•
Rating: After the tremendous success of the first album "The Phantom Agony," Epica releases, two years later, a new masterpiece of neoclassical symphonic metal: firstly, there is a definite improvement in Simons' voice, who masterfully interprets some of the best songs ever written by Mark (including the After Forever period)… But let's start immediately with the introduction, entrusted, as in the previous CD, to an entirely symphonic piece: "Hunab K'u", truly convincing and more exciting than the first track of 'The Phantom Agony'.
The first real track is "Dance of Fate" a piece with power rhythms and sung excellently by Simons (although, let's face it, it's incomparable to Tarja Turunen and Floor Janses!): the piece is really convincing, but not on par with Sensorium (sorry for the frequent comparisons between the two albums, but I consider one a continuation of the other). The CD continues really well with "the Last Crusade/new age dawns pt. I)": the melody is truly engaging, and the lyrics, indeed about the crusades and the Church's attempts to incite the faithful to holy war, hit the mark with the listener, who remains (in my opinion) moved by the imposing orchestrations (but even this track, when compared to "Cry for the moon", has little hope); it continues with what I consider their best ballad: "Solitary Ground", also chosen as the first single of the CD; Simons' voice becomes sweeter as she sings the story of street musicians (much more beautiful musically and stylistically than the TPA ballad, Feint). This song too passes very pleasantly, serving as a cushion separating the first part of the CD from the second, introduced by "Black Infinity" which presents itself as a pleasant and smooth song, not at the level of Illusive Consensuns from TPA, but still orchestrated just right and well interpreted by the Dutch mezzo-soprano (who, incidentally, is really not bad physically).
And here we take a very slight step back with the subsequent "Force Of The Shore" which, although interpreted by a very respectable growler such as Mark, never takes off to surprise the listener (except for a very well-managed symphonic interlude). Then it's time for "Quietus", introduced by a truly exceptional medieval motif: more generally, an excellent song. "Mother Of Light" is powerful and fast enough, especially in the chorus where Simone Simons is accompanied by Mark's growl; while the following "Trois Vierges" is understated and incomparable to Solitary Ground for smoothness and "rhythm" (however, note the duet of Simons with Kamelot's singer Roy Khan = excellent couple). The following "Another Me (in Lack'ech)" is a somewhat different song that nevertheless convincingly enough (many don't like it, I personally find it among the best of the entire lot) with a really catchy chorus.
A separate paragraph to talk about the last track (similar in epicness and orchestrations to 'The Phantom Agony'); a piece of almost 10 minutes in which growl, orchestra, and Simone take center stage: to close an album like this, it was necessary to find a long and epic song (let's say more majestic) to close a chapter in a grand manner: Epica did it again! I must admit that the track 'The Phantom Agony' is markedly better, but nevertheless, this last track leaves a mark on an overall very good CD, a worthy rival to the first album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Dance of Fate (05:13)
When Darkness will reign and blind us all
Allegiance will blind us if we do not fall
We cannot tell when morning comes
Is there a choice to live another day?
It’s hard to find a new direction in your fragile life
The precious time of your existence is now to come
Don’t throw your life away by cheating time
Sugared Placebos only fool your mind
Now I want the water to wash away all my sins
The wind to blow away my thoughts without meaning
The fire to burn away my thickened skin
Novas portas pandimus
What is the space, the type of dance?
I cannot tell which steps I have to take
I’d like to leave, just run away
My feet are tangled up
So hard to face the pace of the clock
What do you think; will it ever stop?
So, will I fall and not get up?
I take it all in stride
Everything has a reason for its happening
Can’t you tell it’s your own spell and
Everyone has to dance his dance like anyone
Can’t break free of destiny
We should open new doors
And close the ones that we’ve left behind
Novas portas pandimus, et post nos occludimus
Novas portas pandimus et post nos occludimus
06 Force of the Shore (04:02)
Appearance is deceptive
So perfect in disguise
There’s more than what you see
A semblance is protective
A blinder for the eyes
A place to hide and flee
Flee and you’ll never see
What you’re going to be
If you throw away the key
The truth from the past you can’t make it last
Appearance is deceptive
So perfect in disguise
There’s more than what you see
A semblance is protective
A blinder for the eyes
A place to hide and flee
Flee and walk away
From what you are this day
If you are afraid to stay
The truth from the past you can’t make it last
Beyond the shore the sea is filled up
with sentiment and strength
Here lie the thoughts imprisoned
A field of forces and laments
How can we hide here
We need to change our ways
How can we tell lies here
We turn our eyes away
From the truth, from the past
You cannot make it last
Appearance is deceptive
So perfect in disguise
There’s more than what you see
A semblance is protective
A blinder for the eyes
A place to hide and flee
If you do not cease to run away from truth
You will never see the shadow
Of your dying youth
A façade is what we all possess
But on the inside it stays a mess
Superficial changes won't recall the past
Don’t deny the clock is ticking
And it's racing fast
Fading tokens of our latter days
Make us think we need to change our ways
Deep, the feelings hide
They're wasted from within
And my shell will never break
The truth from the past you can’t make it last
Beyond the shore the sea is filled up
with sentiment and strength
Here lie the thoughts imprisoned
A field of forces and laments
Appearance is deceptive
So perfect in disguise
A place to flee and hide and run away
Lift the shadow
Loading comments slowly
