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Fleshgod Apocalypse > Mafia > Reviews
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia

Octopus Mafia - 93%

necropsyalpha, November 8th, 2011

I’m not sure what a octopus has to do with the Mafia, fortunately these Italians have produced some awesome metal here. Here you whiteness what would later become Agony, the vocal progressions the symphonic precursor is more evident here.

I don’t really care so much about the at the gates cover, it’s a fine cover but the original song isn’t that impressive anyway. What is impressive and downright the most brutal song they have ever done is Thru Our scars. This song simply cannot do anything less than rape faces and break your neck in half. You will headband to this song… it’s no longer a decision left up to you. It simply will happen.

Songs on Mafia tend to be long but don’t lose their meaning intensity and more importantly they don’t get stagnant.

The drums are pummeling as you would expect from FleshGod Apocalypse, fast enough to take your head off.

The Riffs on Mafia Border from the technical to the downright catchy, this is some of their most catchy riffs to date. The guitar tone is similar to Oracles but slightly thicker and more bludgeoning.

Overall these 3 songs seem to trump “oracles” providing variation where that album had lacked. Not to mention the riff and melody improvements. It’s clear that FleshGod Apocalpse improves on every release. It is also worth mention that FleshGod’s live sound is astounding and very similar to this ep’s sound.

If you love technical or brutal metal this is for you… and if you love being bludgeoned and drowned by an octopus, visit the zoo?

Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia EP - 97%

G1_Batterista, October 18th, 2011

Must I say that since their first official release, “Oracles”, Fleshgod Apocalypse has substantially improved their sound, as an attempt to working towards achieving the ultimate goal of satisfaction with blending classical music with death metal into a just perfect orgasm inducing onslaught of tasteful, brutal tones.


Ever sense Mr. Francesco Paoli’s move from guitar to drums (an intelligent choice indeed), and with the addition of Mr. Paolo Rossi’s clean operatic vocal passages composed on the tracks “Thru Our Scars” and “Conspiracy of Silence”, I must say that the dynamics are definitely turning this band into the right direction towards the path of musical stardom. With impressive, sheer perfection with the timing and execution of signature changes, it‘s only but a wonder as to how these guys all keep up with each other. The guitars riff along chaotically with little room for slowing down to a steady pace, although through the middle of “Conspiracy of Silence”, there are some mid-paced passages that are worth noting. The drums are just of that; the true essence of “bliss”, that is that the “bliss” is chaotic streams of blasting topped off with unpredictable fills and switches. The bass is somewhat typical, following along with the guitars, but does a fantastic job as the relentless of fast picking seems to never give itself a break. The low and high death growls are that reminiscent of a black/death metal act, sustaining raspy but decipherable lyrics, not to mention that the operatic highs are just a great compliment to the overall works established here on this release.


I conclude that overall, the Mafia EP is a great release, a fast, brutal, and enlightening taste that you shall hear from these guys without signs of slowing down for the better, and before long, you’ll realize that only after 24 minutes of this stuff that you’ll be begging for more, as these guys deliver and don’t disappoint. This shall definitely become a classic and influential release later on in the metal community, as it is almost without perfection that is being that this album couldn’t exist in a perfect world, but it’s damn near close, which is why I gave it a 97 out of 100. A great EP indeed, please don’t pass this one up for nothing!

An impressive undertaking - 80%

730, August 10th, 2011

From Italy comes one of the most impressive and, for a lack of a better term, funnest extreme metal records heard all year.

For some time now, Fleshgod Apocalypse has been in my side-mirror, as I like to put it. I've known of them, enjoyed tapping onto their myspace songs and youtube vids but our relationship never developed beyond that. That was until I got a promo of the furious and oddly likable Mafia, five song EP.

What strikes me first, after getting over the ridiculously fast drumming and laser precise string shredding, is the more traditional, NWOBHM metal influences found throughout the four original songs, especially in 'Thru Our Scars' and 'Conspiracy' of Silence'. I should say, three original songs, as the closing number is a classical piano piece (fitting The Godfather trilogy). Anyway.
How said traditional influences appear so seamlessly and tastefully in the music, comes through various means. One is use of clean, almost power metal-like vocals. Now don't get scared, because when these are utilized, to a great effect might I add, it fits the music so perfectly, it makes me wonder how they managed to resist using this "device" more often. This shows maturity and taste. Instead of abusing it, you get it in short bursts that are so much sweeter as a result.

