Review: Yoth Iria - Gone with the Devil (2026)

Band: Yoth Iria

Album: Gone with the Devil

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Greece

Label: Metal Blade Records

Released: May 8, 2026

Introduction

​In the pantheon of Greek black metal, few names carry as much weight as Jim Mutilator. As a founding member of both Rotting Christ and Varathron, his DNA is woven into the very fabric of the "Hellenic sound", that distinct blend of staccato riffing, occult atmosphere, and melodic grandiosity. Yoth Iria, his latest vessel, was never meant to be a mere nostalgia trip. After the success of "As the Flame Withers" (2021) and "Blazing Inferno" (2024), the band has returned in 2026 with their third full-length opus, "Gone with the Devil." Released via Metal Blade Records, this album finds the band evolving from a cult project into a definitive powerhouse, proving the old guard still holds the keys to the temple.

Gone with the Devil

Track Listing:

1. Dare to Rebel
2. Woven Spells of a Demon
3. The Blind Eye of Antichrist
4. I, Totem
5. 3am
6. Give em my Beautiful Hell
7. Once in a Blue Moon
8. Blessed Be He Who Enters
9. The End of the Known Civilization
10. Harut, ​​Government, Fallen

​"Gone with the Devil" is a masterclass in balance, standing firmly at the intersection of traditional heavy metal and blistering black metal. The album opens with "Dare to Rebel," a track that signals a shift toward rock-steady rhythms and dueling guitar harmonies reminiscent of classic Iron Maiden, yet draped in a shroud of sulfurous darkness. The songwriting is undeniably sharp; tracks like "I, Totem" and "The Blind Eye of Antichrist" utilize Mediterranean folk cadences and operatic flourishes to create a cinematic sense of world-building.

​However, this ambition comes with a caveat. While the production is modern, it often veers into the territory of over-sanitization. In the pursuit of a massive, professional sound, the mix falls victim to a "wall of sound" compression that occasionally flattens the album's dynamic range. The "dirt" and organic hiss that defined the Hellenic spirit are replaced by a mirror-shine polish that makes the experience feel one-dimensional at times. When every blastbeat and tremolo riff is leveled to the same peak volume, the music loses the human element ssential to extreme metal. It is an impressive piece of architecture, but one that feels a bit like a museum: beautiful to look at, but perhaps too sterile to truly touch.

Conclusion

​Despite the glossy veneer that threatens to stifle its blackened soul, "Gone with the Devil" remains a formidable release. Jim Mutilator has penned some of the most emotionally resonant riffs of his career, successfully moving beyond the shadow of his legendary past. Yoth Iria has created a sonic identity that is entirely their own, one that is as much a tribute to the 90s underground as it is a bold, if slightly too clean, step into the future. This is an essential listen, even if you find yourself wishing for a bit more grit beneath the fingernails of this otherwise majestic beast.

BMZ Rating: 7.5/10

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