Epica – Design Your Universe
Epica – Design Your Universe CD (Nuclear Blast)
Too often metal bands with female vocalalists and bombastic classical music influences, are just trying to jump on some bandwagon. Epica have always made sure they stayed on their own path. They do have those influences but are both heavier and more original than so many of their peers. Music wise you could file ‘Design Your Universe’ between Therion and film soundtrack composer Hans Zimmer who, among other things, wrote the amazing score for ‘Gladiator’. It’s epic powerful metal about grand adventures delivered almost as mini-operas. All instruments, including an old school death metal grunt are treated equally and add the right ingredients at the right time. It’s this balance that’s ensured this effort by the Dutch band is their best to date. The songwriting is just extraordinary, and will appeal too many, many metalheads around the world… Martijn Welzen
