Italian symphonic death metal maestros FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are back with their brand new sixth album titled Opera, a heartbreaking musical journey inspired by the tragic mountaineering accident of their frontman and mastermind Francesco Paoli in 2021.
The album will be released on August 23rd via Nuclear Blast Records and is structured like a 10-act play, with the title itself, Opera , drawing a clear link to the eternal tradition of Italian classical musical theater, combining it with the epic brutality of death and symphonic metal that has become their trademark. Mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, EPICA, ARCH ENEMY), Opera definitely marks another step forward for the band, bringing new ideas into that unique mix that FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are known for: pure violence, majestic orchestrations and soaring melodies. Such an ambitious musical endeavor called for an equally impressive art, a team project between two emerging Italian talents (the extraordinary artist Felicita Fiorini and the visionary photographer Francesco Esposito ) that follows the path traced by Baroque painters such as Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentileschi. The cover depicts Veronica as music, a higher entity that conquers the social and artistic decay of modern times.
With this new album, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE set the bar even higher than before, establishing what seems like an entirely new subgenre that could be called “Opera Metal”: an unprecedented blend of extreme music and theatrical elements.
“The best stories always come from pain, that’s a bitter truth but undeniable,” says Francesco P. “We managed to transform one of the worst things in life into a work of art that embodies our personal and artistic growth and takes listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions where they can experience what I went through, hand in hand with me. It’s a waking nightmare, but that’s life sometimes, just scary.”
Francesco P. continues: “In my visionary representation of this journey, which begins with my near-death experience and culminates in a much-desired physical and psychological rebirth, I wanted to capture every single step of my Calvary as if they were acts of an ‘Opera Lirica’, with dialogues or even confessions to imaginary characters who were constant companions throughout my (mis)adventure.”
“This album throws you into a vortex of discomfort and uncontrollable emotions, where you can experience pain, fear, despair, anger, frustration, but also determination, courage, hope and a deep desire for redemption. I firmly believe that this album is a solid manifesto of resilience and I hope that my story will inspire people who have been ‘lost’ for whatever reason.
“We can’t wait for you to hear the full album and play it live in every corner of the world. We plan to take everyone to ‘Opera’ with a massive new show, so get ready!”
With the announcement of the album comes the new single “Bloodclock,” a raging song brimming with fear, pain and visionary stories of life and death.
Opera track listing:
1. Ode to Art (De’ Sepolcri)
2. I Can Never Die
3. Pendulum
4. Bloodclock
5. At War With My Soul
6. Morphine Waltz
7. Matricide 8.21
8. Per Aspera Ad Astra
9. Till Death Do Us Part
10. Opera
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.
