FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE hailing from Rome and Perugia in Italy were formed in 2007. The symphonic Death Metal band released one EP and five full-length albums. Their sixth album “Opera” was produced by Francesco Paoli and Francesco Ferrini., mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (ARCH ENEMY; DELAIN; DESTRUCTION) at Hansen Studios. It has a length of more than 43 minutes, and it was released via German Metal icons Nuclear Blast. The album starts with the symphonic introduction “Ode To Art (De Sepolcri)”, which is a tension-building and dark piano, string, and operatic vocal driven song with a bombastic finish, transitioning into “I Can Never Die”, a hammering, blast-beat driven fast track. The riffing is devastating, the drumming is relentless, and the male vocals are brutal growls around the medium end of the guttural range. The male vocals are in stark contrast to the clean female vocals that act as a counterpoint to the growls. The orchestral arrangements are partially in the background and partially they are leading the symphonic Metal charge, in particular with the bombastic choir support. The melodies are grim and at times melancholic as during the lead guitar solo. “Pendulum” continues with the bombast of the choir at the beginning, but quickly crushing riffing and the growls take over at a measured tempo for a verse part at a sluggish rhythm. The bridge introduces the clean female vocals, and the chorus part brings the choir, the orchestra, and the bombast back to the track. A great combination of lead guitar and piano solo fits perfectly in and “Pendulum” is an early album highlight. After a very short quiet pre-lude, “Bloodclock” is a mixture of brutal hammering at insane pace, interrupted by short quiet parts built in-between. The riffing is punishing, and the growls are aggressive and slightly lower compared to the previous tracks. While verse and chorus parts are frantic, the break is the opposite with the clean female vocals kicking in accompanied by dark and melancholic lead guitar melodies.

“At War With My Soul” has a bombastic start with the choir at its center. Things become crushing during the verse parts with punishing riffs accompanied by the double-bass drumming at a sluggish rhythm. The break introduces a bit mor chaos with the clean female vocals contributing as well. The orchestral arrangements are back alongside the operatic female vocals during the epic chorus parts. “Morphine Waltz” starts frantic and blisteringly fast. The melodies are put into a neo-classical framework provided by the guitars and the orchestral arrangements. The female vocals use highly pitched notes throughout; however, the modulation is very different compared to previous tracks. It all sounds a bit chaotic as all elements, the Metal instruments, both vocalists, the orchestra, and the choir seem to have their own life during the track. The only constant are the hammering drums from the first to the final note. “Morphine Waltz” is the official video release, and the YouTube link is provided below. “Matricide 8.21” has a quiet start and turns into a powerful mid-tempo track with thunderous riffing. The verse parts are driven by crushing riffs alongside the growling vocals. The melodies have a certain catchiness and maintain some neo-classical features. Overall, the melodic framework is chilling. The chorus parts introduce the clean female vocals and Veronica Bordacchini uses many deeper and Rock oriented notes.

While “Matricide 8.21” was somehow a slight change in sound, “Per Aspera Ad Astra” is another fast pummeling combined with epic orchestra and choir driven chorus parts. The verse parts are led by the blast-beat thunderstorm and the brutal growls. The break is introduced by the piano, followed by a contributing short lead guitar solo. The track circles back seamlessly to a final chorus part. “Til Death Do Us Apart” brings the album to the ballad with verse parts driven by the piano, the female vocals and the clean male vocals in the background, while the chorus parts are led by powerful riffing and both vocalists performing a duet. The vocal duet is the highlight as it is a very rare occasion on the album. A contributing extended lead guitar solo is the icing of the cake on the track. The album finishes with an instrumental version of the title track, and it is entirely driven by the piano. FLESHGOD APOCAPLYPSE deliver an excellent symphonic Death Metal album. “Opera” is crushing, devastating, and bombastic. The orchestral parts including the choir are perfectly arranged and always provide extra dimensions to all tracks. The Death Metal parts on the album are often brutal and frantic. The album is very well produced, and the songwriting is excellent throughout the album. “Opera” is symphonic Death Metal at its best and should belong to the album collection of every Death Metal and symphonic Metal fan.