Review Summary: Poisonous symphony
Formed in 2007 by multi-instrumentalist Francesco Paoli (former Hour of Penance), Fleshgod Apocalypse has built up a solid reputation over the past ten years. Even without a consensual reception by the metal community, the band was able to impose itself on the international metal scene with growing popularity, much due to having signed with Nuclear Blast that allowed them to increase their exposure, leaving the underground universe that unfortunately is common ground for many bands.
From the more straightforward technical brutal death metal of their early work, reminiscent of Hour of Penance, Fleshgod Apocalypse has been added an increasingly orchestral approach to its songwriting, to the point of becoming the cornerstone of the band's music. However in the last album
King, the band already began to pursue less complex territories, simplifying some processes and presenting more standard and accessible music structures in some songs.
This more direct approach is perfectly perceptible in "Fury", "Carnivorous Lamb" and "Sugar", the album's first songs. The orchestration ceases to be the structural element, to become an harmonious surrounding complement that works for the benefit of the songs and not the other way around. This may seem like a small detail, but it means a new approach for the band, which seeks to broaden their fanbase by making more reachable music. However, the band's older fans can rest assured,
Veleno keeps the band's DNA intact and Francesco Ferrini's classic orchestrations remain present, more subtler, but always present.
The well-known Fleshgod Apocalypse's warp speed signature also slowed down, creating room for everything to breathe and flow better, thus avoiding more saturating and asphyxiating moments present in previous albums, such as
Labyrinth.
Veleno is a product of a mature band that, without ever questioning their past, has decided to take a step forward through simplification. And even though this more accessible new approach is probably not enough to grab people who have never liked the band's style in the past, it can be an open door for new fans and new horizons.
