FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE — Oracles (review)

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE — Oracles album cover Album · 2009 · Technical Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
2.5/5 ·
ssmarcus
Given the reputation these Italian technical and symphonic death metal heavyweights, I was somewhat disappointed by this record in two respects. Firstly, the symphonic elements are used sparingly merely as detours or transitional pieces between the brutal death metal passages that comprise most of the album. These transitions into and from the symphonic passages almost always feel forced and jarring. While jarring the listener in this way is a valid technique in the way jump scares in horror are, its overuse signals laziness and gets boring real quick.

Secondly, the production strongly favors the drums. No doubt that session drummer Mauro Mercurio’s performance here is impressive. But being mixed front and center, it totally muddles out the finer contours and textures of the riffs making very difficult and, at times, even impossible to really appreciate what the guitars are doing. And when it comes to technical death metal, this an essential component of the listening experience.

With all that said, this is still an overall enjoyable record for fans of the genre. The playing is tight, the lyrics are effective, the brutality is immersive, and the symphonic sections are, when taken by themselves, enjoyable.
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