Italian symphonic death metal maestros Fleshgod Apocalypse have released the latest single, “I Can Never Die”, from the band’s 6th studio album, Opera, that’s due out August 23 from Nuclear Blast Records. Accompanied by the stunning music video by visionary director Martina L. McLean, “I Can Never Die” is a crushing sonic tribute to artists and their enduring works.
Commenting on the song, frontman Francesco Paoli states:
"Memory is the strongest force in the universe, as it’s the one and only that can give us immortality. It can’t be deceived or shaped to our liking as, in the end, we are what we do and what we leave to posterity faithfully reflects what kind of men and women we’ve been. Some people don’t give the right value to their actions, focusing on immediate profit, and forgetting that our choices have a decisive impact on our and other people’s existence. Especially when you are an artist. It's essential to remember that everything we create outlives us, it has a life of its own and, once it’s brought into existence, it belongs to everyone and we have no more control over it.
“Death can occur abruptly any time and there’s no chance to change what it's done, once we’re gone. As far as I’m concerned, one of my first thoughts when I realized that I could have died was “who have I been” and “what am I leaving behind”. I recollected my whole life and figured out how much determination, sacrifice and honesty I’ve put into art and that made me so proud that I would have died in peace.
“That’s why we wrote this song, which is nothing but a glorious anthem for all those who commit their existence to art in the purest possible way."
Director Martina L. McLean adds about the music video:
“‘I Can Never Die’ is the third video created by me and my team, Sanda Movies, in collaboration with Fleshgod Apocalypse, for the Opera cycle. For a song with such a profound and universal meaning—a true anthem to the value of art and the artist—I wanted to contribute to the visual aspect by creating an experimental video, entirely guided by inspiration, lots of different approaches, techniques, and obviously too many of hours of editing. Drawing from the infernal and chaotic masterpieces of Hieronymus Bosch, but ranging through styles and times, the band brings to life infinite, hypothetical paintings. As always, my applause goes to the band, who always give their best, both in the most extreme sets and in those where everything is left to the imagination.”
Fleshgod Apocalypse recently announced their return to North America in support of the impending release for a co-headline tour with Shadow Of Intent, and support acts INGESTED, The Zenith Passage and Disembodied Tyrant, which kicks off September 14 in Cleveland, OH and wraps on October 15 in Denver, CO. Purchase tickets here.
Tour dates:
September
14 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
15 - Chicago, IL - Metro
16 - Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theatre
18 - Detroit, MI - Saint Andrew’s Hall
19 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
20 - Montreal, QC - L'Olympia
21 - Ottawa, ON - Brass Monkey
22 - Worcester, MA - New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
23 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
25 - Reading, PA - Reverb
26 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
27 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground
28 - North Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
29 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
October
1 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live
2 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger
3 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
4 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
5 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
6 - Mesa, AZ - The Nile Theater
8 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
9 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
10 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
11 - Riverside, CA - Riverside Municipal Auditorium
12 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
13 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
15 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Epica, Arch Enemy), Opera definitely marks another step forward for the band, incorporating new suggestions into that unique blend that Fleshgod Apocalypse are renowned for: sheer violence, majestic orchestrations and soaring melodies. Such an ambitious musical endeavor called for an equally impressive artwork, a team effort between two arising Italian talents (artist extraordinaire Felicita Fiorini and visionary photographer Francesco Esposito), following the path traced by baroque painters like Caravaggio and Artemisia Gentileschi.
The cover art portrays Veronica as Music, a superior entity that defeats the social and artistic decay of modern age.
With this new record, Fleshgod Apocalypse are setting the bar even higher than before, pioneering what looks like a completely new sub-genre that might be called “Opera Metal”: an unprecedented mix of extreme music and theatrical elements.
“The best stories always come from pain, it's a bitter truth yet undeniable.” Francesco P. states. “We managed to turn one of the worst things in life into a work of art, that embodies our personal and artistic growth and takes the listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions, where they can experience what I've been through hand in hand with me. It's a waking nightmare but that's how life is sometimes, just scary.”
Francesco P. continues: “In my visionary representation of this journey, that begins with my near death experience and culminates in a much desired physical and psychological rebirth, I wanted to frame every single step of my calvary, as if they were acts of an "Opera Lirica", with dialogues or even confessions to imaginary characters, who have been constant presences throughout my whole (mis)adventure.
"This album tosses you in a vortex of discomfort and uncontrollable feelings, where you can experience pain, fear, desperation, anger, frustration, but also resolve, courage, hope and a profound desire for redemption. I strongly believe that this album is a solid manifest of resilience, and I hope that my story will inspire people who got “lost” for whatever reason. We can’t wait for you to hear the full album and play it live at the four corners of the world. We’re planning to take everyone to “Opera” with a massive new show, so get ready!”
Pre-order Opera here.
Opera tracklisting:
"Ode to Art (De’ Sepolcri)"
"I Can Never Die"
"Pendulum"
"Bloodclock"
"At War With My Soul"
"Morphine Waltz"
"Matricide 8.21"
"Per Aspera Ad Astra"
"Till Death Do Us Part"
"Opera"
"I Can Never Die" video:
"Bloodclock" video:
"Pendulum" video:
(Photo - Francesco Esposito)
