THE GLORIOUS DEAD is a Death Metal band based out of Michigan, USA. They released their debut album in 2009, and then 10 years passed since their sophomore effort. Now, they return with 12 blistering tracks under the album title of "Into Lifeless Shrines." "Solium Mortis" opens the album. It's just over a minute in length. It sounds like nefarious organ notes that soon blend with guitar. It has a certain heaviness to it, as well as a darkness. "Vitreous Hemmorhage" is pure Death Metal through and through. The singer has a deep and dark growl, but it does not overpower the guitars. You won't find much in the way of melody here, but that's the point.

"The Noise of Gravediggers" has a similar sound and pace. Death Metal can be merciless in its very closed boundaries. It doesn't leave much in the way of wiggle room for bands to be original. That is what you get here on this song. "Cranial Festering" has a faster pace with a lower register, but still with those heavy guitars and vocals. The sound is a bit more harrowing here. "Putrifactive Adoration" features more heavy riffing and a nicely done guitar solo in the beginning. From there however the song sounds very similar to the others, and that is indeed the problem inherent in the genre. That, and the thousands of other bands out there playing the exact same thing.

"Celebrate the Corpse" is the first track with a bit of variation in the beginning. Solitary, vibrating guitar notes occupy the first part of the song, before it gets into full swing. This song harnesses more of the power and might of Death Metal. "Into Lifeless Shrines" has some more heavy-hitting guitars and deep, dark vocals. Once it gets moving, you can start to hear the talent that the band has...playing in a tight unison with everyone staying in their lane. "The Ruin of Flesh" features some bass guitar notes in the beginning, followed by six-strings that play together nicely. The riffs dance together in various chunks of time and with different styles. "Exordium of Decay" closes the album. It opens with a dark riff and a short scream. The drums roll away like thunder, and I have always maintained that the drummer bears much of the burden in this genre. You have to be able to keep pace, and he does.

Overall, it wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything different than I have heard many times before. As I mentioned above, the genre itself is very limiting when it comes to bands being able to play anything unique, as opposed to other genres which allow for wild experimentation. Couple this with their probably being the largest genre of Metal out there, besides Black Metal, and you automatically have a recipe for mediocrity. But, with that said, they are decent musicians and play their craft with passion and devotion. It just didn't sound like anything I haven't heard a thousand times before.