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|| Artist......: Yoth Iria ||
|| Album.......: Blazing Inferno ||
|| Year........: 2024 ||
|| ||
|| Genre.......: Black Metal ||
|| Label.......: Edged Circle Productions ||
|| ||
|| Source......: WEB (16bit) ||
|| Encoder.....: libFLAC ||
|| Bitrate.....: 980 kbps avg. ||
|| F.Rate......: 44.1kHz ||
|| ||
|| Playtime....: 00:36:24 / 267.92MB ||
|| R.Date......: 2024-11-07 ||
|| S.Date......: 2024-11-08 ||
|| Website.....: http://play.qobuz.com/album/zcqgdw0nt2wbb ||
|| ||
|| ||
|| 01. Blazing Inferno 3:35 ||
|| 02. But Fear Not 4:11 ||
|| 03. In the Tongue of Birds 5:25 ||
|| 04. Rites of Blood and Ice 4:55 ||
|| 05. Purgatory Revolution 5:13 ||
|| 06. Mornings of the One Thousand Golds 4:59 ||
|| 07. Our Father Rode Again His Ride 3:55 ||
|| 08. We Call Upon the Elements 4:11 ||
|| ||
|| ||
|| Presenting LuciferÆs gift to mankind as a fire set by the ||
|| burning rays of intellect imbued Athens, Greece-based black ||
|| metal quintet YOTH IRIA celebrate the key that would unlock ||
|| free will for all as they continue to revive a lifeÆs work ||
|| spent passing on this ungentle reminder through the density of ||
|| fast-cycling, dead-eyed generations. From the old guard and the ||
|| new this sophomore full-length, æBlazing Infernoæ, translates ||
|| an ancient cult-borne and ruddy form of devotion into a ||
|| highest-possible standard of render and expression. Kept simple ||
|| in statement yet entertaining as melody driven and intricately ||
|| voiced black metal with a uniquely Hellenic heavy metal ||
|| spiritus this second coming is pure inspiration for the devotee ||
|| and a finely crafted, memorable experience most black metal ||
|| attuned folks should find redeeming. ||
|| ||
|| Yoth Iria formed circa 2019 by the will of Jim Mutilator a ||
|| bassist, songwriter and lyricist who was directly responsible ||
|| for the Hellenic black metal sound and its legacy via ||
|| co-founding Rotting Christ and playing an integral role to ||
|| Varathronæs formation and development early on. Zine editor, ||
|| music store owner, and lifetime fan most Mutilatoræs ||
|| explanation as to why heÆd returned to back metal speak to a ||
|| sense of belonging moreso than ownership, though all that heÆd ||
|| create under this new band has been consistently authentic to ||
|| the Greek black metal sound heÆd help propagate ages ago. Of ||
|| course the early line-up also notably featured the equally ||
|| venerable creator of this sound The Magus (Necromantia) on ||
|| vocals alongside drummer J.V. Maelstrom (Embrace of Thorns, ||
|| Violent Definition, et al.) as well as contributions from ||
|| George Emmanuel (LuciferÆs Child) including both guitar and ||
|| engineering/production. This team more-or-less carried through ||
|| all of their work from 2019-2023 with the æUnder His Swayæ ||
|| (2020) EP speaking to what the two legendary folks had brought ||
|| to other bands in the early-to-mid 90Æs as well as heavy metal ||
|| in general, a feeling which was amplified by their ôThe Red ||
|| Crown Turns Blackö song from a split with Kawir that same year. ||
|| ||
|| There was a lot of weight placed upon æAs the Flame Withersæ ||
|| (2021) to be the second coming, or, the return of classic ||
|| Hellenic black metal as evidenced by the need for many critics ||
|| to speak to the history involved but it wasnÆt a nostalgic ||
|| releaseà rather one from folks whoÆd never dropped their ||
|| interest in black metal, or at least werenÆt trying to relive ||
|| the 90Æs head-on. Brilliantly polished, driven by a steady ||
|| rhythmic charge and a heavy metal gait Yoth Iria made the right ||
|| choice in establishing themselves with their own sound which ||
|| was adjacent to the old ways without pandering directly. If we ||
|| must consider it contemporary black metal then well, either way ||
|| the right feeling was there and their expectations were largely ||
|| set skyward going forward andà despite the very different ||
|| sounds explored on the 2023 EP æFlame of the Whirling Swordsæ. ||
