Epica Concerts Setlist

In 2002, Mark Jansen walked away from After Forever in search of a bigger musical dream. What began as "Sahara Dust" would blossom into Epica, one of the most ambitious symphonic metal forces. They combined soprano vocals with death metal growls and full orchestral arrangements, thus forming something really special in the metal landscape.

Their sound is a mosaic of genres: symphonic and gothic metal at its core, spiced with the intensity of death metal, the complexity of prog, and even touches of Middle Eastern and Celtic folk. The soaring soprano of Simone Simons and the growls of Jansen dance over intricate orchestrations that tackle everything from philosophy to science in their lyrical content. The band does not just simply write songs; it creates musical journeys that merge emotional melodies with intellectual depth.

Formed after the departure of original vocalist Helena Iren Michaelsen, with Simons recruited to replace her, Epica came together with guitarist Ad Sluijter, drummer Jeroen Simons, bassist Yves Huts, and keyboard player Coen Janssen. With the addition of a choir and string orchestra, they defined their sound on 2003's "The Phantom Agony", thematically tending toward the evils of organized religion via Jansen's "The Embrace That Smothers" song series.

Their 2005 album "Consign to Oblivion" drew inspiration from Mayan civilization, with cinematic arrangements influenced by film composers like Hans Zimmer. By 2009's "Design Your Universe", they'd hit their stride, breaking into the Dutch Top 10 and expanding their global following. Each subsequent release pushed boundaries further - "The Quantum Enigma" (2014) went international, while "The Holographic Principle" (2016) showcased their most ambitious arrangements yet.

With lineup shifts and music growth, Epica keeps broadening their sound range. The band mastered loud metal toughness with classic elegance - whether mixing djent beats, electronic sounds, or old folk tunes. The teamwork varies from big orchestras to guest players and leads to works like "The Alchemy Project" EP, showing many metal artists on every track.

When it comes to their live shows, things are not less bold: from club events to big stages at huge festivals. Sharing stages with big names of metal like Metallica and making events like "The Symphonic Synergy" - which has full orchestra and choir show in Amsterdam and Mexico City - their new album "Omega" from 2021 shows they are still changing things, while the ninth album set for 2025 is really pushing limits of what a symphonic metal can be.