The solos are another related concern. Reminiscent of James Murphy, Michael Amott and Andy LaRocque to name but few. Aforementioned axe-men and Fleshgod Apocalypse share love for tuneful and dramatic soloing. Avoiding being merely fast and complicated for the sake of being just that (read: boring) they actually fit the nature of the songs, who are fast, intense and quite dark. It has got a bit of a heroic flair to it and it works.
Other "classical" elements are the guitar harmonies found throughout, sounding like a cross between Iron Maiden (almost) and Terminal Spirit Disease era At The Gates.
As said before, the drumming is amazing. Not only because of the speed and precision but because it is in good taste and they sound immense as apposed to clinical. I fail to comprehend how he pulled that off amidst all the bursts and complexions of the compositions.
There are no less than four voices at work here! The lead vocals get kudos for surprising timing and patterns.

Looking at the cover art and putting it in context with the music's nature and album name, it's hard to make a connection other than the obvious - Italians = Mafia. Are they playing with a stereotype or am I missing out on something? The contrast is baffling. Dramatic and technical efficient death metal that scolds religion and champions individualism, coining their album Mafia and putting an octopus on the cover. I'm intrigued by this ambiguous predicament and I'm by no means knocking it off the table for being silly. At the time, it's evident, Fleshgod Apocalypse don't take themselves too seriously. But their music is serious business, much like the mafia is. Ahem.

In terms of melodic sensibility and catchyness, I couldn't help thinking of later day Death meets Domination/Gateways era Morbid Angel. I don't know how the manage to marry brutality, darkness, sensationalism, drama and... entertainment, and still make the listener feel all serious, pensive and prone to level 10 headbanging. I just don't. But I'm glad they succeeded, because Mafia is as ridiculous as it is spectacular.
'Thru Our Scars' and 'Abyssal' or both phenomenal and in the running for the best metal songs of the year. The former is the most explosive opener on a record this year so far. Bar none.

Fleshgod's cover of At The Gate's 'Blinded By Fear' cannot go unmentioned. The tuning and guitar work is for the most part identical. The "intro" has been modified. The drums operate in the same tempo but with much more snare and bass drum hits per minute. We're talking blast beats and double kicking all over this motherfucker. And as simple as it sounds it's such a rad idea. Class.

The relentlessness and precision herein might drive away some of the more organic-minded amongst you, but with only five tracks, I don't think it'll be the case. Mafia is an impressive undertaking and a joy to behold. Yes. I think you should own this record.
- Birkir Fjalar

Originally published Friday, October 8, 2010 on http://halifaxcollect.blogspot.com

Terrific EP - 95%

Shadoeking, July 30th, 2011

I am not sure of the connection between the giant octopus of Kraken or whatever on the cover and the title "Mafia". Perhaps it is a metaphor that is just a little over my head, I don't really know. Maybe if I just sat down to think about it a little, I could figure it out.

That is all neither here nor there though. The real reason we are here is to look at this album from a musical standpoint and I really have to say that I am impressed with Fleshgod Apocalypse. This is already the band's fourth release since forming in 2007 and it is clear that the young Italian band has already become a leader in the technical death metal scene.

This is not just some soulless, overly technical wankery though, as is often the criticism of this style. Fleshgod Apocalypse has a lot of depth. Every riff is played with purpose and form coherent musical ideas. The death metal core is brutal and intense, but many other influences are present. There is a violin part, piano, and a clean singer present at various points in the album which breaks up the brutality for a little while.

This is an EP and as such only features five songs, one of which is a cover of At The Gates's "Blinded by Fear". The final track is a classical piano piece that would be at home in any mob movie. So, we really have three tracks here to get a handle on Fleshgod Apocalypse's core sound, but this little peak shows a truly impressive band. I will definitely be looking for more from Fleshgod Apocalypse.

Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia - 75%

padshiyangel01, June 14th, 2011

Classical and death metal are not usual bosom-buddies, but one band rapidly growing in popularity have their hearts set on melding the two together. Introducing Roman brutal death act Fleshgod Apocalypse and their 24-minute pummeling Mafia. Anyone familiar with fellow countrymen Hour Of Penance should stop reading and go buy this release. To those who don't, read on.

Opener “Thru Our Scars” throws down the gauntlet to challengers with a strong opening blast, but manages to mix in a violin breakdown and neoclassical shred solos whilst still bludgeoning forwards at a ridiculous pace. Throughout the EP, the guitars go from crushing and chugging riffs to harmonized solos, along with insanely fast-paced drums, all within in the same song. This does lead to the songs being longer than average, although most sections are quite memorable. The At The Gates cover is given the Fleshgod treatment, but becomes forgettable after a few listens. The transitions between songs are impressive, especially between “Abyssal” and “Conspiracy Of Silence”. The title track, in similar fashion to their début, is an orchestral track from guest pianist Ferrini, and truly showcases the classical influence on the band.

