If it will have the same songwriting quality as the last one, I would be very pleased

IMO the band's been going downhill for a few albums already. I've had it with these 75 min albums where maybe two songs only sticks and rest is forever forgotten. Maybe I'll listen to it, who knows, but expectations are low ATM.

I had mixed feelings from their last album, not sure how I feel but expectations aren't super high though.

A little less bias would've been nice here. Like others, I think their last two albums were somewhat mediocre.

Still, the last one could've been worse. We'll see how this one turns out but I'm not going to expect much and hopefully will be surprised.

Remember that one time they released an album with a song didn't have its vocal track on it? That was funny. Haven't really listened to the new album yet, i'll need to get caught up before this one comes out.

Epica is my go-to band so YEAH!!!

Written by Irritable Ted on 09.01.2016 at 14:55

If as good as the last one I will be happy.

The same here

On last record Epica easily defeated all Nightwish albums after "Once".

Last one wasn't bad but not memorable and with little replay value, they need to change their game a bit.

Hope it's like the last one. Fantastic album.

The Quantum Enigma would've been as good as Design Your Universe... except that Simone's voice has degraded a bit.
Other than that, it was an outstanding album.

I just hope the band don't stumble as they did with Requiem For The Indifferent and its lousy sound.

Written by Unhealer on 10.01.2016 at 14:29

Last one wasn't bad but not memorable and with little replay value, they need to change their game a bit.

If by that you mean they should change their "formula" isn't that what they did with requiem for the indifferent? Which was probably their most negatively criticized album? I liked tqe, but you could almost split the album in two where the first few songs were great and the latter half was forgettable (including the title track, gosh that dissapointed me)

Written by Hyperion on 14.01.2016 at 21:30

Written by Unhealer on 10.01.2016 at 14:29

Last one wasn't bad but not memorable and with little replay value, they need to change their game a bit.

If by that you mean they should change their "formula" isn't that what they did with requiem for the indifferent? Which was probably their most negatively criticized album? I liked tqe, but you could almost split the album in two where the first few songs were great and the latter half was forgettable (including the title track, gosh that dissapointed me)

Exactly, and that's why I really liked that album. There's always a possibility that I won't like a change of formula, but I prefer that over being almost sure the album will bore me by using the same tricks over and over again.

^ If you wanted to break all the MS rules on a single post you should have also sweared at someone.

Words from the bassist, Rob van der Loo on the new album (link: http://metalholic.com/index.php?s=epica ): "So far, I must say ? of course, I can't spoil too much the new album ? but we kind of? One of the biggest changes, of course, is not just me being the new member of the band, but also we changed? (on The Quantum Enigma) we started working with Joost van den Broek, who used to be the old keyboard player from After Forever, the band where Mark (Jansen) used to play as well. And we recorded it in a completely new studio, a completely new setting. I guess this is also the first album that we worked with a complete orchestra, 'cause normally we use a lot of software. We always add some real strings, of course. I mean, it still has to sound organic, of course. But I can already spoil that with this new album, we're actually gonna record it with a bigger orchestra ? even bigger than the last one ? with a bigger choir. We're also gonna have a brass section on it as well. And we just came out of the studio. We already recorded the drums. I just finished bass last week. Isaac (Delahaye) did the rhythm guitars already. And we also did it with a new sound setting as well. We actually kind of stripped our sound to make it sound a little bit more aggressive than the last album, to be honest."