Yesterday in 2009 Epica released the album Design Your Universe Reuver, Limburg, Netherlands Symphonic/Power Metal Status:Active Years active: 2002-2003 (as Sahara Dust), 2003-present Epica is a symphonic metal band from The Netherlands, founded in 2003 by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. The band currently consists of Simone Simons (vocals), Mark Jansen (guitars, vocals), Isaac Delahaye (guitar), Yves Huts (bass), Coen Janssen (keyboards, synthesizer), and Ariën van Weesenbeek (drums). Epica performs a blend of progressive metal and symphonic metal with some elements of gothic and power metal. Former guitarist Ad Sluijter describing the band as a bridge between power metal and gothic metal.. Vocalist Simone Simons has expressed a preference for the group to be described as symphonic metal though the founder of the group Mark Jansen notes that they do not mind being called gothic metal. In early 2002, Mark Jansen left After Forever due to creative differences and began looking for musicians to integrate a new musical project, initially named Sahara Dust. In late 2002, the band courted Helena Iren Michaelsen (ex-Trail of Tears, Imperia) as its frontwoman, but shortly after she was replaced by the then unknown mezzo-soprano singer Simone Simons, Jansens girlfriend at the time. The bands line-up was completed by guitarist Ad Sluijter, drummer Jeroen Simons, bassist Yves Huts and keyboard player Coen Janssen. Their name was changed to Epica, inspired by Kamelots album of the same name. Their debut album, The Phantom Agony, was produced by Sascha Paeth (known for having previously produced albums for bands such as Angra, Rhapsody of Fire, and Kamelot) and was released in late 2003. Their second release, entitled Consign to Oblivion, released in 2005. Consign to Oblivion was composed with film scores as a basis, with Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman being cited as major inspirations. The album features guest singing by Roy Khan (from Kamelot) on the song Trois Vierges. Epicas The Score: An Epic Journey was released in September 2005 and is the soundtrack for a Dutch movie called Joyride, though it can also be seen as their third album. Mark Jansen stated that the album is Typically Epica. Only without the singing, without the guitars, no bass and no drums. In 2005 and 2006 Epica went on their first tour throughout North America with Kamelot. After the tour, their drummer, Jeroen Simons, left the band, due to his wish to pursue his other musical interests. In December Ariën Van Weesenbeek was announced at the official website of the band to be the drummer for their new album, but on a session basis. The Divine Conspiracy was released at the end of August 2007 in the United States in time for their second tour through North America. The new album was released early September in Europe and is the first Epica album released by Nuclear Blast. Ariën Van Weesenbeek joined the band full time in December 2007. On December 16, 2008, Ad Sluijter left the band. He left a message on his MySpace page with his reasoning for leaving the band, which included frustration over being unable to enjoy composing music because of deadlines. In January Epica announced on their official website that guitarist Isaac Delahaye would join the band as a fulltime member. The album Design Your Universe was released on 16th October 2009. The record contains a guest appearance from Sonata Arctica vocalist Tony Kakko on the song White Waters. Nuclear Blast Simone Simons – vocals Mark Jansen – rhythm guitar, grunts, screams, orchestral arrangements Isaac Delahaye – lead guitar, engineer Yves Huts – bass guitar, engineer, orchestral arrangements on Deconstruct Coen Janssen – synthesizer, piano, orchestral and choir arrangements Ariën van Weesenbeek – drums, grunts, spoken word Guest musicians Tony Kakko – clean male vocals (on White Waters) Amanda Somerville – soprano vocals (on Unleashed (Duet Version)), backing vocals, vocals production, engineer, vocal coaching and lyrical editing Epica Choir: Linda van Summeren, Bridget Fogle - sopranos Amanda Somerville, Cloudy Yang - altos Previn Moore - tenor Melvin Edmondsen - bass Simon Oberender, Olaf Reitmeier, Coen Janssen - additional baritone and bass vocals 1. Samadhi (prelude) (1:26) 2. Resign to Surrender (A New Age Dawns, Part IV) (6:18) 3. Unleashed (5:48) 4. Martyr of the Free Word (5:03) 5. Our Destiny (6:00) 6. Kingdom of Heaven (A New Age Dawns, Part V) (13:35) 7. The Price of Freedom (interlude) (1:14) 8. Burn to a Cinder (5:40) 9. Tides of Time (5:33) 10. Deconstruct (4:13) 11. Semblance of Liberty (5:42) 12. White Waters (4:44) 13. Design Your Universe (A New Age Dawns, Part VI) (9:28) Total Time: 74:50 Recorded at The Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany between March 2009 and May 2009. Mixed at The Gate Studio & The Pathway Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany, June-July 2009. Mastered at The Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany, July 2009. Bass guitars recorded at the Huts Studio in Antwerp, Belgium. Grand Piano recorded at E-Sound Studios in Weesp, The Netherlands. Bonus Track: 14. Incentive (04:14) iTunes bonus track: 15. Unleashed (Duet version) (05:50) featuring Amanda Sommerville. Japanese bonus track: 16. Nothings Wrong (Heideroosjes cover) (03:24) Design Your Universe is the fourth full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, released on October 16, 2009. It was the first album to feature officially new band members Isaac Delahaye on guitar and Ariën van Weesenbeek on drums. The band entered Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany on March 2, 2009 to start recording the album with usual collaborators Sascha Paeth, Amanda Somerville and Michael Miro Rodenberg. The bands previous album, The Divine Conspiracy, was dealing with the idea that God created many religions and that it was to man to understand that they are all the same, and this album will be dealing with the power of thoughts and imaginations, as Mark Jansen stated: The album title, Design Your Universe, deals with new breakthroughs in quantum physics. It proves that we are all connected to each other on subatomic level. Also, it shows that we can create or at least influence matter with our thoughts… a very interesting fact. Because it changes everything for us, our whole worldview collapses once you accept these facts and integrate them in your lives. So this had to become the new album title. Three songs of this album continue the A New Age Dawns saga, which started on the album Consign to Oblivion of 2005. Sonata Arctica frontman Tony Kakko announced in an interview with La Grosse Radio that he would duet with Simone Simons on the album. His vocals for the song White Waters were recorded in Finland and later mixed with the other sound tracks. The song Resign to Surrender was published on the MySpace website of the record label Nuclear Blast on September 23, 2009. and the video for Unleashed premiered on the bands MySpace site on September 25, 2009 youtube/watch?v=LViaOW3-Qu0
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 17:53:37 +0000