Death… our inevitable ruin that calls us sooner or later. Many who are lucky enough to temporarily escape its fatal clutches experience transformative life changes, finding renewed purpose, a rejuvenated creative spirit, and a rebirth of the soul. This is the story of Fleshgod Apocalypse's vocalist, Francesco Paoli, who in 2021 was involved in a tragic climbing accident that left him on the verge of death, with years of recovery ahead, and which ultimately inspired the band's first music in years.
Today marks the monumental return of Paoli and the Italian symphonic metal giants, with the release of their first single since the devastating accident. Inspired by the horrific event, new single 'Pendulum' swings with intense ferocity and classical baroque movements, seething with anguishing pain.
You can watch the video, the work of Marina L McLean.
“This is the first song we have released since my ‘dance’ with death, in August 2021. It is obvious that such a life-changing event would affect our music. It had a huge impact on me, physically and mentally, and sharing my experience is also part of my healing process. Pendulum is only the opening chapter of a larger story, which has yet to be told…”
Mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Epica, Arch Enemy), 'Pendulum' encapsulates all the core elements that Fleshgod Apocalypse is known for: pure violence, majestic orchestrations and soaring operatic melodies. The stunning cover art was created by Italian artist Ludovico Cioffi.
“The music video, made by visionary Italian director Martina L. McLean, transformed my unfortunate incident into a monumental visual experience, a breathtaking mix of dark symbolism, surreal architectures and nightmarish mythological creatures. It perfectly represents the struggle and desperation of that day, a day of defeat… but also the day of my rebirth.”
