The Hellenic Metal scene has always been a hotbed of the Extreme. Spearheaded by veterans Rotting Christ and Septicflesh, there are many more who deserve similar publicity, and Yoth Iria have the heritage to stand alongside the best.
Yoth Iria – Gone With The Devil
Release Date: 8 May 2026
Words: Paul Hutchings
Bassist Jim Multilator stands as one of the founding fathers, having been an early member of Rotting Christ (including their debut Thy Mighty Contract) as well as a founding member of Varathron, another legendary Athenian Black Metal outfit who are held in high regard in such circles.
Yoth Iria’s debut came in 2021 with As the Flame Withers, with the band following it up with Blazing Inferno in 2024. The third album is now ready for release, and there is no doubt that the band are focused on their latest record, making an impact. “This time we entered the studio with the clear intention of creating a landmark album for the band.”
Unlike their brothers in the frozen North, the Greek approach to Black Metal is often more melodic, blending traditional instruments with their ferocious onslaught, drawing deep on mythology and history for their lyrical content.
“Greece gives us a foundation of mythology, tragedy, symbolism, and spirituality. We don’t seek to resurrect classical antiquity; we reinterpret it through a darker, ritualistic, almost daemonic lens. In our music, antiquity does not return as history – it returns as spirit.”
On Gone With The Devil, Yoth Iria hit everything right, making a fantastically addictive album that improves with every play. There is drama and Gothic atmosphere, which builds on opener Dare To Rebel, nods to their Mediterranean roots echoing in the background as the almost tribal intro leads into the fuller pace of the song.
It is not full-bore blast beat tempo, but the crushing emotion and character provides enough to create the heaviness. Vocals switch from croaky gravel-throated to cleaner delivery, carrying a sinister style which continues throughout the release. It continues in an evolving rich vein through to the grand finale, Harut, Government, Broken.
As the album develops, so does the quality of the music. Unafraid to try different styles, there remains at its core a solid Metal band who flick through the gears with ease. There are moments of intensity, passion, and punishingly heavy sections. Dark riffs accentuate the melodies, whilst there are hooks across most songs. Dive deep into the mid-section, the pulsating I, Totem and daemons of 3am, both standout tracks that demand attention.
Songs such as The Blind Eye Of Antichrist delve deeper into the thunderous Black Metal we may be more familiar with. Yet even with the blast beats anchoring everything, there is plenty more with feminine choral backing singing leading into an explosive mid-section that sees some of the finest guitar work possible, and a truly majestic breakdown that drifts into gothic cadence.
It is this song that perhaps symbolises the band’s determination to follow their own path. There are definitely sonic overtures which are shaped by their fellow countrymen, but most significantly created by a desire to do their own thing.
“Yoth Iria is not a band bound by strict rules or prohibitions,” they declare. “Black Metal is and will always be at the core of our sound, but around it revolves anything that carries the necessary darkness, mystique, and spiritual intensity.
“Of course, there are elements we would never include, not out of fear or dogma, but because they do not serve the daemon of the band. Our sound must retain melody, simplicity, drama, and a ritualistic character.”
Thematically, Gone With The Devil carries a deliberately ambiguous title, and the lyrical content is described by the band as “the paradox of power and faith.” It is a defiant observation on the current world state, a point that is made when considering that it is loosely a concept album.
“Those who rule the world claim to serve gods, uphold religions, and define concepts of sin and punishment, yet they themselves create the very hell they warn others about. They cultivate the image of a ‘devil’ as a force of evil, while in truth they project their own corruption onto this figure.
“In [the album’s] narrative, Lucifer is not a symbol of terror, but of light. A truth deliberately hidden by those who benefit from darkness. This concept forms the backbone of the album and is the reason behind the title Gone With The Devil.”
I have played this release over a dozen times since it arrived in the in-box. There is nothing to suggest that once it is released, this will change.
The production and arrangements work magnificently, and kudos to the team of Nikolas Perlepe, Lawrence Macrory and Naberius for their work.
In terms of the landmark album that Yoth Iria were seeking, it is reasonable to say that they have achieved it.
Yoth Iria release Gone With The Devil on 8 May 2026 via Metal Blade Records. For more details, visit metalblade.com/yothiria.
