- Mar 7, 2009
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So - I got my hands on the new Epica disc titled "Requeim for the Indifferent" and all I can say is WOW! what a great CD. 2009's "Design Your Universe" could very well have been my Album of the Year for 2009 and was really looking forward to see what Mark Jansen and crew could come up with as a follow-up and wheterh it was even possible to top it. I felt that "Design Your Universe" was everything I had already liked about Epica with an extra dose of heaviness so when Mark formed his side project MaYan to as he put it in an interview "This band gives me the opportunity to make music which I love but cant be done with Epica as its too extreme." made me wonder if this album would go the other way, less extreme one might say, having exercised it with MaYan.
My fears are cast aside as he seems to have taken what Epica did with "Design Your Universe" and his MaYan project and combined them - more extremes of everything, all the while embracing a much more progressive side as well in many songs. Elements of old Epica, it's heavy doses of symphonic, orchestral, operatic type music and quite a bit of the occasional black metal moments seem to be all present here - add in a more progressive structure and elements that really kicked in on 2009's release and this new disc is great.
Simone Simons is far and away my favorite of the female fronted Symphonic Metal Bands - she has broadened her range beyond just the operatic vocals of their older material to include almost every style of female lead vocals. I've always though Mark is great at the Beast parts of the beauty and the beast back and forth vocals so he never disappoints. I like that Arien van Weesenbeek, their drummer, is adding another layer of the beast vocals to really broaden the sound.
Also - as usual Sascha Paeth did an excellent job on the production. Even though Sascha is not mentioned around here with the frequency of some other producers, he is one of my all time favorites when it comes to music with a symphonic/orchestral tilt.
Great album to add to your collection if this type of stuff interests you.
My fears are cast aside as he seems to have taken what Epica did with "Design Your Universe" and his MaYan project and combined them - more extremes of everything, all the while embracing a much more progressive side as well in many songs. Elements of old Epica, it's heavy doses of symphonic, orchestral, operatic type music and quite a bit of the occasional black metal moments seem to be all present here - add in a more progressive structure and elements that really kicked in on 2009's release and this new disc is great.
Simone Simons is far and away my favorite of the female fronted Symphonic Metal Bands - she has broadened her range beyond just the operatic vocals of their older material to include almost every style of female lead vocals. I've always though Mark is great at the Beast parts of the beauty and the beast back and forth vocals so he never disappoints. I like that Arien van Weesenbeek, their drummer, is adding another layer of the beast vocals to really broaden the sound.
Also - as usual Sascha Paeth did an excellent job on the production. Even though Sascha is not mentioned around here with the frequency of some other producers, he is one of my all time favorites when it comes to music with a symphonic/orchestral tilt.
Great album to add to your collection if this type of stuff interests you.
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