EPICA – Consign To Oblivion

There aren’t many albums that totally blow the buyers away from the first listen, and this one is not an exception. This second studio album from Epica lacks sheer energy and interesting, intricate arrangements. Consign to Oblivion is an 11-track CD from an average band who tries too hard, and they do not save themselves with their choir/orchestra-experiment. Their music is mostly Symphonic with some Metal elements … they probably fit best under the Gothic Metal genre, but you get the feeling this band is inspired by the music of the East.

The name of the band, Epica, is stolen from the title of a Kamelot album, and the Kamelot singer Khan is singing a duet with Epica singer Simone on this album (“Trios Vierges”), and that is probably not a coincidence. This song is one of two good songs at the CD, it has got a nice melody and gives a great feeling after listening to it several times. It has an impressive vocal harmony, and this absolutely is a track with hit potential.

“Hunab,” the first song on the CD, is an instrumental track played by an orchestra alone. The song lasts for less than 2 minutes, but still it is kind of a mystery as to why it is even on the CD?? It doesn’t fit with the rest of the songs.

This is a pretty quiet album, at least the first half of it has relaxed guitar riffs. After 5 songs, it finally gets some tempo and attitude. It is sad to say, but it feels like sleeping music through the first half. The first song with some action is “Forces Of The Shore,” with some more violent and intense guitar riffs and drums. This is one of the better songs on the album. It starts with a choir intro and then the guitarist gets on hard. This song has got some fast and dark beats.

Epica is also into Folk Music, and “Quietus” proves that!!! The vocalist is doing her best performance within this song. She alters between soprano vocals and more plain singing, and it sounds amazing. The lyrics are very audible, which adds to the understanding of the song.

Creativity takes heart, soul, and energy, an energy that usually builds through progress. Unfortunately, the album, as a whole, fails to achieve its high expectations … this is an album that could be, but didn’t.

Lineup

Simone Simons – Mezzo Soprano
Mark Jansen – guitars, grunts, & screams
Ad Sluijter – guitars
Coen Janssen – synths
Yves Huts – bass guitar
Jeroen Simons – drums & percussion

Guest Appearances
Sascha Paeth – acoustic guitars (2)
Roy Kahn – vocals on (9)