The vocals on the album are mostly low intelligible gutturals, delivering a commendable lyrical blow to the corruption and violence of the Sicilian Mafia. However, compared to the poetic and eloquent lyrics of début Oracles, these are a step down in quality: “We're the starving victim of the world you made for you/Your thirst of power's sucking all away!” are what greet the listener. Another slightly odder addition to the Fleshgod arsenal are Rossi's operatic cleans, which required some getting used to before I fully enjoyed them. Finally, there is an extended soundbite from Mafia member Salvatore Riina, differing from the usual creepy film extracts used by others.

The main letdown on this release is the production. The drums completely dominate the music, leaving the guitar and bass muddied in the mix, although this is rectified in concert. Also, the cover could have been left off the album or replaced with some original material as it's the weakest track by far.

Behemoth and Hour Of Penance fans will gain a lot from this release, once they see past the clean vocals, as well as anybody wishing to try the more eccentric side of death metal. Avant-garde this is not, but it may be enough to stand out from the crowd. Once the production issues clear up, we can look forward to a promising sophomore release.

Originally posted at mostlymetal.wordpress.com

Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia - 80%

ConorFynes, January 2nd, 2011

When it comes to death metal, there's no denying that some of the world's most technically proficient and inhuman acts play within the abrasive and heavy style. Freed of many typical songwriting conventions, death metal musicians are given a wider playing field with which to sport their skills, and give a feeling of brutality and aggression scarcely seen in other styles. While all of this may certainly benefit death metal, many of the genre's adherents either fall into a technical, brutal sound with poor recording production, or a polished production that focuses on more melodic, conventional tendencies. With that being said, it's always a pleasure to be introduced to a death metal band that manages to record their sound beautifully, while all the while remaining viciously technical and heavy. Fleshgod Apocalypse is one such band, and on top of great production and unrelenting skill, their 2010 EP 'Mafia' showcases a few very unexpected twists that add to the EP being one of the most impressive I've heard in the past year.

'Thru Our Scars' opens 'Mafia' with full-force, immediately introducing the listener to Fleshgod's tightness as an act. To make what would otherwise be above-average tech metal better, symphonic influences (such as a violin breakdown, orchestral section) and even an operatic clean vocalist are thrown in, to never let the listen get too one-tracked in death metal. The second track 'Abyssal' flows in almost seamlessly, following the same heavy, yet beautiful sound of the band. To make things even more unique for death metal, the title track 'Mafia' is a classical piano piece, which- true to it's title- could easily fit as a musical theme for any mob movie. The only track here that isn't incredible is Fleshgod Apocalypse's cover of the At The Gates song 'Blinded By Fear,' which while staying true to the band's very technical approach, lacks all of the surprising nuances that makes the band so special.

A joke that is passed around a bit within the local death metal scene is that 'Mafia's album cover is actually a painting of the drummer. Humour aside, the intense percussion of Francesco Paoli is absolutely stunning. No stranger to the double-kick pedal, Paoli destroys his kit, and takes advantage of every possible drum fill to the max. Also of note are the great guitarists at work here, who effortlessly switch between crunchy, heavy riffs and neoclassical shredding.

While only still a relatively new band, Fleshgod Apocalypse shows some remarkable talent and promise, and if 'Mafia' is any sign, the band is well on it's way to going somewhere fantastic.

With no sign of slowing down - 80%

SadisticOrgasm, November 5th, 2010

Fleshgod Apocalypse. Their debut full length was a bold statement to the death metal communities around the world, may be one of the finest albums of 2009, and within a one year time, they’ve managed to rise again from the cores of religion-mockery, with a new release, an EP this time, and it feels there is no sign whatsoever of the inferno to die down. Slightly not as up to the debut, but surely has some highs to it, so as to be liked or owned.

The intensity just seems to have increased in this record. As soon as “Thru Our Scars” is on the go, I totally tended to focus on the strength of the drums, which have now magnified its might, the guitars that have offered being rather as a derivative of Hate Eternal style, and the overall music which is twice as headbangable as it was in Oracles. Yet the unashamed inclusion of classical symphonies is still prevalent supplying the trademark Fleshgod… feel.

So they have still got more of the epic feel gatherings, and as for the technicality aspect, the music authentically goes in the league of Hate Eternal, Nile or company. Just mind the fucking velocity! Here is this complexity within the simplicity, besides all those memorable/hummable lines, I just wish to praise the technicality displayed.

