As if tipping their toes to test the waters, Fleshgod Apocalypse sprinkled their debut Oracles with sparse hints that they had an interest in classical composition. It was nothing too overt, but it was definitely there. On the subsequent EP, Mafia, they further enveloped their fast, precise brand of technical death metal with lashings of lush orchestral sound. On their latest release, Agony, the transition is complete – what we have here is fully fledged symphonic death metal.

Since this sort of thing is relatively rare, when first hearing the album the listener is immediately drawn to the orchestral arrangements. Although the band’s apparent intent is to draw on traditional classical music, the arrangements here remind me more of contemporary film scores. This is thanks in large part to the breakneck speed at which the songs unfold. Let me be clear though, this is no criticism. In fact, it’s much better suited to my tastes. The orchestral arrangements are energetic and help to inspire visuals in the mind of the listener.

Of course, the primary concern with a project such as this will always be the suitability of the arrangements. Adding orchestration to songs is a tricky business at the best of times, and that fact is exacerbated here by the harsh extremity of the metal at hand. I’m glad to say, then, that the orchestration is masterfully implemented. Never sounding like a superfluous overtone, the dense orchestral swoops actually add touches of melody that feel highly organic for this brand of tech death, as if they might be played on guitar. The bottom line is that you don’t end up with an album that sounds like a weird experiment. What you get is the familiar sound of technical death metal, albeit with a surprisingly well considered sonic palette that is extremely rich and expansive. A palette which is embellished further still by the inclusion of clean operatic vocals, alongside the growls familiar to fans of the band.

Of course, none of this would matter if the songs weren’t as interesting as the execution. Thankfully, that’s not the case. Fleshgod Apocalypse are masters of dynamics, and although fast is their modus operandi, this is anything but a mindless assault of blast beats. In fact, I was stunned at the variety on display. Check out the crushing groove on The Egoism, before being punched in the face by the ridiculous, furious speed and technicality of the next track, The Betrayal.

There are some occasions where the album becomes slightly overwhelming thanks to the combination of the orchestral arrangements, the general cacophony of the drums, and the low end of the vocals. This can make it a little hard to tell what the guitars are doing at times, which is a pretty big sin for a tech-death album. Still, what these guys are attempting is so admirable, it’s a flaw which is easily forgiven. Try not to write this off as a gimmick, I think anyone giving this a listen will be kind of fascinated at worst, and utterly convinced at best.