EP324 Francesco Paoli (Fleshgod Apocalypse) on the Avatar Tour, Tour Life & The Art of an Album

Tom sits down with Francesco Paoli of symphonic death metal powerhouse Fleshgod Apocalypse to talk about the band’s upcoming U.S. tour supporting Avatar and Frozen Soul, kicking off this spring.The conversation traces Francesco’s journey from his early days with Hour of Penance to Fleshgod’s rise as one of extreme metal’s most ambitious and cinematic acts. With festival appearances at Rockville and Sonic Temple on the horizon, the band is preparing to bring their dense, orchestral sound to bigger American stages than ever before.Francesco reflects on the realities behind the scenes — including a past incident where the band’s gear was stolen in Sweden and a blackmail attempt followed. Instead of crowdfunding or paying a ransom, they chose to handle it professionally through law enforcement, reinforcing their belief that bands should rely on resilience and hard work rather than desperation tactics.They also dig into the emotional side of touring. Francesco opens up about the adrenaline highs of performing, the powerful connection with fans, and the very real post-tour depression that hits when the momentum suddenly stops. The camaraderie of life on the road can feel like family, making the return to normal life unexpectedly heavy.Creatively, Francesco explains why Fleshgod Apocalypse remains an album-focused band. Their songwriting process is slow, deliberate, and perfectionist — often taking years to refine ideas into cohesive records. Rather than chasing singles, trends, or viral moments, the band prioritizes complete artistic statements, crafting immersive albums that reward front-to-back listening.The result is music built on passion and authenticity — not algorithms.Key TakeawaysFleshgod Apocalypse joins Avatar and Frozen Soul for a major U.S. tourFirst large-scale American festival experiences mirror European-style eventsProfessionalism and resilience matter more than online panic when setbacks happenTouring creates intense emotional highs — and equally tough comedownsPost-tour depression is a common but rarely discussed reality for musiciansTheir songwriting is meticulous, often spanning years per albumAlbums are treated as cohesive artistic works, not collections of singlesUnderground music thrives on authenticity over commercial pressure#FleshgodApocalypse#FrancescoPaoli#SymphonicDeathMetal#ExtremeMetal#MetalPodcast#UndergroundMetal#TourLife#AndNowTheBand