Beauty and ferocity – review of Fleshgod Apocalypse’s “Opera”

After five years the symphonic death metal Italian band, Fleshgod Apocalypse, returns with a new album, their sixth: “Opera”, published by Nuclear Blast record. An album, as the cover art wants to suggest for the similarities with Eugene Delacroix’s painting Liberty Leading the People, tastes freedom in every song. A record which the band dediced to explore other musical genres as crossover thrash or melodic death metal for example and make it extremely personal.

Having a symphonic sound, the name “Opera” for one of their works was unavoidable. Especially when in your band you have got a soprano voice. Unlike previous album, “Opera” has more songs with clean vocals sang by Veronica Bordacchini. The Italian singer mix her clean e lyrical voice with the other Italian singer and now bassist Francesco Paoli, who the quality of growls is always powerful, and give to the record a more catchy and engrossing touch with out forgetting their extreme nature. Even if there are many riff of piano by Francesci Ferrini and melodic solos by Fabio Bartoletti, the drums of Eugene Ryabchenko is always infernal.

Opera could be considered a record who decided to unite more musical tastes. Maybe for the ones who always listen extreme music with no space for melody or quiet is not the right album. But for the ones who like heterogeneous works they appreciate this work and the passion of Fleshgod Apocalypse for making this album. A work that melted beauty and ferocity. Are they going down the path of a sound more commercial? Maybe, but if the quality has to be in this way, they’re welcome. The Italian metal scene is in good hands.