Album Review: Fleshgod Apocalypse - Opera
Reviewed by Sam Jones
One of modern metal’s biggest and most bombastic acts, Fleshgod Apocalypse have soared to the ranks of today’s biggest names and have helped put Italy on the map of extreme metal. Formed in 2007 out of Rome, the band were a more straight death metal act come their 2009 album Oracles, but things were quickly changing after they released their Mafia EP in 2010, cementing their symphonic aspect a year later with arguably their breakout album: Agony. Since then the band have only continued to refine, incorporate and perfect the fusion of death metal and classical with 2013’s Labyrinth, 2016’s King, though a change in the band’s roster saw founder Francesco Paoli leave his drum kit, returning to the guitars and vocals for the widely celebrated Veleno released in 2019, having not been at that position since Oracles. For the past few releases, every time Fleshgod Apocalypse unveil a new album it very easily rises to the top of my favourites for the year; its largely owed to my adoration of soundtracks, classical music etc. So, when Opera was announced for an August 23rd release date, I was more than hyped. The band have yet to miss their mark as far as I’m concerned and thus we have the band’s fifth album to be unleashed via Nuclear Blast. Opera is a relaxed I couldn’t wait to start up.
If there’s one thing you can say about Fleshgod Apocalypse, they know how to open a record up. Effectively incorporated into the band as a sixth member for a number of records now, Veronica Bordacchini sets the stage for the rest of the band to follow and what an opening performance she provides for Opera, giving the record’s title its namesake. Death metal has often used the trope of soaring choirs and similar operatic vocals as the initial salvo before a band takes to the stage, but Fleshgod Apocalypse could have already taken the stage amidst a chorus of applause and still belt out one such vocal performance and the immersion wouldn’t be lessened. It’s a beautiful start to the album. But her vocal work isn’t left exclusively for these smaller tracks either, Bordacchini’s cords are utilised all throughout the record yet only when the track you’re on is reaching its organic climax; I imagine it would be easy to try and plaster one of the band’s foremost recognisable elements across every waking moment of Opera, so the band’s reservation is to be commended, for when Bordaccchini is let loose her performance manages to elevate the band to grander heights yet it’s not so lofty that you can’t tell where you are within the songwriting.
By now, the band have becoming rather adept at blending the more ruthless elements of extreme metal with the inclusion of symphonies and choirs. Though the blast beats are pummelling us and the guitar work is perhaps the chunkiest it’s yet been on a Fleshgod record, it never comes into conflict with the grander, operatic element that has given the band their edge for well over a decade now. I suppose it’s a Herculean mixing effort required since you have to ensure the symphonic edge isn’t being smothered, whilst still making sure your instrumental and vocal components are still being heard and felt, nor do you want either aspect feeling overpowering. Allowing such to take place would result in a deadly unbalanced record, one wherein the band couldn’t decide on where our focus should be centred upon. It’s great therefore to acknowledge Fleshgod have only continued to improve the fusion of the two juxtaposing forces that their sound has comprised of for multiple albums by now.
What did surprise me was the album’s length. Opera stands as Fleshgod’s shortest album in years, a good fifteen minutes brisker than their usual output. Granted, I personally have never had problems with the band’s previous near-hour long works owing to how deadly I appreciate their sound, but I think it’s fascinating they’ve released a new full length work and it’s noticeably shorter. In a way it’s great for newer audiences since they can go into Opera knowing full well they don’t need to commit a huge swathe of time towards it in the event they find they’re not a fan. It’s therefore much more accessible for a newcomer, which can then happily open doors for the band’s previous output. Most tracks on record too are between four or five minutes long which may not seem all too different from their prior work, but Opera is bookended on either side by Bordacchini’s solo performance and a piano piece, again aiding to reaffirm the record’s namesake. It also suggests the band wished to cut out anything unnecessary from the record, streamlining this opus so only the very best the band deemed as such would be included.
Something that I have noticed is Opera is considerably less bombastic than the band’s recent couple of releases. That’s not to say this record doesn’t possess great power because the band absolutely bowl you over with the strength their performance derives, but on the whole Opera feels far more focused and rooted to the earth, harbouring far less risk of just launching off the ground and then never finding a touchdown. The bombastic element has always been a huge reason as per why the band have grown such a dedicated and feral fanbase, but Opera has seemingly toned it down just a touch to give greater room for the main band themselves to shine without difficulty. The individual riffs, drums and primary vocals as provided again by Francesco Paoli has a much stronger spotlight thrown upon them, so while the band are doing their utmost to immerse you within their symphonic majesties they’re ensuring they’re doing so without impairing us from enjoying their own individual performances.
In conclusion, I believe Opera is the kind of album that people will certainly enjoy upon the first listen though they may think it lacking compared to the band’s previous output. On the other hand, there is a slew of merit to be discovered within and upon repeated listens, people will come towards this record with the same measure of appreciation and love we have accumulated towards Labyrinth, King, Veleno etc. I think it comes down to how Opera has been written, for it isn’t as in your face with the bombastic nature as the band usually are but it is potentially a sleeper record, where you’ll return to it again and again and realise what you heard the first time round was actually exceedingly well written and what the band needed to make happen for the songwriting to work. Opera is far more glued to the ground than previous records by the band have been, and in doing so the band fine tune your attention more specifically to the riffs and drumming and the segments where the symphonic edge kicks in, as opposed to the overall, commanding grandeur their sound traditionally imposes. Even though there are differences within this record compared to others, Opera is still a wondrous record that’s a blast to enjoy which says droves for the band’s consistently astonishing output quality. All in all, a record that’s nicely shorter than the band’s usual work, and still grandly enjoyable.
