Interviews : “…we feel like we are finally writing Fleshgod music” – a Q&A with Fleshgod Apocalypse

Italy’s Fleshgod Apocalypse are coming to the end of their much awaited first Australian tour, and from all reports they have kicked major arse so far, alongside tour buddies Septic Flesh. Their last album Labrynth was yet another in a string of brilliantly crafted orchestral death metal, and we’re already keen for the next one. While on the road, vocalist Tommaso Riccardi answered a few questions.

So you’ve already landed in Australia for your first tour here, what have you been up to on your first few days?

Hello! Our first Australian tour began with a fantastic barbecue with our friends in Lagerstein, and a day off in which we had the chance to visit some cool places and take a swim on the Gold Coast! Beside that, I have to say that these first shows have been amazing, even more than expected. Good start!

Can you run us through how you manage so much orchestration on the live front? Is it majority samples or performed on the keyboards?

Well, at the beginning we used to have both piano parts and some strings lines played on keyboards, but from labyrinth we started using the piano as a piano. The entire album is conceived as a concert for piano and orchestra, so we moved all the orchestral arrangements on the backing tracks. Of course we would love to bring an 80 instruments ensemble plus a choir…but you know, it would be hard!

You guys have had a new album out roughly every 2 years, should we assume that means you’ve already written some of the next one? If so, how is it sounding in comparison to past material?

It depends on what you mean when you say “written” ehheeh!

When we work on a new album we usually take 7/8 months off to concentrate on that, but now we feel like the touring cycle for Labyrinth needs to be a little longer than before, since there’s a lot of places (like Australia) where we finally have the chance to play, and we have to. It’s really important for us to play live shows, and now there are many countries that ask us to go, and of course we want to do that! Beside that, Francesco Paoli actually never completely stops writing music…so I know he already has something in mind for the next one. Like usual, on one hand it will be totally Fleshgod style, on the other hand it will be a total surprise!

How is a Fleshgod Apocalypse song born? Do you tend to start with the more metal elements, the orchestral elements, or an overall idea of how you want the two to work together?

After a few years we’ve been writing and recording, we reached a good consciousness of the mechanisms that regulate our music. At the beginning, everything was unknown, and it took a lot to understand which things worked, and why. Today, we feel that we are finally writing “Fleshgod music”, and that means that when we think about a new song, we already think it with all the things that are going on in our music.

Of course sometimes you start from a rhythm, and sometimes from a main theme or a guitar riff, but that’s casual, it’s just a matter of inspiration!

I’m sure a lot of metalheads can pick out your metal influences well enough, but which composers are the main inspiration for the orchestral side of things?

Many composers from the pre-romantic and romantic period are between our main inspirations. Paganini, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Brahms, Rossini…just to name some of them. Also, we really love some of the contemporary composers of movie themes such as John Williams, Danny Elfman, Hanz Zimmer and Howard Shore.

I gather the ultimate goal is to perform live with an actual orchestra?

Of course. It’s a dream, and a lot of resources are needed to make it real. We just have to be patient, and maybe it’ll come true!

Do you have any particular favourite moments from the catalogue so far; any sections or tracks that you’re extra proud of?

I don’t know, I like everything we did so far in different ways. Of course there is an evolution, and that means that things have been growing constantly, in my opinion. One of the songs I really enjoy of our last release is “Towards The Sun”, because it’s a completely different song from our usual hits, but in the meantime it contains all those things that make it sound as a Fleshgod song. I really love that!

Fleshgod lyrics have always focused on humanity and the struggles it faces, albeit through different (mythology, religion, human traits). Are there any particular aspects of it that you’d really love to delve into on future material?

I still don’t know. It’s pretty early to say that.

Our lyrics are strictly connected to our life experience. Every album describes a period of our personal evolution and the changes in our way to see life and understand ourselves and other humans, so it’s always pretty hard to say how we’re gonna approach the next lyrics. I’ll be probably able to tell you in a year or so…

What’s the plan for the band post-Australian tour?

Well, we’ll have about one week off probably, to spend with our families. Than back to reharsal, to prepare for our summer, that will be very busy. We’ll leave on June 20th for a North American tour with Septic Flesh (we are exporting this package everywhere, it really works!), and than back to Europe for a few festivals, and of course Wacken Open Air!

Any final words for your Australian fans before they witness you live?

Yes. Thank you for support, and see you at the shows.

Cheers!

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