Always pushing forward, always aiming higher: In the 20 years of their existence, EPICA have never shied away from challenges, twists and turns, weathering every storm and pushing the symphonic metal genre to heights no one even dared to believe in. Since 2002, the band surrounding global metal icon Simone Simons and her long-time musical partner Mark Jansen have released eight highly innovative and cinematic albums, have toured the world over and have left their mark as one of metal’s most prolific, most cherished and most admired success stories forever.
With "The Alchemy Project", out on November 11th through Atomic Fire Records, EPICA set another highlight in the band's 20th anniversary year! Graced by a vivid and witty artwork by graphic wizard Heilemania, visual partner in crime for more that 15 years, EPICA embark on a journey through seven extraordinary new songs. Co-written and performed with diverse guests ranging from extremists like Fleshgod Apocalypse, Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium) and Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork) via melodic masters like Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), keyboard legend Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep) or Roel van Helden (Powerwolf) to a once-in-a-lifetime song with Simone Simons, Charlotte Wessels and Myrkur, EPICA have really outdone themselves once again. The result is a mind-bending EP that even surpasses the usual broad scope of an EPICA record.
The first track they wrote for this 7-track-offering was 'The Final Lullaby', a fast-paced, intense clash between EPICA and the avant-garde rock of Norwegian legends SHINING (with saxophone!), graced with one of the biggest refrains you will hear all year. "I’ve been a big fan of Shining since the first time I heard them," bassist Rob van der Loo weighs in. "Our intention with ‘The Final Lullaby’ was to make a mash-up between Epica and Shining so we thought it would be a good idea if I would come up with some riffs that would be typical Shining and they would do the complete opposite."
Check out the music video or stream 'The Final Lullaby' featuring SHINING here: https://afr.link/TheFinalLullabyPR
These 7 songs on "The Alchemy Project" were co-written and performed with the following renowned guest musicians:
1) The Great Tribulation feat. Fleshgod Apocalypse
2) Wake the World feat. Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep) & Tommy Karevik (Kamelot)
3) The Final Lullaby feat. Shining
4) Sirens - Of Blood and Water feat. Charlotte Wessels & Myrkur
5) Death is not the End feat. Frank Schiphorst (MaYaN) & Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork)
6) Human Devastation feat. Henri Sattler (God Dethroned), Sven de Caluwé (Aborted)
7) The Miner feat. Asim Searah (Damnation Plan), Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium), Roel van Helden (Powerwolf)
"The Alchemy Project" is now available for worldwide pre-order as digipak CD, LP or digitally, via this link: https://afr.link/TheFinalLullabyPR
EPICA have embarked on their North America Tour with SABATON just yesterday and you can catch them on these dates or in Latin America in November and Europe in early 2023 - tickets and VIP experience are available at www.epica.nl/tour
EPICA North America Tour Dates With Sabaton:
September 16 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
September 17 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
September 19 - Boise, ID @ Revolution Concert House
September 21 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
September 23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
September 24 - Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theater
September 25 - Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
September 27 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
September 28 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
September 30 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
October 1 - Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
October 3 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium (Sold Out)
October 4 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle (Sold Out)
October 6 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring (Sold Out)
October 8 - Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
October 10 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
October 11 - Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe
October 13 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fillmore Minneapolis (Sold Out)
October 15 - Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
October 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
October 21 - Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
October 22 - Montreal, QC @ Place Bell
October 23 - New York, NY @ Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom
Comments