The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of symphonic metal, as such bands as AFTER FOREVER, NIGHTWISH, HAGGARD, and WITHIN TEMPTATION released seminal records that are still classics of the scene. In the midst of all this, a new band arose, a band that years later still carries the torch of the genre with grace and determination: EPICA. Initially called SAHARA DUST, the Dutch soon-to-be icons changed their name, inspired by KAMELOT’s “Epica,” and released their fabulous debut, “The Phantom Agony.” The album was released on June 5th, 2003, via Dutch label Transmission Records, and this year marks its 20th anniversary.
It’s not every day that a band debuts with such strong material as EPICA’s first studio offering. However, this was founding member Mark Jansen’s third album overall – after having released two other albums with AFTER FOREVER before his departure in 2002 – which may account for the lush sound and memorable songs. To this day, EPICA still play tracks from this album during some of their live shows, especially “Sensorium” and fan-favorite “Cry for the Moon.” Besides these two, the other six tracks (not counting the intro) are just as bombastic, if not even more so. Can anyone really deny the appeal of the 9-minute epic title track or the emotional beauty of “Feint”? I don’t think so. This appeal – and their winning formula – is created by a multitude of factors that vary, from the cinematic backing choirs and symphonic arrangement, to the rip-roaring guitars, intense drumming, and sparkling keys, with Simone Simons’ beautiful and magnetic vocals as the icing on the cake. Put these elements together in different degrees and you get songs with various textures that make for dramatic shifts in the tracklist, which is the biggest selling point of not just this record but of most EPICA albums.
The flow of this album, from the heaviness of “Sensorium” through the operatic beauty of “Illusive Consensus” and the ebb-and-flow of “The Phantom Agony,” makes for a rich soundscape that is equally harsh and delicate. This is exactly the thing that makes EPICA such a force of nature – the way they marry heaviness with the beauty of symphonic metal, a formula they have perfected over the years into what can fairly be considered well-balanced bombast. Tracks like “Façade of Reality” or the oriental-influenced “Seif al Din” really showcase this aspect in the way they are constructed and put together. These tracks – alongside “Cry for the Moon” – are part of Jansen’s “The Embrace that Smothers” series of songs that deal with the dangers of organized religion, even if the spoken part in “Façade of Reality” has to do with the aftermath of 9/11. On the other hand, such tracks as “Feint” or “Run for a Fall” really capitalize on Simons’ operatic vocals, which contrast with Jansen’s grunts and harsh vocals. Both of their vocal skills got better over the years, so let’s not be so harsh with their deliveries here, especially considering how young they were when EPICA started out.
Speaking of the way songs are put together, “Run for a Fall” is an interesting case study of the way EPICA crafts their songs. In this particular case, it starts off as a ballad with an aggressive middle part followed by some orchestral arrangements that come back full circle to a balladry end. They have such a way of stinging pieces together into a cohesive unit, and later longer songs such as “Consign to Oblivion,” “The Obsessive Devotion,” or “Chasing the Dragon” really showcase their intricate and layered songwriting. Even their shorter songs like “Feint,” “Never Enough,” or “Sancta Terra” have a complexity of their own. Nonetheless, the music is only half the story as their appeal wouldn’t be complete without the philosophical lyrical side that Mark Jansen and Simone Simons handle with intelligence and skill. The aforementioned “The Embrace that Smothers” songs are a great example in this respect, as are the trio of songs that make “The Kingdom of Heaven,” or the whole “The Quantum Enigma” album, just to give some examples.
For what it offers and for what foundations were laid, “The Phantom Agony” is a strong yet underrated album. In many ways, this record is a blueprint of what EPICA could achieve (and indeed have achieved) in the metal scene, crafting songs that really warrant the label “progressive” attached to them. In between the talents of Simons, Jansen, and keys master Coen Janssen, who is responsible for the choir and backing arrangements in the band, EPICA started out on a high note and are continuing the provide the world with symphonic metal of the highest quality. Granted, they didn’t reinvent the proverbial wheel, but they sure knew how to roll with it as execution and delivery trumped the familiarity of the template.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
1. Adyta (The Neverending Embrace)
2. Sensorium
3. Cry for the Moon (The Embrace That Smothers, Part IV)
4. Feint
5. Illusive Consensus
6. Façade of Reality (The Embrace That Smothers, Part V)
7. Run for a Fall
8. Seif al Din (The Embrace That Smothers, Part VI)
9. The Phantom Agony
Lineup
Simone Simons – vocals
Mark Jansen – guitar, vocals, orchestral arrangements
Coen Janssen – synths, orchestral & choir arrangements
Ad Sluijter – guitar
Yves Huts – bass
Jeroen Simons – drums, percussion
Label
Transmission Records
