In a brand new interview with Brazil’s Gustavo Maiato, EPICA singer Simone Simons was requested if she was “already a fan” of the symphonic steel style earlier than the making of the band’s debut album, 2003’s “The Phantom Agony”. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Sure. Yeah, I used to be. Earlier than I knew what steel music was, I used to be extra into rock, different rock bands like RADIOHEAD, SILVERCHAIR, DEFTONES, R.E.M. After which I received into black steel, truly. I used to be a fan of CRADLE [OF FILTH], DIMMU BORGIR, MYSTIC CIRCLE, OLD MAN’S CHILD, to call just a few. After which I heard bands like LACUNA COIL, NIGHTWISH, WITHIN TEMPTATION, AFTER FOREVER. Listening to this steel mixed with an attractive feminine voice was one thing fully new to me, and mixed additionally with classical music, classical singing, I believed it was magical.”
Requested if there have been any specific data from these symphonic steel bands that caught her consideration again then, Simone stated: “Yeah. From LACUNA COIL, it is, I suppose, ‘In A Reverie’. From WITHIN TEMPTATION, ‘The Dance’. NIGHTWISH — ‘Angels Fall First’ and ‘Oceanborn’, these albums. And TRISTANIA, I feel it is ‘Past The Veil’. These have been the albums.”
She added: “I not too long ago discovered — my mom gave me a cassette, slightly combine tape that I constructed from my favourite bands again within the day, and there is LACUNA COIL on it and NIGHTWISH, DIMMU BORGIR. It is actually cute. I haven’t got a cassette participant or a Walkman anymore. I can purchase one so I can take heed to it, for nostalgic causes.”
EPICA‘s ninth studio album, “Aspiral”, got here out on April 11 through Nuclear Blast Information. The LP title is derived from the eponymous bronze sculpture made by Polish sculptor and painter Stanisław Szukalski again in 1965 and stands for renewal and inspiration — key phrases that outline EPICA in 2025. In Szukalski‘s work each element is a chunk of artwork in its personal proper, and there is all the time extra to the story than you initially assume. The band noticed this as the right analogy for the creation of this ninth album: every tune stands by itself with a particular vibe and which means, whereas collectively they implement one another right into a monumental effort.
The album, that includes beautiful cowl paintings by Hedi Xandt (RAMMSTEIN, GHOST, PARKWAY DRIVE),was recorded as soon as once more at Sandlane Studios and expertly blended and produced by Joost Van Den Broek.
To have fun the “Aspiral” launch, EPICA performed three unique reveals in america in early Might: in New York Metropolis, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
Picture credit score: Tim Tronckoe (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)
