siLLy puPPy While symphonic death metal hasn’t exactly cornered the market in one of extreme metal’s most popular subgenres, a few bands have managed to rise to the top of the death metal game and deliver some of the most brutal technically challenging death metal chops accompanied by the most unlikely accompaniments of symphonic classical arrangements. One of the biggest of the lot, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE has been at it for nearly two decades and has consistently delivered some of the most demanding death metal there is to be experienced however like many bands that get stuck into a rut, even this band has been pretty much running off the template set out as far back as 2009 with its debut “Oracles” and has been pretty much cranking out variations of that general theme ever since.

Well nothing like a near death experience to shake things up a little bit and after the band’s 2019 release “Veneno,” band leader and bassist / vocalist Francesco Paoli suffered an extreme mountain climbing accident that nearly snuffed him out like a candle in a category 5 hurricane. Emerging five years later, the band returns with its sixth album OPERA which upon first glance of the dubious title makes you wonder if they’ve gone full on Therion and abandoned their brutal death metal familiarity for some kind of modern rendition of Jacopo Peri. Well after experiencing FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE’s latest offering, i’m relieved that it’s not the case at all and that the band has indeed delivered another crazy adrenaline fueled dose of quality death metal but not without some substantial changes.

With the same lineup as “Veneno” with the exception of bassist Paolo Rossi who has been replaced by, well who knows actually since no bassist is credited but i’d bet Francesco Paoli most likely delivered the goods. However drummer Eugene Ryabchenko joins the team as the latest percussive monstrosity that pummels your senses away for the album’s 43 minute plus run. Superficially OPERA retains all the classic FLESHGOD GOD hallmarks that make this band stand out even amongst the symphonic death metal niche’s competition however changes have occurred. Firstly this album has lost a lot of the overt complexity and progressive nature which has kept this band at arm’s length of the general death metal fanbase simply by crafting musical compositions so twisted and technical that only the most devoted can make heads or tails of the band’s modus operandi.

In effect, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE has opted for a more accessible even poppier sound that is more akin to albums like “Communion” from Septicflesh rather than the inaccessible torturous realms of Gorguts or Death. With a greater role laid out for soprano vocalist Veronica Bordacchini, OPERA takes on a more melodic approach at times sounding a bit like Nightwish or Epica with a few neoclassical nods to bands like Angra or Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody Of Fire. Likewise not every track is a ballbuster blastbeat laden speedfest but offers a bit of slower downtime with tracks like “Matricide” escaping death metal altogether and entering something more akin to Therion’s symphonic metal approach on classic albums like “Theli.”

While the album’s balancing of past brutal death metal glories and the more accessible sounds of more streamlined melodic compositions works quite nicely, unfortunately the band ends the album with its first veritable ballad in the form of “Till Death Do Us Part” which features a saccharin piano based performance with Bordacchini in the forefront. While her vocals are suitable for the task at hand, the track itself reeks of a push for overt commercial glories and is the death metal equivalent of an AOR crossover moment. The short title track that follows basically continues in instrumental form but together add a rather underwhelming weak moment to an otherwise satisfying album’s run.

While i personally prefer the uncompromising brutality and proggy technical excesses of yore, i am also a fan of melodic extreme metal and i have to say that FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE has taken a leap of faith into this new realm and crafted a nice chunky slab of melodic symphonic death metal. Fans of Septicflesh, Aephanemer and Brymir will appreciate this the most but those who crave a bit more brutal type of Nightwish or Epica will find lots to love here as well. A new beginning for the new FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE where the album delivers a more accessible range of melodic touches without sacrificing its sheer audacious death metal bombast. Only the last two tracks drag this one down for me but i have to say that i was surprised that this band that has evaded melody like the plague has done a great job in tackling a completely new aspect of its symphonic death metal possibilities. Oh and supposedly this OPERA has a theme and all that but whatever!

UMUR "Agony" is the 2nd full-length studio album by Italian death metal act Fleshgod Apocalypse. The album was released through Nuclear Blast Records in August 2011. It´s the successor to "Oracles" from 2009 although the two full-length albums are bridged by the "Mafia" EP from 2010.

Stylistically the material on "Agony" is a continuation of the symphonic technical death metal sound of the two preceding releases. The death metal part of the music is pretty brutal, highly energetic, and technically well played, predominantly featuring deep growling vocals, but also occassional high pitched (semi-operatic) male clean vocal parts performed by bassist Paolo Rossi. Soprano Veronica Bordacchini performs vocals on "Temptation" and "The Egoism". There are strong neo-classical leanings in the lead guitar work, but it´s the dominant classical orchestral parts which define the music. It´s obvious from the arrangements that at least one of the guys in the band is a classically trained musician/composer.