|| Beyond that point the line-up of the band had changed to allow ||
|| for live performances and fully flesh out touring ability ||
|| and/or any demands made of Æem. This of course gives æBlazing ||
|| Infernoæ an entirely different feel and sound which is yet ||
|| hi-fi and glorious in its rich, layered sound but also enriched ||
|| with loftier dramatic tension. ||
|| ||
|| Taking the reigns of the old coffin spiritus. ù While I will ||
|| stop short of suggesting that æBlazing Infernoæ sounds like ||
|| Rotting Christ in its anthemic, intricately delivered melodic ||
|| black metal style there is of course some relation via certain ||
|| sensibilities thatÆll allow for Yoth Iriaæs latest to inspire a ||
|| similar fandom. The high standard of lead guitar melodies is a ||
|| major contributor to this thought as both flourish and main ||
|| driver for many of these songs lands upon sweetly arranged, ||
|| sometimes rocking leads that give us a strong tinge of the old ||
|| cult but from a sublimely polished, fully pro result. ||
|| Opener/title track ôBlazing Infernoö warms up the mind in this ||
|| regard, down to the last palm mute theyÆve delivered narrative ||
|| and flexed a bit of their melodious muscle enough to cue the ||
|| Hellenic black metal addicted mind into action. The slap right ||
|| into ôBut Fear Notö and its sentimental lead might even sent ||
|| the mind towards, eh, something like æTheogoniaæ for a moment ||
|| once theyÆre hammering at full stampede (see also: ôPurgatory ||
|| Revolutionö) but in no real way should anyone find the full ||
|| breadth of Mutilator & co.Æs songwriting plainly referential of ||
|| the past. The engine is starting, all elements are firing up as ||
|| some traditional instrumentation and additional vocals give ||
|| some great mystic assurance to the devout. The spiritual ||
|| quality of the music and a twist of nostalgia make the entryway ||
|| into this realm particularly fascinating, redeeming as the ||
|| product of a neatly stated compositional hand with a subtle ||
|| touch. ||
|| ||
|| ôIn the Tongue of Birdsö is perhaps one of the finer singles to ||
|| hit the melodic spectrum of black metal this year in terms of ||
|| heavy metal/hard rock structured fanfare directing a dark metal ||
|| sound. We cannot escape the glowing hands of Yoth Iriaæs touch ||
|| which amplifies classic Greek black metal theatre into ||
|| something larger than itself. It is also a chance to warm to ||
|| and acknowledge the overall use of tension and worthy ||
|| excitation, patience and immediacy employed in very simple ways ||
|| on æBlazing Infernoæ which warm to the listener to quite ||
|| accessible melodic metal ideas. IÆm not saying that this song ||
|| is intentionally writ to amplify the bones of records like ||
|| æTriarchy of the Lost Loversæ, weÆve other more direct records ||
|| that might fit better, but when we hit the ~2:34 minute mark it ||
|| is as if these guitarists have unearthed an ancient scroll of ||
|| knowledge (via a bit of palm muting) that lends a small but ||
|| special moment among many; While the tone of this album remains ||
|| consistent and directly set throughout this doesnÆt hinder ||
|| these details gathering in mind and adding weight to the larger ||
|| experience. Side A generally gets this point across well at a ||
|| consistent mid-paced clip delivering fairly straight forward ||
|| pieces which balance referential techniques and melodic tics ||
|| with sleekened presentation. It might not be as sinister, ugly ||
|| or blazing fast as some die-hard Hellenic black metal minds ||
|| would want but here we get something feasibly on the pro-level ||
|| of nowadays Varathron and Rotting Christ. ||
|| ||
|| Of course the pace eventually spikes here and there with the ||
|| steady rise of ôMornings of the One Thousand Goldsö being ||
|| largely comprised of its epic build and escalating wah-pedal ||
|| swelled core riff and trampling refrains. This helps the ||
|| increasingly heady, distant thunder of Yoth Iria to not fade ||
