Initial Impressions: Fleshgod Apocalypse: Mafia

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.