Epica - Design Your Universe
| Release date: | 16 October 2009 |
| Style: | Symphonic metal |
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Owners: |
974 have it 71 want it 1 trades it |
01. Samadhi (Prelude)
02. Resign To Surrender (A New Age Dawns - Part IV)
03. Unleashed
04. Martyr Of The Free Word
05. Our Destiny
06. Kingdom Of Heaven (A New Age Dawns - Part V)
07. The Price Of Freedom (Interlude)
08. Burn To A Cinder
09. Tides Of Time
10. Deconstruct
11. Semblance Of Liberty
12. White Waters
13. Design Your Universe (A New Age Dawns - Part VI)
14. This Is The Time [bonus]
15. Incentive [bonus]
16. Nothing's Wrong [Heideroosjes cover][Japanese bonus]
17. Unleashed [duet version][iTunes bonus]
The Best Atmospheric/Symphonic Metal Album Of 2009
Top 20 albums of 2009: 16
02. Resign To Surrender (A New Age Dawns - Part IV)
03. Unleashed
04. Martyr Of The Free Word
05. Our Destiny
06. Kingdom Of Heaven (A New Age Dawns - Part V)
07. The Price Of Freedom (Interlude)
08. Burn To A Cinder
09. Tides Of Time
10. Deconstruct
11. Semblance Of Liberty
12. White Waters
13. Design Your Universe (A New Age Dawns - Part VI)
14. This Is The Time [bonus]
15. Incentive [bonus]
16. Nothing's Wrong [Heideroosjes cover][Japanese bonus]
17. Unleashed [duet version][iTunes bonus]
The Best Atmospheric/Symphonic Metal Album Of 2009
Top 20 albums of 2009: 16
Reviews 
Lyrics Simone Johanna Maria Simons - vocals
Coen Janssen - keyboards, piano
Mark Jansen - guitars, vocals
Isaac Delahaye - guitars
Ariën Van Weesenbeek - drums
Yves "Yvel" Huts - bass
Guest musicians
Tony Kakko - vocals
Olaf Reitmeier - backing vocals
Simon Oberender - backing vocals
Choir: Cloudy Yang, Amanda Somerville, Bridget Fogle, Linda van Summeren, Previn Moore, Melvin Edmondsen
Additional info
The album was recorded at Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany with producer Sascha Paeth.
Artwork by Stefan Heilemann.
"White Waters" features Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica on vocals.
"Unleashed" features Amanda Sommerville
Rating:
8.5
8.5
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Rating: 8.5 |
Dutch symphonic metallers Epica make their return in spectacular form with Design Your Universe, studio album number four. The band have grown over the years and Design Your Universe is the product of a confident and mature band. The album sees Epica at their most bombastic yet and also their most experimental. Maybe not the most accessible album initially, weighing in at a hefty length but Design Your Universe is packed with quality content. As you would expect, Epica have once again produced an album with all their hallmarks. The music is inevitably built around Simone's ever growing sweet but powerful, theatrical, operatic style of singing backed up with more orchestral choirs and symphonies than ever before. The album is also the grittiest Epica have created. No longer is Epica a limp symphonic band for girls, but the harsh vocals also make their mark on Design Your Universe, especially with songs like the brilliant "Martyr Of The Free World" that in the chorus sounds exactly like what you'd imagine Amon Amarth to sound like if they played along a symphony orchestra. Not committing themselves to song templates or letting genre definitions define their music, Epica even show a glimpse of progressive flair with a nod towards Dream Theater during their fourteen-minute epic "Kingdom Of Heaven". Read more ›› |
Rating:
9.0
9.0
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Rating: 9.0 |
Two years after their previous record, Epica outdid themselves. When I heard the first notes of "Resign To Surrender", I said to myself that this is gonna be different. If you read my review on The Divine Conspiracy, you know my opinion. It was a good album but it could be much better and that's what frustrated me. Design Your Universe learned from its predecessor. Read more ›› |
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Comments
Comments: 23
Visited by: 1509 users
| nehrodwarf Posts: 468  |
I heard some music and I thinked too different, at past albuns (phantom agony and consign to oblivion) they mixture, with sucess opera and metal and got awsome. I don't know about your mind, but at mine... these two last albuns I didn't like of simone's way of sing: too different. nicely... I prefer the old simone's way of singining(like opera singer). It's just my too simple opinion (too subjective).