Well, one thing to dissatisfy is the song structures, which tend to have weakened in relation to the earlier album. I don’t know if these are intentional, but here is more of the verse–chorus–verse formula, with just a little deviation going here and there within, with the classical parts leaning to fill the vacuum, which still sounds somewhat plain and lost.

There also happens to be included “Blinded by Fear”, an At the Gates cover. I’m no fan of the whole melodeath subgenre and have ignored anything or everything tagged melodic death metal, I haven’t cared about the band much, so I have not heard the original, obviously. However, the cover sounds to have a distinct originality, an effort that has resulted it to sound more as a brutal death metal song, farther from its melodeath parent, but since I am not aware of the initial version, I rest my case.

Hence, three originals, a cover and a mediocre title-track classical piece. That was the album. I prefer Oracles to this, as nothing more spectacular has been offered here, which doesn’t mean this deserves its place with the latest Cannibal Corpse album (that sucked, of course). It still means this is a powerful and genuine album, and gazing at all those insanely crafted complex instrumentations in a fuelled speed, I am really impressed by the band this time round too.

Technical Supremacy - 80%

AndreisReaper, September 18th, 2010

I first came across Fleshgod Apocalypse when my own inferior band was somehow offered an opening slot at one of their shows, this never happened due to the inferiority of said band. But anyway I went out and bought the Oracles debut and I was mightily impressed, seeing as that the modern technical death metal scene has been quite rank as of late with a few astounding exceptions, Fleshgod being among the most prominent of these exceptions.

So after having my ears turned into genitalia by Oracles I was quite impatient for a follow up. And this lovely EP dropped into my lap one day and it was a simple matter of barricading myself in my fortress of solitude to listen to it intently.

Immediately the blasting intro of Thru our Scars hit me in the face and I was all set to enjoy it, when the tiny out-of-tune violin came in and I was hit by a moment of doubt, but this quickly whipped away as the song progressed. Fleshgod's shameless use of classical music is truly inspired. When adding direct classical/symphonic elements into metal it can go either of 2 ways, utterly cluster fucked (Modern Dimmu) or truly inspired (fleshgod).

The only thing I can see as a fault would be the utterly cliché lyrics, such as "We can't forgive the words of your deceit,
our pain bleeds thru our scars!
We will dare you all to face the bloody fakes you made! "
Now we can all honestly say we have a heard a message like this a million times before and this really is quite the disappointment, but one of the things I rather like about fleshgod is that these flaws give it that imperfect quality that just makes it all the more enjoyable, but still, from a lyrical standing things could be better.

Now the big test of this EP was the cover of Blinded By Fear, and since I am an At The Gates fan boy my usual cynicism was beginning to creep in. I was pleased though with the quality of the cover, seeing as it was not a direct copy of the original and that fleshgod had put their own spin on it, Not as good as the original by far, but still not bad at all.

The musicianship of the band and originality of the classical influence in the composition has turned me from a modern technical death metal cynic, into a fan boy who still has hope for the genre. May the Italians continue to produce incredibly decent technical death metal and may I continue to enjoy it.

You coulda been a contender, right? - 65%

autothrall, August 6th, 2010

Similar to their fellow Italian death metal act Hour of Penance, who have even shared some of the same lineup, Fleshgod Apocalypse have made a huge splash upon the worldwide underground death market for their combination of highly presentable studio presentation, technical wherewithal and punishing, dynamic composition. Much like the behemoth squid on the cover of this EP writhes its tentacles through an angry sea, Mafia seeks to quickly follow last year's debut Oracles as a statement of solidarity, a proof positive that lightning can strike twice and that Fleshgod plans on an ensuing series of electrical storms that penetrate the dense, earthy crust of the death metal fan's robust skull.

The use of 'behemoth' in that opening paragraph was not an accident, because the opening moments of "Thru Our Scars" immediately bring to mind the better known Polish band, who also have staked their fame on a similar, modern excess of fast paced death metal embellishment with no lack of atmospheric content. You'll also be reminded of Hate Eternal, and by logical extension Morbid Angel, but Fleshgod goes all out with blasting fury to try and push beyond this point. I personally liked the little flourishes here as with the brief inclusion of female vocals and the spicy classical lead break in the bridge, but otherwise its just a wall of force that impedes upon the gravity of the listener without truly conspiring to create memorable riffing. This holds true to my feelings for their debut Oracles: monumental production, great musicians and enough aggression to blow a barn door off, like a tornado, but beyond a half hour of ass handing they don't really write much for the long term reflection.

