FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE - "AGONY" (Brutal Death goes Classick in 2011)

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE - "AGONY"
("Nuclear Blast Records"; CD):

This is a italian Band that had their debut released back then in 2009 and after a follow up EP in 2010 now in 2011 here's their new and current release so far, released by the german "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" label. Even this label changed heavily over the last one-and-a-half decade compared to their roots it all stayed more or less clearly Metal what was released by the label and so now you all should already know what we get here, and yes, if ya now have thought that this would be Metal stuff coming up here for you then you had been damn right. I didn't know FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE before but after currently from time to time I use to listen to Death Metal with some pleasure, from DEEDS OF FLESH to LIVIDITY and EXHUMED and also modern Deathcore music is pretty high on my billing again currently, and after reading this should be a pretty impressive and unique Brutal Death (Metal) band and release I thought to myself that it would maybe be a pretty good move to get this one here and so I got it anyhow and bought it two weeks ago before now or so. I got it and I listened to it... first thought: It rulez!!! Second thought: It suckz!!! Third (and final) thought: It's okay and a good one but nothing else anyway... FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE blend totally over the top fast and furious raging and incredible demanding and technical(ly) skilled up to date Brutal Death (Metal) with intense and morbid Classic Music elements in huge, huge heavy, heavy doses and also add clean and sometimes somehow also even a little bit opera-like clean vocal lines to it and that's what you get here with the "AGONY" album from them: Symphonic bombastic Brutal Death Metal that's taking no prisoners. Balsting high speeded raging very fast pace of the songs, intersting changes of rhythm and structure of the songs, impressive guitar and drum work (of the bass you don't really hear that much...), all damn well-versed and multi-layered as fuck, evil death grunt vocals, and all mixed up with bombastic and symphonic orchestral classic music elements (permanently present and marking the songs heavily) and clean more or less opera like vocals. Here you have it... the musicians are incredibly high skilled when it comes to playing their instruments and they show it in every single song, and also pretty often their songwriting works out pretty good after all. But I really dislike this whole classic muisc crap and also especially the terrible clean vocals that they have worked into it in so damn huge doses and the dislike of this elements (at least in thisparticular case of FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE) really grew on and on with every single listen more that I've done. But if you like Brutal Death Metal music and have no problem with this 'gaily' and 'artsy-fartsy' classical music stuff then this will maybe be your record of the year... for me it's just a good record with an very interesting and stringent lyrical and also aesthetical (look at the artwork - and start for example with the above picture great frontcover of the album) philosophical concept behind it all and all is coming in a powerful and clear and clean production sound, nothing more but also nothing less and anyhow nothing else. Maybe check them out anyhow if you like extreme and up to date (Metal) music. Btw, I don't know how this band thinks to do the songs of this album live on stage... (7 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/fleshgodapocalypse)