King

You can look up all the songs to make sure you enjoy them. Personally have enjoyed the CD, especially since I can't stand the radio anymore with all the ads that take up more of my drive than music anymore.

I really liked the last album, Labyrinth, but I feel like they over did it with the high falsetto male vocals. On this album, they dialed that back in favor of more natural male vocals and wisely left the majority of the higher range vocals to their soprano (who is pretty good; I wouldn't say she's great or exceptional, but definitely solid. I imagine it's quite tough being a soprano in a death metal band). The lead guitar/solo work on this album seems to be much improved as well. On Labyrinth, the lead work was solid, but was a little repetitive. This time it's diverse, it's skillful, even virtuosic. Much improved, indeed.This album just feels like a natural progression from their previous work; they've continued with the elements that work and matured enough to leave behind the elements that didn't work as well. That's exactly what you want from a band, right?

I was in a bad place earlier this year, but knowing that Fleshgod Apocalypse were producing another album was reason enough for me to live. Seriously. So, in this brilliant album, the undisputed masters of symphonic death metal have followed the impossibly beautiful "Labyrinth" with this "thrashterpiece." People don't believe me when I say that death metal and opera-quality vocals can be coupled, much less with symphonic elements. Then I play for them Fleshgod Apocalypse, they experience their first "eargasm," thank me while sobbing on hands and knees, and apologize profusely for ever having doubted me. OK, so that never happened and probably never will, but I beseech you to do yourself the favor of purchasing this album. You'll thank me, posture notwithstanding.

This is metal perfection! I was a huge fan of Agony, but while I enjoyed Labyrinth it didn't quite have the same impact as Agony. This made me a bit iffy about King. This is one of those albums that makes you go 'wow' like when you first heard awesome metal as a kid. Once you get past the brief opening symphonic track, you get hit in the face by 'In Aeternum,' which is epic. The metal heart of this album is brilliant. There are a few extraneous pieces for the adventurous music lover out there, like the tracks 'Paramour' and 'King.' While these are beautiful songs, I'm just not into opera so I uncheck them on iTunes. This is a must-have album.

One word that comes to mind when listening to Fleshgod Apocalypse’s King is bombast. Everything about their sound is big and grandiose – the loud and heavy guitars, the pounding drums, and even the accompanying orchestra. Not to say I don’t enjoy the album. I do. There’s an undeniably enjoyable energy and confidence to their sound, even if their songs begin to sound similar.“Marche Royale” opens the album with its grand orchestral sound, and then this fuses into the next song, “In Aeternum,” a full-out assault of drums and growling vocals from Tommaso Riccardi. Paolo Rossi provides clean vocals that are just as bombastic as the rest of the sound. This song, perhaps the album’s best, provides an idea of what you might expect from the rest of the album, minus the opera voice of Veronica Bordacchini. “Healing Through War” slows the pace down somewhat with a heavy song punctuated by bursts of drums. “The Fool” opens up sounding like something a royal court jester might introduce himself with, and then “Cold as Perfection” introduces the opera singer, who later has her own song in the piano-led “Paramour.” Beginning with “Mitra,” the songs begin to sound the similar. Pounding drums, heavy guitars, and Riccardi’s snarling vocals. Rossi sings the exact same tune every time he shows up. “Syphilis” provides a bit more variety before King decides to give the listener a breather with a soft piano instrumental on the closer, “King.”Overall I’m pleased with the album. A majority of the songs are good. Fleshgod Apocalypse is certainly heavier and harsher than Therion, another symphonic metal band, but their songs lack the variety and creativity that make Therion’s so memorable and enjoyable. And yet Fleshgod Apocalypse sounds so fresh and full of energy that you might not mind the lack of variety.Highlights:“In Aeternum” and “Healing Through War”

There are too many 5 star misleading reviews on Amazon. This is not one of them. This new record is a giant leap forward for a band that has already redefined what death metal can be. Actually, labeling them death metal is just stupid. They transcend genre classification. The fact that the album comes with the standalone orchestral arrangements is only further proof of their compositional prowess. I don't like long reviews. Best way to review it is to listen for yourself. You won't be disappointed. If you are, maybe amazing, epic, mind bending, heart rending metal isn't your bag.

This is the first symphonic death metal I've come across. I think it was a good place to start. I don't know much (or care tbh) about what their previous albums sounded like compared to this, but looking in from an outside and newer perspective, I love their work. I like the conceptual progression throughout the album telling the tale of some kind of royal family and the goings on of everyday life.

This album, takes a few of the elements we loved from Labyrinth and puts them all on steroids. Fleshgod, you've outdone yourself again. This album is another masterpiece. The opening track maybe drags a bit, but after that its all right in with In Aeternum. And tbvh this song makes me want to feel more religious than the boring choir songs back at church ever did XD. Not that I am religious, but just saying.