The high level musicianship is definitely one of the great assets of the music, and it´s hard not to be impressed by the speed and dexterity of the performances. The drumming is fast-paced and blasting and drive the music forward with a great energy, and the guitars/bass follow suit. The orchestral parts provide an epic atmosphere to the death metal basis of the music, and that´s where the band shine. To my ears the death metal basis is solid, but it´s not extraordinary, and that´s because there aren´t that many killer riffs in the music. Most riffs on the album are brutal fast-paced tremolo picking and more or less just there to support the orchestral parts and bring brutality, and only few stand out. A couple of more memorable riffs could have elevated the music to a higher level. The growling vocals are also slightly one-dimensional in style, and although neither the guitar riffs nor the vocals are major issues, both parts of the music should be mentioned as features with room for improvement.

When that is said the lead guitar work is on a high level and the orchestral parts are well composed and suit the music well, and as "Agony" also features a powerful and detailed sounding production, it´s ultimately a high quality release. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

ssmarcus Given the reputation these Italian technical and symphonic death metal heavyweights, I was somewhat disappointed by this record in two respects. Firstly, the symphonic elements are used sparingly merely as detours or transitional pieces between the brutal death metal passages that comprise most of the album. These transitions into and from the symphonic passages almost always feel forced and jarring. While jarring the listener in this way is a valid technique in the way jump scares in horror are, its overuse signals laziness and gets boring real quick.

Secondly, the production strongly favors the drums. No doubt that session drummer Mauro Mercurio’s performance here is impressive. But being mixed front and center, it totally muddles out the finer contours and textures of the riffs making very difficult and, at times, even impossible to really appreciate what the guitars are doing. And when it comes to technical death metal, this an essential component of the listening experience.

With all that said, this is still an overall enjoyable record for fans of the genre. The playing is tight, the lyrics are effective, the brutality is immersive, and the symphonic sections are, when taken by themselves, enjoyable.

Kev Rowland Between 2016’s ‘King’ and 2019’s ‘Veleno’, Fleshgod Apocalypse went through some major changes in that both guitarist/vocalist Cristiano Trionfera and vocalist/guitarist Tommaso Riccardi left the band for personal reasons. So for the album, the band stripped down to a three-piece in Francesco Paoli switching back to vocals and guitars as he did in the early days as well as providing drums, along with co-founder Paolo Rossi (clean vocals, bass) and Francesco Ferrini (piano, orchestrations). To be able to perform live they have also brought in drummer David Folchitto (Stormlord) and guitarist Fabio Bartoletti (Deceptionist), for when they hit the boards. Given the changes in personnel it perhaps isn’t surprising that there has also been a slight change in approach to the music, in that although they are still using an orchestra and choirs they are now there more as support to the main death attack as opposed to be as closely linked as they were previously.

But yet again they are producing music which is unlike many others in the scene, which is really surprising given the line-up moves, and here they are again using real orchestral ensembles - a full string quartet, a classical percussionist, and a baroque choir - and guest musicians in the shape of Maurizio Cardullo (Folkstone) and Daniele Marinelli playing uilleann pipes and mandolin. They move between the Wagnerian Beethoven grandiosity which involves all elements into those which are more like symphonic death with orchestral support. Fleshgod Apocalypse are continuing to break musical boundaries and create something which is very special indeed. There is an easy commerciality within the songs, melodies which belie the brutality, and a fragility which is bolstered by something very concrete indeed. The band say this is their best release to date, and they just may be right.

Kev Rowland When I first came across Fleshgod Apocalypse at the time of their third album, 2013’s ‘Labyrinth’, I really couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Here was a death metal band attempting to move the genre into Wagnerian epics and allowing an orchestra to do some of the heavy lifting. Could they possibly follow this up? The answer came in 2016 with ‘King’. The quintet of Tommaso Riccardi (harsh vocals, guitars), Cristiano Trionfera (guitars, backing vocals, orchestral arrangements), Paolo Rossi (bass, clean vocals), Francesco Ferrini (piano, orchestration) and Francesco Paoli (drums) have yet again shown that there is no-one else quite like this. The metal is brutal, there should be no room whatsoever for an orchestra and choir, but somehow there is. And when Ferrini starts “The Fool” on harpsichord then of course it makes sense and is a pleasant interlude before the band and orchestra all puts their heads down and go for broke. How they change time in the manner they do is beyond me, but this feels like a total unit, not just a hairy sweaty metal act plus a high brow orchestra in evening attire.

One can imagine Beethoven rising up and shouting “This is what I wanted the 9th to be like!”. But while the music is always incredibly heavy, massively over the top, there are also plenty of nuances which both lift the overall sound and also make the metal sound even more brutal. The use of two singers is incredibly important, as while Riccardi is often the main lead, Rossi’s more clean approach reminds one of classic Dimmu Borgir. In many ways that is the band they have most in common with, although both are approaching their versions of metal in different ways. Over the top, intense, majestic this is insanity yet within the maelstrom there is control which allows it all to make sense, somehow. In many ways this is a full-blown progressive album, pushing musical boundaries and refusing to accept any given norms.

I am not sure what a pure classicist would think of this, probably wouldn’t be repeatable, but for someone coming into this from the progressive and metal side I can only say this is superb.