Epica

Epica was founded in early 2002 by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen following his departure from After Forever due to creative differences. Initially named Sahara Dust, Jansen sought to create a project with a more classical and symphonic sound. The band’s lineup solidified with keyboardist Coen Janssen, then-unknown mezzo-soprano (later confirmed soprano) Simone Simons as lead vocalist, guitarist Ad Sluijter, drummer Jeroen Simons, and bassist Yves Huts. They quickly recruited a choir and a string orchestra to perform with them. Under the name Sahara Dust, they released a two-song demo, ‘Cry for the Moon,’ in 2002, which led to a record deal with Transmission Records. The band subsequently changed their name to Epica, inspired by an album from Kamelot.

Epica’s debut album, ‘The Phantom Agony,’ was released in June 2003, produced by Sascha Paeth. This album continued Jansen’s ‘The Embrace That Smothers’ song series, exploring themes of organized religion. In 2005, they released ‘Consign to Oblivion,’ an album heavily influenced by Mayan civilization and incorporating film score aesthetics, reaching No. 12 on the Dutch charts. The same year, they released ‘The Score – An Epic Journey,’ a non-metal soundtrack for the Dutch film ‘Joyride.’ After Transmission Records’ bankruptcy, Epica signed with Nuclear Blast, releasing ‘The Divine Conspiracy’ in 2007, which reached No. 9 in the Netherlands. Drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek became a permanent member in 2007, and Isaac Delahaye joined as guitarist in 2009, making his debut on ‘Design Your Universe’ (2009), an album that achieved No. 8 on the Dutch charts and saw widespread critical acclaim, supported by an extensive world tour. The band continued its upward trajectory with ‘Requiem for the Indifferent’ in 2012, charting on the US Billboard 200 and Japan’s Oricon Albums Chart, followed by the critically and commercially successful ‘The Quantum Enigma’ in 2014, which peaked at No. 4 in the Netherlands.

Over two decades, Epica has consistently evolved their musical style, integrating elements of death metal, progressive metal, and folk metal into their core symphonic sound. They are known for their intricate compositions, the powerful contrast between Simone Simons’ operatic vocals and Mark Jansen’s growls, and their exploration of philosophical and societal themes in their lyrics. The band received the Music Export Award in 2015 for their international success and continued to release notable works like ‘The Holographic Principle’ (2016), ‘Omega’ (2021), and EPs such as ‘The Solace System’ (2017) and the collaborative ‘The Alchemy Project’ (2022). Their commitment to orchestral performances is evident in live albums like ‘The Classical Conspiracy’ (2009) and the 10th-anniversary celebration ‘Retrospect’ (2013). Their ninth studio album, ‘Aspiral,’ is set for release in 2025, continuing their tradition of expansive musical narratives and global touring.