Artist: Epica
Title: The Holographic Principle
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Release Date: 30th September 2016
Label: Nuclear Blast
Album Review
Recently there had been some articles positing that The Matrix may not have been too much of a fiction but that its premise may well be a possibility, the question if universe is the digitally projected holograph centres also in this, seventh, album of a Dutch Symphonic Metal band too. It seems they’d like to be seen as philosophical but for philosophy nerds it’s still philosophy light; don’t expect it to turn your grey matter into a seasoned acrobat.
Regarding music, it’s pretty much orthodox Symphonic Metal, where the band is concentrating on honing the sound experience to as perfect as they can get with few variations as giving choir more prominence and brining more live instrumental shine to it. The problem is that if you don’t bring anything new to the table of musical ideas it just gets a bit tired, going for the sake of going feeling. The only song that offers more interesting facets as it’s more diverse and not so predictable is ‘Divide and Conquer’, ‘Once Upon A Nightmare’ has lovely arrangements and has some nice contrast between softer soothing passages and the more climaxing ones, but that’s me trying not to feel the rest of the sugar coated taste it leaves behind too much. There’s enjoyability to it but it’s nothing to write home about.
Tracklist
01. Eidola
02. Edge of the Blade
03. A Phantasmic Parade
04. Universal Death Squad
05. Divide and Conquer
06. Beyond the Matrix
07. Once Upon A Nightmare
08. The Cosmic Algorithm
09. Ascension – Dream State Armageddon
10. Dancing in a Hurricane
11. Tear Down Your Walls
12. The Holographic Principle - A Profound Understanding of Reality
Line-up
Mark Janssen – death grunts, orchestral arrangements
Coen Janssen – keyboards, piano, synthesizer, orchestral and choir arrangements, glockenspiel, xylophone, additional tubular bells
Simone Simons – lead/backing vocals, soprano
Ariën van Weesenbeek - drums, timpani, spoken words (track 9)
Isaac Delahaye - lead guitar, rhythm guitar, orchestral arrangements, mandolin, balalaika, bouzouki, additional ukulele
Rob van der Loo - bass guitar
Websites
http://www.epica.nl / https://www.facebook.com/epica
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 6
Sound: 7
Total: 6.5 / 10
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