Review / 200 Words Or Less
Glorior Belli
Manifesting the Raging Beast

Southern Lord (2007) Kevin Fitzpatrick

Glorior Belli – Manifesting the Raging Beast cover artwork
Glorior Belli – Manifesting the Raging Beast — Southern Lord, 2007

See: Obscurus Advocam

Just kidding. But let's face it. They are pretty interchangeable, no? Both bands are the vision of French musician Infestuus. Both bands are all just too melodic. Now, call me old-fashioned but melody has no place in black metal. Bleak, sure. Twisted? Frightening? Suffocating? These are all bad adjectives for relationships, yet all good adjectives for heavy music.

All musicians perform admirably there's just an edge that's lacking that castrates any chance the album ever had. Blastbeats abound, to be sure, but there's more needed that can't be found no matter how many repeated listens the buyer can stomach. Okay, okay if you find Naglefar or Striborg too atmospheric, Glorior Belli may be more suited to your needs, but allow me to steer you to the OG's of the genre that have introduced melody to their sound over the years: Darkthrone, Immortal, and Mayhem, to name a few (though not the newest Mayhem disc they're scary again). Look, I'm trying to do you a favor. This isn't what I'd necessarily call a "bad" album, but there's better music out there to be heard. Seek and ye shall find.

Glorior Belli – Manifesting the Raging Beast cover artwork
Glorior Belli – Manifesting the Raging Beast — Southern Lord, 2007

Related news

Agonia signs Glorior Belli

Posted in Labels on June 1, 2013

Metal Blade adds Glorior Belli

Posted in Bands on May 24, 2011

Recently-posted album reviews

Crippling Alcoholism

Camgirl
Portrayal of Guilt Records (2025)

Crippling Alcoholism have always navigated a delicate balance between musical depth and immediacy. A blend that few bands attempt, let alone master, but Crippling Alcoholism's two previous full-length records, When The Drugs That Make You Sick Are The Drugs That Make You Better and especially With Love From A Padded Room did exactly that. With a foundation formed through post-punk … Read more

The Necks

Disquiet
Northern Spy (2025)

There are no signs of slowing down for Australian jazz masters The Necks. Following the release of the excellent Bleed in 2024, the legendary trio makes a return with their 20th full-length record, Disquiet. Long-form compositions are nothing new for the trio, but here they dive headfirst into a three-hour tour de force, traversing the abstract and meditative territories they … Read more

The Eradicator

You Can Hate The Eradicator
Independent (2025)

Is The Eradicator a joke that's been going for 10 years (the band), or for 35 (the skit)? Does it matter? Well, only in the sense that I question how much material the Kids In The Hall-inspired hardcore band can cull from a 5-minute skit. (Maybe 10 minutes. The character was revived in 2022's Season 6.) Why do I bring … Read more