Epica
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. Epica's performs a blend of gothic metal and symphonic metal. Another component of Epica's style is power metal with their 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.
The music of Epica is aggressive, bombastic and excessive with some songs being "epic, grand and majestic" and others "more subdued and introspective." The band is also known to have progressive tendencies while a gothic atmosphere and sentimentality is also present in their music.
Epica uses a "trademark of many symphonic and gothic metal bands" in contrasting "two extremes, death grunts and brutality on one side, airy female melodiousness on the other." Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic notes that the band's "attraction ultimately hinges on exploring the sonic contrasts of light and dark; the punishing intensity of those elephantine guitar riffs and hyperactive drumming cast against the soaring, layered sweetness of the orchestrated strings and keyboards." Simone Simons delivers operatic vocals in a mezzo-soprano range though she has also been known to sometimes sing "with a clear alto voice that has a flawless tone and a lot of emotion." Mark Jansen delivers death grunts "that are secondary to Simons' singing, but very important in terms of balance and variety." The group is also known to employ human choirs and orchestras with additional embellishments such as spoken word recitals and lyrics in Latin and Arabic.
Background Information
Origin: The Netherlands
Genre(s): Symphonic metal, Gothic metal
Years active: 2003�present
Label(s): British Plastic Head Distributions Ltd., Nuclear Blast
Members:
Current:
* Simone Simons
* Mark Jansen
* Ad Sluijter
* Yves Huts
* Coen Janssen
* Ari�n van Weesenbeek
Former:
* Jeroen Simons
* Helena Michaelsen
Cry for the Moon (2003)
Demo
Released: 2003
Recorded: 23-24 November 2002
| Code: |
1. "Cry for the Moon"
2. "Illusive Consensus" |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134299554/01-Sahara_Dust_-_Cry_For_the_Moon_2003__Epica_Demo_.rar |
The Phantom Agony (2003)
Studio album
Released: 2003
Recorded: 2003
Label: Transmission
| Code: |
1. "Adyta (The Neverending Embrace)"
2. "Sensorium"
3. "Cry for the Moon (The Embrace That Smothers, Part IV)"
4. "Feint"
5. "Illusive Consensus"
6. "Fa�ade of Reality (The Embrace That Smothers, Part V)"
7. "Run for a Fall"
8. "Seif al Din (The Embrace That Smothers, Part VI)"
9. "The Phantom Agony"
10. "The Phantom Agony (single version)" |
| Code: |
http://rapidshare.com/files/134285314/2003_-_The_Phantom_Agony.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/134285521/2003_-_The_Phantom_Agony.part2.rar |
The Phantom Agony (2004)
Single
Released: May, 2004
Recorded: January - March 2003
Label: Transmission Records
Producer: Sascha Paeth
| Code: |
1. "The Phantom Agony" - single version
2. "Veniality" - previously unreleased track
3. "Fa�ade of Reality"
4. "Veniality" - previously unreleased orchestral version |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134305953/Epica_-_The_Phantom_Agony__CD-Single__2003_.rar |
Feint (2004)
Single
Released: May, 2004
Recorded: January - March 2003
Label: Transmission Records
Producer: Sascha Paeth
| Code: |
1. "Feint"
2. "Feint" (previously unreleased piano version)
3. "Triumph of Defeat" (previously unreleased instrumental track)
4. "Seif al Din" |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134285719/2004_-_Feint_CD-Single_.rar |
Cry for the Moon (2004)
Single
Released: May, 2004
Recorded: January - March 2003
Label: Transmission Records
Producer: Sascha Paeth
| Code: |
1. "Cry for the Moon" (single version)
2. "Cry for the Moon"
3. "Run for a Fall" (single version)
4. "Run for a Fall" |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134301038/_2004__Cry_For_The_Moon__Single_.zip |
Consign to Oblivion (2005)
Studio album
Released: 2005
Recorded: 2005
Label: Tranmission
Producer: Sascha Paeth
| Code: |
1. "Hunab K'u" (A New Age Dawns, Prologue)
2. "Dance of Fate"
3. "The Last Crusade" (A New Age Dawns, Pt. 1)
4. "Solitary Ground"
5. "Blank Infinity"
6. "Force of the Shore"
7. "Quietus"
8. "Mother of Light" (A New Age Dawns, Pt. 2)
9. "Trois Vierges"
10. "Another Me "In Lack'ech""
