“Labyrinth” begins with the sounds of an ocean and a man walking and breathing heavily. A gate slowly creaks open and shuts behind our protagonist. A choir and a female opera singer slowly become louder in the mix. Heavily distorted guitars are added, and suddenly inhuman drums, orchestra and brutal guitars punch the protagonist in the face.

“Labyrinth” is Fleshgod Apocalypse’s third album. Of the first two, I am only familiar with their sophomore release, “Agony.” My biggest problem with “Agony” was that it was mixed terribly. You could barely hear the guitars, and there were dynamics — meaning that the volume was at about the same level for the whole album. With this release, they’ve managed to mix it so the drums are just as crushing, the symphonic elements just as epic and you can actually hear the guitars.

While each track is phenomenal, stand-out tracks include: “Minotaur (Wrath of Poseidon)” for its incredible guitar riffing, “Elegy” for its especially primordial drum work and “Pathfinder” for its gruesomely groovy guitar gallops.

My very favorite track is “Under Black Sails,” the climax of the album. It begins with dark orchestration and leads into a guitar riff that is quickly becoming one of my favorites. The best part of this track is the incredibly barbarous lyrics, especially “Terrorize with pain, annihilate the weak now. / Instigate despair, purify with fire / Under my iron command, forever the vile will decline.”

Unlike their previous album, each song stands out from the others. While technical death metal will always be an acquired taste, this album is relatively easy for anybody who likes heavy music to digest. Despite being accessible, they have managed to maintain their signature sound and have succeeded in not alienating any fans.

sgexner@mavs.coloradomesa.edu