Septicflesh + Fleshgod Apocalypse Flesh Out Brutal NYC Sets

Septicflesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse's recent New York City stop on the 2014 Conquerors of the World tour wasn't only the fleshiest show we've ever seen, it was also one of the most brutal. The assault of death metal was augmented by some blackened metal as well thanks to Necronomicon and Animist.

After powerful performances from the tour's opening acts, Italy's Fleshgod Apocalypse tore the place up with their ever-evolving stage show. Dressed like undead Mozarts, Fleshgod upgraded their symphonic death metal characteristics to a new level. The band featured a masked female opera signer, an upright piano, custom guitars designed after violins and even glasses of wine to class up the joint. Fleshgod focused mostly on their 'Agony' and 'Labyrinth' material, which complemented the band's conceptual qualities to a greater degree than previous, more straight-up death metal tracks would have.

The June 24 concert marked a huge day in the career of Greece's own Septicflesh. It was the day their ninth album, 'Titan,' was released, so on top of material derived heavily from 'Communion' and 'The Great Mass,' there was a good chunk of the band's newest album as well.

Though Septicflesh were plagued with a few sound issues during the first half of their set, the complex sonic dynamics from mixing death metal with a prerecorded symphony orchestra, namely the Prague Philharmonic, was eventually figured out to fit NYC's Gramercy Theater. Frontman Spiros 'Seth' Antoniou was phenomenal on the microphone, blasting out some of the most powerful and demonic gutturals we've ever heard. Fotis Benardo also unleashed an unforgettable performance on drums, not only blazing through ultra-technical and lightning-fast parts, but also showcasing immense character in his style.

In some ways, Septicflesh's 'Titan' material, including 'Order of Dracul' and 'Prototype,' came off better live than the band's other works. Its wall of sound was larger, while chaotic orchestration and a children's choir demonstrated cinematic depth unmatched by Septicflesh's contemporaries.

The 2014 Conquerors of the World tour has only started, so if it's coming near your town, go check out some amazing international acts.

Check Out Photos of Septicflesh, Fleshgod Apocalypse + Necronomicon in NYC:

Septicflesh:

Liz Ramanand, Loudwire