Gone with the Devil by Yoth_Iria<\/a><\/p>\nIn pursuing wider appeal, Yoth Iria dilutes much of what made them unique, and Gone with the Devil is less engaging for it. The markers of heavy music are all still present\u2014blast beats, harsh vocals, distorted guitars, etc.\u2014but the soul that gives an album weight is totally absent. \u201c3AM\u201d is as forgettable as elevator muzak, and much of the back half of Gone with the Devil shares a similar mid\/slow-paced rhythm that barely gets my eyes open, let alone my heart pumping. Predictable song structures and played-out tropes, like whispers preceding a heavier passage (\u201cI Totem\u201d) or synths\/folk instrumentals returning to bolster a final chorus (\u201cGive \u2018Em My Beautiful Hell\u201d), give the impression that Yoth Iria is just going through the motions or following someone else\u2019s recipe.<\/p>\n
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This isn\u2019t to say Gone with the Devil is bad. Yoth Iria, as a band, is obviously wildly talented, and what they do play, they play well. There are some songwriting bungles, like the end of \u201cI Totem,\u201d the pacing of \u201cHarut-Government-Fallen,\u201d and the choral chanting of \u201cThe Blind Eye of Antichrist,\u201d but the album flows well and sounds great. Guitarists Nikolas Perlepe and Naberius weave a lush tapestry of blackened trem-picked riffs and retro leads (\u201cI Totem,\u201d \u201cGive \u2018Em My Beautiful Hell\u201d), while bassist Jim Mutilator\u2019s (ex-Rotting Christ<\/a>, ex-Varathron<\/a>) presence and influence infuse every second of Gone with the Devil. Vocalist HE and drummer Bill \u201cVongaar\u201d Stavrianidis have excellent synergy, driving the album\u2019s atmosphere and the ebb and flow of its tension. These performances shine thanks to Gone with the Devil\u2019s production. The vocals might be a smidge forward and the rhythm guitars a touch back, but the mix is both intimate and spacious, offering warmth and clarity on an open soundstage.<\/p>\nSound and performance can\u2019t save an album, though. Where once Yoth Iria demanded my attention with a unique sound, Gone with the Devil seems geared toward maximum radio engagement or being inoffensive corporate playlist fodder. During my time with the album, I often felt like I was listening to a Temu version of Havukruunu<\/a>. A seemingly intentional forfeiture of individuality, vapid filler track energy, and uninteresting\u2014though adeptly played\u2014instrumental performances make Yoth Iria\u2019s latest a far cry from their previous work. Again, Gone with the Devil isn\u2019t a bad album per se. It\u2019s just milquetoast and unremarkable.<\/p>\nRating: 2.0\/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Metal Blade Records<\/a>
Websites:Official<\/a> | Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: May 8th, 2026<\/p>\n\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n
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When I see the title of Yoth Iria\u2019s third full-length, Gone with the Devil, I can\u2019t help but think of the Spanish farewell, \u201cvaya con Dios,\u201d or \u201cgo with God.\u201d Originally\u2014and still, in some circles\u2014the phrase was an earnest blessing and wish for safety; however, centuries have stained it with a negative connotation. The phrase can now showcase a speaker\u2019s disapproval for the recipient\u2019s intended actions, implying that whatever they\u2019re going to do is dumb enough that only God will be able to get them through it. After two enjoyable-to-impressive albums, is Yoth Iria\u2019s cheeky inversion of the phrase a genuine wish for guidance from the Son of the Morning, or is Gone with the Devil a hot mess only Satan can save?<\/p>\n