Finland’s Gloria Morti, despite having been around since 2001 and have 4 previous albums are new to me. But being on Willowtip and having members in its ranks with ties to Wolfheart/Black Sun Aeon/Before the Dawn, Swallow the Sun, Morbid Vomit and Gorephillia, was enough to make me check them out. And I  glad I did.

Gloria Morti play black death metal that has not a whole lot in common with the members other more prominent projects. It’s pretty slicing, dicing  stuff with definite nods to the likes of God Dethroned, Behemoth, Necrophobic and such, but with much deeper Finnish death metal vocals , a rougher guitar tone and a hint of Stockholm death metal.

None of the tracks really jump out but from opener “Syntymä” (with its fitting Apocalypse Now sample), to closer “The Termination of All Bonds”, the albums 50 minute run time is amply full of blistering riffs. This isn’t happy melodic/black death metal, but a darker, grimier, more sinister take on the genre (as the opening sample alludes to). “Death by a Thousand Cuts” slows things down amid the vortex while “Case No. 1102162” adds some dissonance to the increased savagery. “Gallows Built By Rows” is more of a pure death metal bruiser as is”Executioner” though with some black metal atmospherics to open.

The aforementioned closer, “The Termination of All Bonds” is listed at 12 minutes and thankfully fills the full time with music, not silence or ambient noise. It delivers a little of everything but mostly  more expansive, mid paced patient and varied track that reveals a little more about Gloria Morti compared to the previous 8 tracks, and reveals a promising band that I shall be keeping an eye on AND checking out the back catalog. Solid.

[Visit the band's website]

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