But then, the end of this track swells with subverted melodies that lead into the rolling, double bass barricade of "Abyssal", which is slightly superior in the riffing, a flurry of chaos like the breaking of the waters on the EP's cover, something sinister just beneath with its gaze focused upon you and the separation of your limbs. It's not perfect, but there's a good lead here and its overall more exciting, despite the slower pace. "Conspiracy of Silence" is back to the blasting, an Italian advancement upon the tried extremity of Hate Eternal or the more excessive Polish bands like Vader and Hate. The drums are disgusting, the dark, melodic weaving of the guitars welcome, but otherwise the brickhouse blasted riffs are quite forgettable. "Mafia" is a piano piece sans vocals, which is actually a nice closure to the album thought it bears no real connection to the original death metal works. Also present is a cover of At the Gates' "Blinded by Fear", from their seminal Slaughter of the Soul. The Italians hack away at it, making it faster and perhaps more repulsive, but without the patented Lindberg snarling, its just not the same.

In all, Mafia presents about 17 minutes of new, modern, brutal death metal which should have the feathers of the bands inherent fanbase in a ruffle, though to my ears, there is not all that much impressive about it. The drumming is a whirlwind, the guitars occasionally offering a nice taste of something catchy, but despite its high level of polish, there were very few moments at which my neck started to break, and when you've got a death metal record, you've either got to provide the eerie old school atmosphere or a truly mesmerizing vortex of guitar lines. I'm afraid this doesn't possess either before a few errant, classically-influenced phrases, and since there is so little meat on the bones to begin with, its not required listening.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

An exceptional EP - 80%

Roswell47, June 20th, 2010

Few brutal death metal bands attempt to blend classical and operatic influences into their sound as boldly as Fleshgod Apocalypse. Fleshgod either achieves this within the songs themselves or via interludes that connect tracks. This Italian band is back with its follow up release to 2009's Oracles, the Mafia EP.

In a sense Fleshgod Apocalypse presents us with more of the same with Mafia. The brutal death metal framework, neo-classical guitar parts, and instrumental interludes are still intact. Yet Mafia is still a somewhat different animal from Oracles. With the departure of session drummer Mauro Mercurio (ex-Hour of Penance) and the shift of vocalist/guitarist Francesco Paoli (ex-Hour of Penance) to the drum position, the band has begun to sound even less like Hour of Penance. Paoli is still credited as a guitarist and vocalist as well, although it seems that drums are now his primary instrument. Newcomer Tommaso Riccardi is now listed as "lead vocals / guitars." Bassist Paolo Rossi also contributes vocals to the album. Rossi adds high, clean operatic singing to "Thru Our Scars" and "Conspiracy of Silence" which are honestly quite jarring at first, but after repeated listens these vocals begin to make sense.

The songs on Mafia are also slightly less intense and are more simplified than on Oracles. (Notice I said "slightly." ) This makes the songs more memorable by sacrificing a smidge of their older brutal badassery. The production also lowers the brutality level somewhat because it is more mid-rangey and less bottom-heavy this time around. These differences are really very minute however, and Mafia is still a supremely brutal EP by any standards. Mafia treats us to three "real" new songs, one cover, and one piano piece. "Thru Our Scars," "Abyssal," and "Conspiracy of Silence" are the meat of the EP. They all use Fleshgod's trademark guttural vocals, brutal riffs, neo-classical leads, and pounding drums. All three are memorable tracks with "Thru Our Scars" and "Abyssal" being the most repetitive. This use of repetition is not a negative quality however and helps the songs stay in your head for days on end. "Thru Our Scars" and "Conspiracy of Silence" both introduce the aforementioned high male vocals to Fleshgod's repertoire. After these three new songs, At the Gates' "Blinded by Fear" gets the Fleshgod Apocalypse cover treatment. It's different enough from the original to be of some interest, but it feels mostly like a filler track, which is not uncommon to EPs like this. Fleshgod exchanges blast beats for some of the original's stomping, grinding drum patterns. There are also subtle strings added to the solo section of the song. While it's interesting to hear a new interpretation that attempts to boost the brutality level of this classic, Fleshgod's version still can't touch the original. Like Oracles, the Mafia EP closes with its title track, a piano outro.

With Mafia, the members of Fleshgod Apocalypse are continuing to blaze their own trail and are also further distancing themselves from Hour of Penance. (Of course, this may not really matter with the future of Hour of Penance uncertain at this point.) I happen to prefer the Oracles full-length to this EP and recommend it as the place to start with this band. That said, Mafia is an exceptional EP even if you choose to view it as only three new songs. Fleshgod Apocalypse fans will not be disappointed with this offering. It is well worth your cash and will tide you over until the next full-length. Now, if we can only get a U.S. tour...

Originally written for http://www.metalpsalter.com