Fleshgod Apocalypse - The Fool

Look, I know what you’re thinking. You’ve had a long week. The deadline goblin has been whispering in your ear, the emails have piled up like an avalanche of digital disappointment, and the last thing you need is a band of Italian folk in white face paint and ornate baroque jackets, striking poses that suggest they’re about to either perform a requiem or literally drink your blood. And yet, dear reader, that is exactly what I’m prescribing, because I have excellent taste and terrible judgement about what constitutes "help".

I’m talking, of course, about Fleshgod Apocalypse. If you’ve never seen them, imagine the cast of What We Do in the Shadows decided that flailing around a darkened house catching pigeons wasn’t a sufficient dramatic outlet, and formed a symphonic death metal band instead. They wouldn’t look remotely out of place beside Nandor, Laszlo and Nadja in their gothic finery. All they’re missing is a familiar who plays keyboard, though to be fair, they’ve brought their own orchestra, so that energy is covered.

And what an orchestra it is, even if it’s mostly synthesised because (and I deeply respect this admission) actual live symphonies cost money. Fleshgod don’t lean into one half of “symphonic death metal” while nodding politely at the other either. They lean into BOTH. With their entire bodies. The symphonic side soars ... all sweeping piano, operatic soprano vocals and more drama per square inch than a Verdi opera set on fire. The metal side is absurdly, almost comically heavy too and ticks all the boxes.  You've got your hyper-blast drums, demonic growls, and riffs delivered at velocities that should legally require a licence.

On most of their albums there's no real breather, either. You won't find many acoustic interludes to reflect on nature, just relentless, operatic, face-melting intensity from start to finish. Which makes it perfect Friday music, because what better way to burn off the last dregs of sanity you’ve been clutching all week than music that’s more stressful than your actual life? It’s a sauna for your cortisol. By the end, whatever petty grievances your boss inflicted on you this week have been rendered meaningless by a grand, apocalyptic, Italian operatic death metal triumph.  Or at least that's the plan...

So, enough of a prelude, sit back and enjoy "The Fool" taken from their 2016 concept album King. It’s roughly four minutes and six seconds of everything I’ve described above. Play it loud. Your week is almost over. Let the Fool handle what’s left of you.