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Nuclear Blast Records

A Review by Ashley Lauren Rogers

As a band progresses they can sometimes experiment with new formulas, sounds, and influences that can fundamentally reinvent their sound.  Bands like Corrosion of Conformity have done this so well, one often forgets that they had their beginnings as an aggressive punk band.  The other direction a band can go in is an almost devout following to the formula they set up.  This works for a band like Lamb of God who experiment occasionally with their style but rarely leave their comfort zone.  Both have their risks but both can equally pay off as well.

The latter method seems to be the preference of female-fronted Dutch Gothic Metal band Epica and their latest offering “Requiem for the Indifferent” (Nuclear Blast Records).  It’s the same album structure Epica will always produce, but that is by no means a bad thing.  It still has all the power, emotion and nuisance we heard from “Design Your Universe” and “The Divine Conspiracy.” The album progresses similar to the previously stated albums and fluctuates between symphonic, epic orchestrations and choirs, hard hitting power and death growls courtesy of Marc Jansen, and the siren’s voice produced by Simone Simons.

The band stated that the album’s title:

“…refers to the end of an era. Mankind can no longer stick their head in the sand for the things that are happening around us. We are facing many challenges. There is an enormous tension between different religions and cultures, wars, natural disasters and a huge financial crisis, which is getting out of control. More than ever we will need each other to overcome these problems. As we are all connected; the universe, earth, nature, animals and human beings, this period in time will be the prelude to the end for those who still don’t want to, or simply won’t see it. A Requiem for the Indifferent but also a possibility for a new beginning with great new chances!”

It’s always interesting to see a band that can put out the same basic album over and over again but consistently do it BETTER, and improve on it’s own systems and formulas.  They are fine tuning and honing their sound so that each time Epica puts out an album, you know you will always get a visceral feeling and become excited to see what they do.  Epica are keeping true to their concept from beginning to end and using that album structure as a tool instead of a crutch.  There is something to be said about a band that knows how to write good music and can constantly reinvent and re-imagine their own sound without losing the identity they have built.

For more information about Epica, check out their website here: www.epica.nl

Give them a listen with this video for their song: “Storm the Sorrow”

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