upcoming live shows. The track is quite simply the very essence of Hellenic Black Metal, striking a perfect balance between melody and aggression, while I, Totem exposes us to a darker, more oppressive side of their music, clearly showcasing a menacing rhythm punctuated by terrifying growls. Back to gentler tones with 3am and its haunting touches, which complement an already intoxicating rhythm section that doesn’t hesitate to give greater prominence to clean vocals before settling down to lead into Give ’Em My Beautiful Hell, a track that once again contrasts violence with haunting elements in the purest tradition of Greek Black Metal, featuring George Rasoulis’ lyre before a harrowing finale. Once in a Blue Moon takes over and reveals a palpable intensity right from the intro, which reaches its climax during the choruses before giving way to Blessed Be He Who Enters, a new composition that is also very accessible, particularly thanks to the ethereal guitars. While the track could serve as a perfect gateway to extreme genres for newcomers, it is nonetheless highly enjoyable and unifying, unlike The End of the Known Civilization, which leverages its rather solemn title to convey as much oppression and melancholy as possible through haunting guitars that lead us, at their own pace, toward a rather martial final. We’ve already reached the album’s final track, the intriguing Harut, Government, Fallen, with its mystical influences that easily hypnotize us and strike at their own rhythm, featuring various vocal parts that echo and blend naturally until the final scream.
While it’s easy to identify Yoth Iria’s Greek roots, it’s equally clear that Gone With the Devil is an excellent album, masterfully crafted by musicians who know exactly what they’re doing! The majestic melodies come to life naturally and awaken within us the fervor we’ve been waiting for.
95/100
