Yoth Iria

"This time we entered the studio with the clear intention of creating a landmark album for the band." It's a noble and challenging mission statement from Hellenic black metal troop Yoth Iria, and one that has amply succeeded in the form of Gone With The Devil, the Attica quartet's stellar third album. "The creative workflow was similar to Blazing Inferno, yet we deliberately pushed ourselves to bring new elements into our music. We kept the immediacy of Blazing Inferno, the psychedelia of As The Flame Withers, and all the characteristics people expect from Hellenic black metal - while adding fresh sounds and atmospheres never before heard from Yoth Iria.” The daemonic avatar Yoth Iria was first explicitly summoned on Rotting Christ's legendary debut Thy Mighty Contract in 1993. Bassist/lyricist Jim Mutilator formed that band as Black Church in 1984, before also becoming a founder member of cult Athenian BM heroes Varathron for their first five years. Renewing the otherworldly atmospheres and occult ravishment for a new era, Yoth Iria functions almost as the third panel in an apocalyptic triptych of Hellenic black metal excellence. There's a thrilling balance of ancient and modern, good and evil, harmony and dissonance, advancing Yoth Iria as a hungry contender for extreme metal's big leagues - an ever-improving unit with a glorious future.