|| into sleep particularly as the rousing kick of ôOur Father Rode ||
|| Again His Rideö brings their melodramatic touch and some ||
|| traditional heavy metal wheeling back into view, even resulting ||
|| in some clean vocals which are especially effective. Again, ||
|| these songs typically rise to a great point of reveal and make ||
|| their point before quickly finding a way to sew up the wound, ||
|| rather than repeat a chorus indefinitely or toss in a few more ||
|| verses each song reaches its goal and steps away as soon as ||
|| possible, often avoiding the need to play-out a song with a big ||
|| guitar solo. While this keeps æBlazing InfernoÆ at a taut and ||
|| easily enjoyed ~37 minutes in length it does feel like theyÆve ||
|| chopped it a bit too tightly as the closing piece (ôWe Call ||
|| Upon the Elementsô) begins to soar with its triplet scraping ||
|| roll, avoids forming much of a statement beyond the core lead ||
|| guitar hook and one refrain, before simply chugging out and ||
|| hitting ôstopö. For all of the work put into building the ||
|| return of these folks back in grand fashion, all of the ||
|| dramatic fanfare that greets the ear to start, the endpoint ||
|| here is anticlimactic to an unsatisfying degree. That said, ||
|| theyÆd kept the energy up and the vision for the album reads as ||
|| complete otherwise. ||
|| ||
|| Beyond the greater shape of æBlazing Infernoæ and its steady ||
|| yet subtly formed melodious energies Yoth Iria once again ||
|| shares with us the wizened philosophy of Mutilator in both ||
|| direct and indirect speech. What ultimately forms is a ||
|| narrative which begins with an empyrean clash and eventually ||
|| relays a series of mythological-level events which speak to ||
|| freeing the self of that which controls you, be it religion or ||
|| fear itself. Having my own formative experiences with black ||
|| metal delving into his lyrics via other bands to me this is ||
|| akin reading a favorite author decades later and finding those ||
|| guiding principles, that voice upheld in righteous spirit. This ||
|| in concurrence with the music itself of course speaks to both ||
|| nostalgia and a sense of moderne refinements, creating a ||
|| strangely easy record to fall into for hours at a time. With ||
|| consideration for the cycle and running order itself the loop ||
|| wasnÆt always perfect when left on repeat yet I couldnÆt deny ||
|| that most every song on this album held its own in succession ||
|| and when singled out piecemeal. Much in the way that the latest ||
|| Deviser release felt like a collection of anthems, not all of ||
|| which flowed from piece to piece, this experience feels like ||
|| certain moments are clear single-worthy excursions whereas ||
|| others provide the momentum the album needs to tarry on. ||
|| ||
|| Fine art direction, exceptional production values, a ||
|| well-enriched sound per their quintet built line-up all speak ||
|| to Yoth Iria confidently expanding in scale to suit their ||
|| increasingly focused and artfully struck craft between ||
|| hail-worthy tradition and a high modern standard for melodic ||
|| black metal. æBlazing Infernoæ offers more than a follow-up in ||
|| this sense but rather a broader realization of potential likely ||
|| to speak even more directly to the Hellenic black metal fandom ||
|| at large while also offering something satisfyingly dark and ||
|| meaningful for the elder guard. As a inordinate fan of this ||
|| style of music this feels like a obscenely high standard set ||
|| without any blandly obviate fanservice, the right balance of ||
|| elements struck which allows the conviction behind the music to ||
|| convey successfully on record. For my own taste it has been a ||
|| steeling, inspiring experience to delve into thanks to is ||
|| approachable and easily enjoyed effect and an album which only ||
|| reinforces my faith in the old cult. ||
|| ||
|| ||
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(= =) (= =)
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