Epica? Being reviewed by Ave Noctum? Surely some mistake? Well actually no….I fully accept that their brand of symphonic metal might be a little too polished for some of our more gnarly readers, but I suspect a lot of hardened metal heads are partial to this grandiose beast. Of course, within the wider metal community, Epica are a big name, and an Epica release is a significant event.
‘Omega’ is the first we have heard musically album wise from the Dutch titans since ‘The Holographic Principle’ back in 2016 and a self-imposed hiatus at the end of that touring cycle in 2018, so this album lands with an appropriate air of anticipation and expectation. I’m pleased to report that all of the usual ingredients are present, not least Simone’s exquisite mezzo-soprano/soprano vocals juxtaposed with Mark’s harsher growls, all supported by bombastic melodies and robust percussion.
There is no shortage of symphonic metal bands out there, each using the same familiar blueprint but there is something a little different, a little bit special about Epica, which goes beyond the individual prowess of the band members. As I sit listening to the album I find myself pondering what this might be, ultimately deciding that it is the song dynamics and vocal melodies that really make Epica stand out from the crowd for me.
‘Omega’ is Epica’s eighth studio album and continues the evolution along the trajectory laid by the preceding albums. The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Children’s Choir add depth and the incorporation of Eastern influences during some of the tracks adds extra dimensions to the album.
Things get underway with ‘Alpha – Anteludium’, a majestic sweeping, almost cinematic intro which leads directly into the first single ‘Abyss Of Time – Countdown To Singularity’. From the off, this has an infectious melody pulsating at its core as Mark’s growls and Simone’s vocals joust back and forth before joining forces leading into the chorus with some of the aforementioned glorious vocal melodies. Things are a little more subdued during ‘The Skeleton Key’ initially, but this soon builds into a more epic finale with soaring vocals sounding even more powerful against the backdrop of harsh growls. Choirs and a majestic guitar solo complete the track giving it real impact. The familiar “beauty and the beast” interplay continues on ‘Seal of Solomon’ but the introduction of some Eastern elements brings a new twist and works really well.
So far so good, but the album begins to drag a little here as ‘Gaia’ and ‘Code of Life’ continue with the same formula and don’t really add much. They aren’t bad tracks per se, rather that the don’t add anything and feel a little bland set against such other superlative tracks, and of course I have set the bar very high. This is Epica after all.
For me, things picked up again on the anthemic ‘Freedom – The Wolves Within’ which builds nicely going into the album’s opus, ‘Kingdom Of Heaven pt. 3 – The Antediluvian Universe’. This is the third part of the epic ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ trilogy. Over the course of thirteen minutes, the track slowly builds, initially sounding more akin to a Hollywood blockbuster soundtrack than a metal song, before it explodes into an epic metal masterpiece combining soaring melodies, quieter interludes, heavier sections that are essentially melodic death metal and of course exquisite vocals. This is followed by the more straightforward but no less effective ‘Rivers’ which is a delicate, emotional symphonic ballad and is really well positioned within the album.
The album is brought to a close with ‘Synergize – Manic Manifest’ with its upbeat melodies and ‘Omega – Sovereign Of The Sun Spheres’. This has a bombastic intro before morphing into an outstanding metal tracks whose infectious grooves really grab you.
All in all, this is a great Epica album with many highlights, and many of these tracks will no doubt become live classics for many years to come. If I were to level one criticism, it would be that the album is a little too long and one or two of the tracks could have been omitted. However, I am being picky and this album is full of stand-out tracks and superlatives. If you are an Epica fan, you will lap this up, and if you are new to the band it is a good starting point. If you are one of the gnarly metalhead I mentioned earlier, but have made it this far in the review, you owe it to yourself to give it a listen.
(9/10 Andy Pountney)
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