---- In this life you can choose what kind of ave to be: a chicken or a phoexix. I choosen be a phoenix, cuz' I'm rebirthing from ashes Ps: my website it's: http://gcasweb.orgfree.com
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| Vonpire Posts: 471  |
I think absolutelty the other way. The last 2 albuns are far way better than the first 2. But, it's my humble opinion  In fact i think Design Your Universe is far the best album of 2009.
---- Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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| Blasphemer1992 Posts: 71  |
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| Metaller Posts: 4 |
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| Franchu Posts: 3 |
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| Hollenvaen Posts: 2 |
Written by Blasphemer1992 on 11.12.2010 at 18:28 No way, Epica are way better. Just comapre lyrics, themes, complexity...Epica win.
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| Metal_4Ever Posts: 877  |
Written by Hollenvaen on 05.05.2011 at 03:47 And we don't forget the vocals
---- My Last Fm Profile
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| hellsmiles Posts: 207  |
I actually have the hard copy of this album, and I'm glad to say I didn't waste money on it. It seems as though Epica has at last mastered the type of music they've been working for.
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| the Dreamer Posts: 2 |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Written by the Dreamer on 18.08.2011 at 11:47 Epica is not the best symphonic metal band.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| vezzy Stallmanite Posts: 3493  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.08.2011 at 14:55 +1
---- Licensed under the GPLv3. Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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| ErnilEnNaur Account deleted |
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| musicalkaratekid Posts: 1506 |
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| AngelofDeth Cyborg Raptor Posts: 1183  |
A fucking masterpeice. best epica album imo and one of my faves in general
---- pewpew.. gotcha
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| Erik M. Posts: 3104  |
People who say this album is Epica's best might not have heard The Phantom Agony (as it's less popular on MS). That being said, this album is definitely great. I'd put it add #2, right behind their debut.
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| HyperDrifter Posts: 348 |
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| Masonics Posts: 81  |
I have not heard "requim for the indifferent" yet as Im listening to the records in order, but so far this is my fav record. They have found the best streamline "symphonic" sound on this record. Simones voice sounds most confident and less operatic on previous records, and the backup growls sound good too.
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| 4look4rd The Sasquatch Posts: 840  |
I think this will be remember as the peak of Epica's career. The Phantom of Agony and Cosign to Oblivion had great individual tracks but the overall package was lacking, while the Divine Conspiracy was the other way around - it was a great overall album but lack the individual tracks. Design Your Universe has everything. It is still the same recognizable Epica style, its full of "hit songs" and the overall album is amazing.
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| ElMarcado Account deleted |
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| Erik M. Posts: 3104 |
Written by [user id=150501] on 30.06.2014 at 08:06 Exactly. 
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| JOPE OF STEELE Steelemeister Posts: 3333  |
Too long, not enough interesting parts, especially at the end of the album it gets really boring. Cut it in half and you have a decent album. Fixed track list as follows: 01. Samadhi (Prelude) 02. Resign To Surrender (A New Age Dawns - Part IV) 03. Martyr Of The Free Word 04. Kingdom Of Heaven (A New Age Dawns - Part V) 05. The Price Of Freedom (Interlude) 06. Burn To A Cinder 07. Tides Of Time 08. Deconstruct
---- My vision is augmented
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| Furiator Posts: 30  |
Written by Franchu on 01.05.2011 at 14:00 Well, they fucking did 
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| nonZero Posts: 1332  |
It took me a while to get into Epica, but I'm glad I persisted! This album is great. 8.9/10 for me. Easily their best.
---- Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated) Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres) So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)
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