ギタリストMark Jansen率いる、オランダのシンフォニック・メタル・マシーンEPICA。歌姫Simone Smonsのメゾ・ソプラノがさらに鼓舞する5thアルバム。EDGUY、ANGRA、KAMELOT、RHAPSODY OF FIREを手掛けたSascha Paethを迎えドイツ・ヴォルフスブルクの老舗スタジオGate Studiosでレコーディング。ex-GOD DETHRONEDのギタリストLsaac Delahayeがレコーディングに初参加。こちらの限定デジパック盤にはボーナス・トラック1曲を収録。
タワーレコード
Dutch pomp-metal band Epica, fronted by classically trained mezzo-soprano Simone Simons, released their second album for Nuclear Blast only a year after their label debut, the more unique The Classical Conspiracy. This album offers more of their bombastic goth metal songs, with Simons' vocals floating atop an ever flowing stream of complicated drumming, epic riffs, and shredtastic solos. The use of orchestral instruments to add John Williams-like climaxes is intermittently successful, but the music is just as frequently stripped down to an unaccompanied piano or to just the rock band, and that works, too. If you like this sort of thing or if you're a big Andrew Lloyd Webber fan, this is exactly the sort of thing you'll like. ~ Phil Freeman|
Rovi