Heavy Song of the Week is a Heavy Consequence feature that breaks down the best metal and hard rock tracks you need to hear every Friday. This week, first place goes to Fleshgod Apocalypse for their new single “Bloodclock.”
Fleshgod Apocalypse's extreme metal is so ornate and luxurious that it doesn't seem to exist on this mundane plane. It has a fantastic and literary air.
Therefore, it is intriguing that the band's next album Opera and specifically lead single “Bloodclock” were inspired by the very real near-death experience of Fleshgod mastermind Francesco Paoli.
Paoli was involved in a mountaineering accident in 2021 that left him hanging unconscious from a rope a few hundred meters above the ground. Paoli suffered injuries, but fortunately survived the terrible scare.
Paoli reflected in the press announcement of the new song: “What do we see just before we die? Well, with 'Bloodclock' I give my testimony and reveal the personal visions I had…”
The song's heartbreaking arrangement, an amalgam of brutal, claustrophobic death metal and lush symphonic elements, taps into a desperation and urgency that simply cannot be faked or imitated. The music moves, changes and turns corners as if fleeing death itself. Fleshgod has always defended this compositional decadence, but by breaking the third wall, it traps the listener by heart. and mind.
Honorable mentions:
Alcesto – “Komorebi”
If you didn’t know you were listening to Alcest and you heard the intro to “Komorebi,” the opening track of the band’s newly released album. The songs of the dawn – It would be difficult to recognize the band, much less the genre you were listening to. The French duo blurs the line between shoegaze, post-rock and black metal, creating refreshing and original music that could appeal to fans of any of those styles. On this track, the clean vocals and blast beats finally reveal it to be Alcest, as there are few bands that combine those seemingly contrasting elements so well.
Crobot – “Low”
Crobot marks a sonic shift on “Come Down,” the lead single from his newly announced album. Obsidian. The Pennsylvania band tends to be more on the upbeat, bluesier side of heavy psych/stoner metal, but drummer Dan Ryan brought their grunge influences to the forefront here, co-writing the song with singer Brandon Yeagley. The latter's world-class pipes have long been compared to those of greats like Chris Cornell, and with the band playing with darker riffs and atmospheres, this new song reaches an Alice in Chains/Soundgarden threshold that's eternally satisfying. .
Mr. Big – “Above You”
Mr. Big's latest single is a joyful hard rock swagger bolstered by crystal-clear production and top-notch performances typical of the veteran group (which has a pair of virtuosos in its ranks: guitarist Paul Gilbert and bassist Billy Sheehan). . The band has fun with a descending scale and some pop in the chorus, a trademark of Gilbert's musical artistry, while singer Eric Martin exercises his impressive vocal range throughout the track. After two powerful singles, Mr. Big's Ten is shaping up to be the feel-good hard rock album of the summer.
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