Sometimes something fresh is born of experience. When two of Greek black metal's most revered names, Jim Mutilator (ex-Rotting Christ) and The Magus (Necromantia) joined forces and forged Yoth Iria in 2019, it was exciting news for fans of the genre, but still the band surprised many. Past and present members of On Thorns I Lay, Vicious Knights, and Jonkal would soon find themselves joining the ranks and the debut album, "As The Flame Withers" was very impressive. Following the departure of The Magus, Russian vocalist He would take his place behind the mic stand and the quintet unleashed the amazing "Blazing Inferno" in November 2024. Less than two years later, the band adds another string to their bow with "Gone With The Devil."

For the uninitiated, the Greek black metal sound, which pre-dates the Norwegian scene, is characterised not just by the extreme sound, with blast beats and rapid riffs, but by retaining the influence of traditional heavy metal. I bring this up but it's very much present on the first song, "Dare To Rebel," which possesses absolutely enthralling melodies and serves as something of a black metal rallying cry. It's also one of the select few songs on "Gone With The Devil" which appears to be influenced by the Pagan and Viking metal genres. It's a really strong way to kick the record off and right away, fans know that Yoth Iria hasn't lost a step and newcomers can hear what the fuss is all about.

One of the stars of the album is a position which often goes unsung, and that would be the drummer, Vassilis Stavrianidis, AKA Vongaar, whose beats and rhythms bring in numerous influences. Such is the case of "I, Totem," which has something of a military march, leading the way for the other instruments to come together and create a hypnotic pattern, crafting a track which feels as much like an incantation as it does a song. The drums also play a major role on the next number, "3am," which almost sounds like a black metal answer to Iron Maiden, complete with clean vocals, for the majority of the track anyway.

Meanwhile, there's a wonderful epic feel to several songs, with the album's first single, "The Blind Eye Of Antichrist," being a prime example. It was released months ago and still sounds fresh and exciting by the time one gets to hear the record in full. The combination of vocal styles are blended perfectly to distill a catchy anthem. "Give 'Em My Beautiful Hell" is another standout, mixing in elements of Gothic metal, especially when it comes to the chorus, becoming something like a darker version of Moonspell. "Gone With The Devil" also ends very strongly with "Harut, Government, Fallen," which feels like a story being told (and it may well be telling the story of Harut and Marut from Islamic lore, or at least using them as a parable,) and creates a perfect soundtrack to the destruction we see in the world caused by greed and pride. The guitars themselves do as good a job at telling the tale as the lyrics do.

Since 2020 when they released their debut EP, "Under His Sway," Yoth Iria has been staking a claim, intentionally or not, to be THE black metal band of the 2020s and "Gone With The Devil" is another strong reason not to doubt them. It's full of excellent melodic black metal tracks that will thrill listeners new and seasoned, and it's also a great example of why we shouldn't dismiss a musician once their time with one legendary band is over. You only have to look at the Napalm Death family tree to see that. Jim Mutilator performed with two of Greek black metal's most seminal bands, and decades later, he created another one. Yoth Iria is the band to beat right now when it comes to black metal.