Gloria Morti – Kuebiko (2016)

Hailing from Finland, today we have Gloria Morti and their devastating Black/Death Metal. Having refined their sound over 4 previous releases, this album delivers a very precise dosage of killer riffs, brutal vocals and intense drumming. Never compromising on brutality, the nine tracks found in this release will have you headbanging and moshing from start to end.

Opening with the brutal “Syntymä”, the band’s intensity and killer vocals are the first two things that stand out. The band’s vocalist, Pyscho, does a killer job in combining multiple styles and creating a Deathcore-esque level of brutality in songs like “Josef Fritzl”. The guitar work is quite elaborate and nicely separates the band from the average bands; this is due to the fact that founding member Juho Räihä has been around playing for bands like Before the Dawn, Swallow the Sun (live) and Wolfheart (live).

Having a certain vibe of early 2000’s Black/Death Metal releases, the band cruises through pummeling pieces like “Death by a Thousand Cuts” and the highly atmospheric “Case No. 1102162”. Our personal track in this release is the hectic “Gallows Built in Rows”, which features a throbbing bass guitar line and some catchy riffs. Easily comparable to bands like Behemoth or the recently revived God Dethroned, this band carves its own name with a very technically proficient and well-crafted level of brutality, as the sort of improvisational solos found in this last track showcase.

Closing with the melodic passages of “Executioner”, and the 12-minute epic “The Termination of all Bonds” the band rounds up an extremely punishing release leaving the listener wanting more. Gloria Morti specializes in crafting intricate and yet accessible songs that are full of brilliant technical details and a very oppressive and demoralizing atmosphere. If you like well-crafted brutal music with some atmospheric undertones, look no further and get a copy of “Kuebiko”.

Label: Willowtip Records

Release: March 18th, 2016

Genre: Black/Death Metal

Country: Finland