11. "Consign to Oblivion" (A New Age Dawns, Pt. 3) |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134286836/2005_-_Consign_To_Oblivion.rar |
Solitary Ground (2005)
Single
Released: May 12, 2005
Recorded: December 2004 - January 2005
Label: Tranmission Records
Producer: Sascha Paeth and Olaf Reitmeier
| Code: |
1. "Solitary Ground" (soundtrack version)
2. "Solitary Ground" (remix)
3. "Mother of Light" (no grunt version)
4. "Palladium" (previously unreleased track) |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134287138/2005_-_Solitary_Ground_CD-Single_.rar |
Quietus (Silent Reverie) (2005)
Single
Released: October 21, 2005
Recorded: December 2004 - January 2005
Label: Tranmission Records
Producer: Sascha Paeth and Olaf Reitmeier
| Code: |
1. "Quietus (Silent Reverie)" - single version
2. "Linger" - previously unreleased track |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134286926/2005_-_Quietus__Silent_Reverie__CD-Single_.rar |
The Score - An Epic Journey (2005)
Studio album
Released: September 20, 2005
Recorded: 2005
Label: Tranmission Records
| Code: |
1. "Vengeance Is Mine"
2. "Unholy Trinity"
3. "The Valley"
4. "Caught in a Web"
5. "Insomnia" � 2:08
6. "Under the Aegis"
7. "Trois Vierges" (Solo Version)
8. "Mystica"
9. "Valley of Sins"
10. "Empty Gaze"
11. "The Alleged Paradigm"
12. "Supremacy"
13. "Beyond the Depth"
14. "Epitome"
15. "Inevitable Embrace"
16. "Angel of Death"
17. "The Ultimate Return"
18. "Trois Vierges" (Reprise)
19. "Solitary Ground" (Single Version)
20. "Quietus" (Score Version) |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134287824/2005_-_The_Score_-_An_Epic_Journey.rar |
The Divine Conspiracy (2007)
Studio album
Released: August 22, 2007 Japan, August 28, 2007 US, September 7, 2007 EU, September 10, 2007 UK
Recorded: 2006 - 2007
Label: Nuclear Blast
Producer: Sascha Paeth and Olaf Reitmeier
1. "Indigo ~ prologue" -
2. "The Obsessive Devotion"
3. "Menace of Vanity"
4. "Chasing the Dragon"
5. "Never Enough"
6. "La�petach Chatat Rovetz ~ the Last Embrace"
7. "Death of a Dream ~ the Embrace that Smothers part VII"
8. "Living a Lie ~ the Embrace that Smothers part VIII"
9. "Fools of Damnation ~ the Embrace that Smothers part IX"
10. "Beyond Belief"
11. "Safeguard to Paradise"
12. "Sancta Terra"
13. "The Divine Conspiracy"
14. "Higher High" (Bonus Track)
15. "Replica" (Fear Factory Cover) (Bonus Track)
| Code: |
http://rapidshare.com/files/134290357/2007_-_The_Divine_Conspiracy___Bonus_Disc.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/134290835/2007_-_The_Divine_Conspiracy___Bonus_Disc.part2.rar |
Never Enough (2007)
Single
Released: August 10, 2007
Recorded: 2006 - 2007
Label: Nuclear Blast
Producer: Sascha Paeth and Olaf Reitmeier
| Code: |
1. "Never Enough" (edit) - 3:41
2. "Chasing the Dragon" (edit) - 3:50
3. "Safeguard to Paradise" (piano version) - 3:50 |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134304240/Epica_-_Never_Enough__CDS-2007_.rar |
The Road to Paradiso (2006)
Compilation album
Released: May 4th, 2006
Recorded: 2002 - 2006
Label: Transmission Records
Producer: Sascha Paeth
1. "Welcome to the Road of Paradiso (Caught in a Web)"
2. "Making of Adyta"
3. "Adyta (demo version)"
4. "Making of Cry for the Moon"
5. "Cry for the Moon (demo version)"
6. "Making of Quietus"
7. "Quietus (demo version)"
8. "Quietus (Silent Reverie)"
9. "The Fallacy"
10. "Interview with Ad (on the live tracks)"
11. "Solitary Ground (live)"
12. "Blank Infinity (live)"
13. "Mother of Light (live)"
14. "Linger (piano version)"
15. "Crystal Mountain (orchestral version)(Death cover)"
16. "Purushayita"
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134289638/2006_-_The_Road_To_Paradiso.rar |
We Will Take You with Us (2004)
Live album
Released: September 2004
Recorded: 2003 - 2004
Label: Transmission Records, The End
Producer: Epica
| Code: |
1. "Fa�ade of Reality"
2. "Sensorium"
3. "Illusive Consensus"
4. "Cry for the Moon"
5. "The Phantom Agony"
6. "Seif al Din"
7. "Feint" (acoustic version)
8. "Run for a Fall" (acoustic version)
9. "Memory" |
| Code: |
| http://rapidshare.com/files/134286297/2004_-_We_Will_Take_You_With_Us.rar |
Enjoy!
Special thanx to Bufu for uploading most of the albums
Link checked on Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:46 pm [WBB_Linkchecker_Bot]