Year: 2022
Total Time: 53.58
Label: Atomic Fire Records
When I first heard that EPICA, the symphonic metal pioneers, are preparing a new EP I was curious to find out what their new songs would be like. They are one of the bands that never cease to amaze me with their experimental nature in vocals, sound, image…everything. Their new album, “The Alchemy Project” will be released in 11/11 and it is actually a project that tries to bind together different metal paths with the help of some very important guest singers and musicians. From the extreme FLESHGOD APOCALPYSE, Niilo Sevanen of INSOMNIUM or SOILWORK’s Bjorn Strid to Tommy Karevik of KAMELOT, URIAH HEEP’s legend Phil Lanzon or Roel van Helden from power metallers POWERWOLF and the amazing singers Charlotte Wessels (ex-DELAIN) and Myrkur.
This is a really diverse EP since every song is custom made to the needs and merits of each guest. We cannot say that it is a really cohesive album, but a collection for every taste. For example, the opening song “The Great Tribulation” is an explosive mix of Simmons clean vocals, harsh vocals from Francesco Paoli (FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE) and the typical choir parts that are a trademark for EPICA. The next song, which is called “Wake The World”, is one of the most interesting collaborations with URIAH HEEPS’s keyboardist Phil Lanzon and the amazing Tommy Karevik, KAMELOT’s singer. Slower rhythm, melodic music and, in general, a song that could be characterized as Hard Rock. One of the most special songs is “The Final Lullaby”, which has a beautiful, melodic refrain and is a collaboration with the SHINING. Its special feature is the saxophone, an instrument that we are not used to listen to in a metal song. To be honest, I would like a little more saxophone because I feel that we lost the opportunity for an even better composition.
The following one is defined by the collaboration of three amazing voices of metal. Simone Simmons, Charlotte Wessels (ex-DELAIN) and Myrkur (Amalie Bruun) in a beautiful ballad that combines the three voices in a perfect way. In this song, called “Sirens Of Blood and Water”, vocals are prevailing. With “Death Is Not The End” we return to high speed, since the participation of Frank Schiphorst (MAYAN) και Bjorn “Speed” Strid (SOILWORK) shows the way. Its main characteristics are the dynamic guitars and the dominant drums. The sixth song of the album, “The Great Tribulation” is not something you would normally find in an EPICA album. In less than three minutes, they explore a Death Metal path, far from their usual epic and symphonic ways and the guest musicians (Sven de Caluwe of ABORTED and Henri Sattler of DETHRONED) carry all the burden. Last but not least, the seven-minute “The Miner”, which embraces all the metal genres that we heard in the previous six songs. The guests are Roel van Helden, the drummer of POWERWOLF, Asim Searah from DAMNATION PLAN and Niilo Sevanen from INSOMNIUM. This song is everything. Ballad parts, vocal diversity, distinctive riffs, death vocals and chorus parts, all in one composition.
With their new EP, EPICA managed to show us that, after more than twenty years in music, they need to evolve, to dare doing something new without the fear of losing their identity. Do you thing that this could be a first step towards a new path in their career? Time will tell!
Rating: 8/10
Editor: Kostas Boudoukos
Related Link: EPICA – Official Page
