* = Bonus track on Japanese editions.
Produced by Epica and Joost van den Broek.
Recorded by Joost van den Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities, Rijen, the Netherlands between December 2015 and May 2016.
Engineered by Joost van den Broek and Jos Driessen.
Sitar recorded at Music Matrix Studios, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Paul's voice recorded at PaulyB Studios, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Editing by Joost van den Broek and Jos Driessen.
Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen and at Hansen Studios, Ribe, Denmark in June 2016.
Co-mixed by Joost van den Broek.
Additional mastering by Darius van Helfteren at Amsterdam Mastering, Amsterdam, the Netherlands in June 2016.
All music and lyrics written and arranged by Epica and Joost van den Broek.
Orchestral arrangements by Coen Janssen, Isaac Delahaye and Joost van den Broek.
Choir arrangements and choir score by Coen Janssen.
Strings score by Ben Mathot.
Brass score and woods score by Robin Assen.
Artwork, photogprahy and design by Stefan Heilemann.
Line-up (left to right):
Rob van der Loo - bass
Isaac Delahaye - guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, balalaika, bouzouki, ukulele
Ariën van Weesenbeek - drums, timpani, additional grunt vocals, narration on 9
Simone Simons - vocals, backing vocals
Coen Janssen - keyboards, piano, glockenspiel, xylophone, tubular bells
Mark Jansen - vocals
Additional musicians:
Marcela Bovio - backing vocals
Linda Janssen - backing vocals
Cato Janssen - child's voice on 1
Paul Babikian - narration on 7
PA'dam Chamber Choir - choir
Ben Mathot - violin
Ian de Jong - violin
Sabine Poiesz - violin
Floortje Beljon - violin
Loes Dooren - violin
Vera van der Bie - violin
Marieke de Bruijn - violin
Mark Mulder - viola
Frank Goossens - viola
René van Munster - cello
Geneviève Verhage - cello
Eilidh Martin - cello
Jurgen van Nijnatten - trumpet
Marnix Coster - trumpet
Henk Veldt - French horn
Alex Thyssen - French horn
Paul Langerman - trombone
Lennart de Winter - trombone
Jeroen Goossens - flute, piccolo, bassoon
Thijs Dapper - oboe, oboe d'amore
Jack Pisters - sitar
Vinyl editions:
- blue vinyl, limited to 300 (Nuclear Blast mailorder exclusive)
- clear vinyl, limited to 300 (Nuclear Blast mailorder exclusive)
- splatter vinyl, limited to 300 (Epica webshop mailorder exclusive)
- red vinyl, limited to 300 (EMP mailorder exclusive)
- bi-coloured vinyl, limited to 500
- black vinyl
Some editions include 'The Acoustic Principle' CD:
1. Beyond the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (04:30)
2. Dancing in a Gypsy Camp (04:28)
3. Immortal Melancholy (03:13)
4. The Funky Algorithm (03:30)
5. Universal Love Squad (03:45)
Some editions include album's instrumental version bonus CD.
