The Holographic Principle: CD

The world of symphonic metal is all about big ideas and high standards, but few bands have taken this most bombastic of genres to such momentous creative heights as Epica. Formed in the Netherlands in 2002, these perennially dynamic masters of sonic opulence swiftly grabbed the world’s attention with their 2003 debut album The Phantom Agony. With a fresh and vital sound that struck a sublime balance between orchestral grandeur and pure heavy metal grit, Epica’s music showcased the compelling contrast between singer Simone Simons’ soaring vocals and guitarist Mark Jansen’s guttural growls.The lyrics, too, made Epica stand out from the crowd, as they eschewed the traditional symphonic trope of fantasy and began to explore and dissect notions of philosophy, science and spirituality. By the time they released 2005’s grand evolutionary step Consign To Oblivion, the Dutch sextet were widely regarded as the genre’s brightest hopes and international success was in their grasp.

The decade that followed has seen Epica grow from plucky contenders to their current status as symphonic metal heavyweights with a huge and still expanding worldwide following. With each successive album the band have made huge creative progress while consistently delivering stage shows and performances of overwhelming power and grandiloquence. And now it’s 2016 and Epica are poised to unveil their greatest masterwork to date. Their seventh full-length studio effort The Holographic Principle signifies a significant upping of the musical ante for this most adventurous of modern bands.

Recorded once again with esteemed producer Joost van den Broek at the controls, The Holographic Principle represents the most impressive and powerful expression of Epica’s boldly inventive sound yet. One listen to thunderous new songs like Edge Of The Blade and Universal Death Squad will confirm that The Holographic Principle is Epica’s heaviest album to date. Meanwhile, the shimmering soundscapes and multi-layered melodrama of Once Upon A Nightmare and the towering 11-minute title track confirm that The Holographic Principle is also the band’s most musically extravagant and daring release so far. With lashings of sumptuous orchestration and a never-ending stream of ingenious but brutal metal riffs and propulsive rhythms underpinning the whole explosive enterprise, this is an album that raises the bar for the entire symphonic metal genre.

As an expectant fan base gears up to immerse themselves in The Holographic Principle, Epica are relishing the chance to further extend their renown and influence around the world. 14 years on from their humble beginnings, this band have risen steadily from obscurity to the upper echelons of the metal world, and this latest chapter in their fantastic journey is surely destined to elevate them even higher.