Fleshgod Apocalypse - Mafia EP

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... 

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*Comments:

June 14, 2010

Reviewer: Roswell47

Release Date: June 8th, 2010
Label: Willowtip Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Thru Our Scars
2.  Abyssal
3.  Conspiracy of Silence
4.  Blinded by Fear
5.  Mafia

Total playing time:  23:59