Label: Pagan Records
Date: January 25th, 2021
There’s no real point in telling and re-telling the story of Hellenic black metal. You should all be familiar with it by now. All the big names and all their ups and downs. Furthermore, if you’re a fan of the genre and this particular geographic determinant, you are certainly well aware of last year’s spawn called Yoth Iria and the people behind it. That being said, you must have been eagerly awaiting this debut album. It is likely you have already heard it too.
So, is there really a point to this review? Probably not, but who cares. Consider it my own tribute to the old days and the magnitude achieved by Greek bands.
On that note, let me tell you that I consider “As the Flame Withers” another one of those achievements. Another summit of the mount Olympus, if you will.
Surely, you will feel the unmistakable touch of early Greek black metal. Somewhere around the very beginning of the album. Also, throughout it you will be able to make connotations with XXI century Rotting Christ. The last four or five albums. It is pretty much unavoidable, whichever way you look at it. Of course, you cannot quite call Yoth Iria a rip-off of the primeval sound. Hell, these guys were a big part of creating it in the first place.
What you can say in this regard is that the guys, though keeping the essence, somewhat enriched it. Going for even more melody that initially introduced to the genre, Yoth Iria takes a whole lot from the classical heavy or doom metal. On occasion, I can almost hear some Swedish influence within. Something along the lines of the last days of Dissection.
Still, “As the Flame Withers” remains a Greek black metal album throughout. Quite recognizable from the very first to the last moment. The skill, the experience, the know-how, everything is there, making the record, like I mentioned above, a pinnacle on its own.
Okay, I’ll keep it short this time. There is no way to finish this review but to invite you to order the album from the stock of respectable Pagan Records, if you haven’t already.
Sing for the glory of originators of Hellenic scene!
