Review 2568 : Fleshbore – Painted Paradise – English

2025 marks the return of Fleshbore.

Michael McGinley (guitar, ex-Into the Divine), Cole Daniels (bass, Nigh Ungodly, Demon King), Cole Chavez (guitar, ex-Into the Divine) and Michael O’Hara (vocals, The Green Leaves) sign with Transcending Obscurity Records and call on Robin Stone (drums, Ashen Horde, Chestcrush, Norse, ex-The Amenta…) to bring Painted Paradise, their second studio album, to life.

They are joined on stage by Joseph Palmer (drums, Into Pandemonium).

Setting Sun attacks at full speed with a solid, jerky rhythm that retains the complex points of the first album and pushes them even further, without ever encroaching on its brutality. The dissonant harmonics are back too, as are the piercing leads between two vocal eruptions complemented by devastating drums, and then it’s on to The World that the band stomp us with the same intensity. The vocals are as chaotic as the riffs are precise, allowing guitars and bass to work their way through the lead parts, then Target Fixation takes us by surprise with an intro complemented by a few backing vocals, but the frenetic approach is soon back, enhanced by a frenetic rhythm with fiery guitars. Wandering Twilight barely allows us a moment’s respite before resuming the assault, offering a welcomed touch of groove to nuance the nearly continuous blast, but also lead parts that clash and respond to each other. We return to pure violence with Inadequate, which easily rivals Brutal Death’s heavyweights, but touches of complexity also resurface, like this passage where the bassist leads the dance. The brutal final is undoubtedly one of the heaviest before The Ancient Knowledge rolls in with the usual elements, but also some more abrasive waves. Although the track is short, it’s still very effective, and is followed by Painted Paradise, which offers a fairly soothing progressive introduction before throwing us to the ground and playing at an equally impressive speed, at times letting the musicians become truly impressive. The end of the album comes with Laplace’s Game, which continues in the total absence of gentleness, also skilfully combining rage and mastery of instruments for each of the five members, and allows us to frantically shake our skulls one last time.

While their debut album was already more than solid, Fleshbore have pulled out all the stops to make Painted Paradise a qualitative successor. Their frantic, ultra-complex approach is reminiscent of a Canadian band from whom they surely draw inspiration!

90/100

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