The last few years have been a whirlwind for Epica. From celebrating their 20-year anniversary to putting in a stint on Metallica’s M72 tour and making the collaborative, experimental The Alchemy Project EP with the likes of Fleshgod Apocalypse and Shining (NO), the Dutch symphonic metal outfit have been on quite the journey. Aspiral feels like a natural response – a return to their roots with a renewed focus on the core of who Epica are.
Everyone knows they can deliver a grandiose metal album with their eyes closed, and Aspiral is, like most Epica records, a sumptuous aural feast. Cross The Divide comes straight out of the gate with high intensity and an instantly memorable chorus melody, sung powerfully by the divinely talented Simone Simons.
The sheer power and depth of emotion she manages to convey with her classical voice while carrying a heavy metal album has never been more apparent than on this record. On Obsidian Heart, one of the standout tracks in which she glides between vocal registers seamlessly with her signature piercing, crystalline timbre, she’s never sounded better.
Everything on Aspiral is carefully considered, but there are many moments that feel more organic than on previous records, like the chugging breakdown and harsh growls at the end of Apparition; there’s more equilibrium between the metal and orchestral elements, with neither overpowering the other.
Is this the ultimate Epica record? While songs such as Metanoia are undeniably them, T.I.M.E. and The Grand Saga Of Existence, while excellent, could almost have been pulled from Nightwish’s Imaginaerum and Human. :||: Nature. respectively. Tuomas Holopainen might not have the monopoly on haunted merry-go-round SFX and existential philosophy, but it’s hard not to draw the comparison.
What Aspiral does have is the atmosphere, emotion and irresistible hooks that Epica are known for, with real warmth beneath the polish.
Aspiral is out April 11 via Nuclear Blast. Epica tour North America from May 6 and play European festivals this summer. For the full list of dates visit their official website.
