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Yoth Iria are a Greek Black Metal band formed by Jim Mutilator and Magus Wampyr Daoloth, names that should be well known to anyone with any interest in the Greek scene. They're joined by Lucifer's Child guitarist George Emmanuel on their debut EP Under His Sway, and it fucking kills.

I could best describe this EP as a cross between Bathory's Under the Sign of the Black Mark and the melodic sensibilities of Dissection to create an enthralling and ambitious new sound. This is most evident on the opening title track, which is a tour de force of spine-chilling atmosphere and old-school ferocity that'll remind you what makes Metal so special in the first place. "Sid Ed Djinn" is a more experimental song with its use of oriental female vocals and mix of spacious, doomy sections and feral Black Metal blasting, and it's every bit as cool as the last song. The closing cover of Rotting Christ's "Visions of the Dead Lovers" fits in perfectly as the album closer, and it really benefits from a modern recording job sharpening it up into something really special.

I suppose it shouldn't be surprising how good this is considering who's behind it, but it's always a delight to hear a couple of veterans refusing to rest on their laurels and still push themselves to make ambitious and sometimes captivating music like this. If this is just a teaser for things to come, then we can rest easy knowing that they'll keep doing that on the full-length. Mandatory listening for any fan of Hellenic Black Metal.