In 2021, whilst rock climbing the Gran Sasso d’Italia in the Apennine Mountains, Fleshgod Apocalypse frontman and mastermind Francesco Paoli suffered severe injuries after falling. Narrowly avoiding death, Paoli used this experience to light a fire within him to craft the band’s post-pandemic return. Despite already being known for their intricate orchestrations weaved betwixt technically impressive death metal musicianship; in true Fleshgod fashion, the band have creatively pushed the envelope into new grandiose territories with Opera.
Stirring to life with the beautiful introductory composition “Ode To Art (‘De Sepolcri)” [‘De Sepolcri translating to Of The Sepulchres, a burial chamber], with hidden subtleties in the swelling orchestral grandeur set the appropriate tone for the experience ahead. Opera bursts to life with the collective trilogy of singles released ahead of the album that flow effortlessly together. “I Can Never Die” makes for a powerful opening shot, a violent resurrection of self and death metal fury in the form of a call to arms, conceptually exploring immortality through art and being so close to death. The technical virtuosity of the band is on full display from the outset, the complex orchestrations supporting them stuffed with epic choir melodies, powerful vocal performances from both Paoli and Veronica Bordacchini taking a firmer performative stance in the project. “Pendulum” continues to ramp up the flair for the dramatic with massive stomping riffs and death metal chugging, interwoven with choppy technical timings and rhythmic chaos. “Bloodclock” allows a moment to breathe, returning to a harp motif regularly introduced at the start of the track, taking moments to have almost an intimate vocal performance with spoken word whispers that feel deranged and touches of panicked hyperventilating.
Where their lauded 2016 album King explored the realms of regality and militaristic compositional motifs; with Opera, the bands orchestration is more focussed on an exploration of a wide range of vocals and choirs. There is still plenty of traditional orchestral arrangement fans know and love, but it makes a lot of the chorus’ on the album feel that much more epic, dramatic or tense depending on the atmosphere the band are currently going for track by track. An opera is typically an extravagant musical theatre production, portraying a dramatic story with intricate compositions. Fleshgod have committed to this concept; weaving a tale of life, suffering, death and the lengths a being may go to for immortality through artistry by examining Francesco’s accident through different lenses on each track.
Appropriately titled “At War With My Soul” leans heavily into portraying aspects of war and conflict through its composition. A more mid-paced affair, the stumpy chug of the opening riff is accented with almost apocalyptic choral arrangements and soul churning horn bursts that could be ripped straight out of the soundtrack for a violent battle scene in a historical war epic. As might be expected, “Morphine Waltz” is indeed set in 3/4 time, making it standout from the tracklist by feel and runtime alone being the shortest full track on the album. The straining vocals from Bordachchini, pushing her manic howls to the limit, accented with a diabolical neo-classical melodic battle with the piano, guitar and bass is intense fun and will make for an unbelievable live experience.
“Matricide 8.21” makes for an emotional and poignant moment on the album. Lyrically exploring the pain and suffering his mother went through, the vocal performance and lyricism are painful in their vulnerability. The track itself leans heavy into the symphonic side of metal almost feeling like it could be pulled from a Nightwish or Epica album if it wasn’t for Francesco’s monstrous vocals. It is truly the highlight of the album and one of the most moving and “real” tracks the band have ever produced. Speaking of which, the production of Opera could be a full discussion in and of itself. To keep it simple, Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Epica, Arch Enemy) handled it masterfully. From the individual band members tonality to the ambitious vocal orchestration; it is all balanced and handled with great care, sounding masterful and possibly the cleanest production of the band’s career to date.
The final run of tracks keeps things focussed and on theme through the final breaths. “Per Aspera Ad Astra (Through Suffering To The Stars)” brings back the faster tempo and grinding symphonic death metal, it is punishing in it’s brutality. Keeping the instrumental straightforward to a point and letting the overwhelming power of the additional vocal and string orchestration take centre stage. “Till Death Do Us Part” leans heavily into melodic death metal territory, retaining a dramatic flair to the bands twisted Opera in the finale. Album closer and title track “Opera” is a reflection of the intro, another soft classically oriented composition, leaving the listener feeling rather somber but with a strong closing resolution to the pain explored throughout the album.
It may take a while to truly breakdown the complexities buried within the depths of Opera, but even on a surface level, it is a monumental comeback for Fleshgod Apocalypse from such a terrifying life experience and makes for one of the most powerful albums of the year. The band lean even further into melodic and symphonic explorations than ever before and there are innumerable catchy hooks and earworm melodies strewn throughout that you’ll find yourself humming for days of your own accord.