02/17/2014 20:55

Epica

Epica: 6th album 'The Quantum Enigma' out in May

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers Epica will release their sixth album, 'The Quantum Enigma', on May 2 in Europe and May 13 in North America via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 'Requiem for the Indifferent' was produced by Joost Van Den Broek (the former After Forever and Ayreon keyboard player who has previously worked with ReVamp and Stream Of Passion).

Track listing:
1. Originem
2. The Second Stone
3. The Essence of Silence
4. Victims of Contingency
5. Sense Without Sanity - The Impervious Code
6. Unchain Utopia
7. The Fifth Guardian
8. Chemical Insomnia
9. Reverence - Living in the Heart
10. Omen - The Ghoulish Malady
11. Canvas of Life
12. Natural Corruption
13. The Quantum Enigma - Kingdom of Heaven Part II

Says Epica guitarist/vocalist Mark Jansen: "[I] have been listening to our new album and I can't get enough of it! It sounds more modern but with all typical Epica elements inside. Refreshing might be the right word. This album has also been the result of a real group effort.

"It was great to see everyone being so motivated to create our best album!

"Even though the sound is more heavy (the guitars, bass and drums sound so brutal!!!), it's still a very catchy album as well. Some old influences from our earliest work, some references to 'Design Your Universe' and some new elements.

"[I] can't wait 'till the moment you'll be able to listen to our newborn which makes us all very proud!"

There will be 5 different editions of this new album: Regular jewelcase, 2CD digipak, 3CD earbook, double vinyl and digital download.

Bonus tracks:

- Earbook edition will include the album as an instrumental version, plus song 'Dreamscape'
- Digipak CD bonus song is 'In All Conscience'
- Disc 2 (digipak and earbook editions only):
1. Canvas of Life [acoustic version]
2. In All Conscience [acoustic version]
3. Dreamscape [acoustic version]
4. Natural Corruption [acoustic version]

- Vinyl edition will include song 'Memento'.

- iTunes additional track: 'Banish Your Illusion'

Epica will return to the stage on April 30 for a CD release performance at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

After taking a break from the road due the pregnancy of lead singer Simone Simons, the release of a new concert DVD, 'Retrospect', as well as the writing and recording of the band's upcoming album, the sextet will put on a memorable concert, with plans to perform both old and new songs.

Epica celebrated its 10th anniversary with a one-night-only event, dubbed 'Retrospect', on March 23, 2013 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The band was accompanied by the seventy-piece Reményi Ede Chamber Orchestra and the Miskolc National Theatre Choir, playing an unforgettable three-hour best-of set. On November 8, 2013, Nuclear Blast released 'Retrospect' as a deluxe hardcover book with 48 pages, both as a 2DVD/3CD and 2Blu-ray/3CD version. 'Retrospect' features this massive performance in its entirety, as well as exclusive interviews with all band members and behind-the-scenes footage from the show.

(spource: Blabbermouth)