CD Review: GLORIOR BELLI - Manifesting the Raging Beast

Yet more Latin-loving French black metal - if I'd known I was going to be a metal writer, I would have studied Latin in school.  Glorior Belli is somewhat of a supergroup, sharing members with Black Flame, Slavia, Merrimack, and Obscurus Advocam (whose latest record Metal Injection reviewed here).  Since vocalist/guitarist Infestvvs helms the latter, Glorior Belli (which means "to pride oneself in time of war," according to online translation) naturally has similarities, particularly in slower, heavier passages.

However, some have bellyached about a stronger influence - Deathspell Omega.  The resemblance is definitely there, especially in how guitars drape dissonance across upper strings.  But Deathspell Omega moved on to the land of the weird on their latest record, Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum.  No one would confuse that album with this one.  Glorior Belli avoid (or perhaps fail to reach) Deathspell Omega's quasi-religious qualities in favor of grounded aggression.

Manifesting does have its luminous moments.  The opening track is a beautiful exercise in atmosphere and restraint, staying at an imperial march and resisting the urge to blast away.  "Sinister Resonance" mines the same martial feeling,  pounding out a simple but evil two-chord riff.  Album closer "Altered Verses" aims skyward with a keening, swooping solo.

But for the most part, this record is straightforward.  Drums blast with precision, guitars churn out mournful chords, Infestvvs howls apocalyptic verses.  For black metal, the production is surprisingly full and punchy.  The sound is appropriate, though, for an attack based on skill, not rawness.  On one hand, the presentation is so smoothly professional that the album lacks edges.  On the other hand, the performances are so tight that they coalesce into a singular, hypnotic whole.  The beast may be raging, but it's wearing a perfectly tailored suit.

7/10

Glorior Belli on MySpace
Southern Lord Records