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Biography of Epica  Biography |  Travels and the discovery of other cultures: such are the main sources of inspiration, as much on the personal level that at the musical level, of Mark Jansen, singer, guitarist, lyric writer, composer and founder of the Batavian band.
The first album, with a rich palette of sounds «The phantom agony», released in 2003, shows it with abundance: the Arab influences are very present there thus besides that certain sonorities come in particular from South Africa.
After a short but tumultuous period passed within After Forever (he was cofounder), Mark Jansen, as soon as he had understood that his future did not pass any more by this combo, got down himself to create a new band: Sahara Dust.
Since the first weeks of 2003, this name was turned into its current designation: Epica. At the beginning, the band worked with the Norwegian singer Helena Michaelsen (ex Trail of Tears, current leader of Imperia). However, the final choice was very quickly turned on the young Dutch singer Simone Simons. The line-up was then stabilized with Coen Jansen (keyboards), AD Sluijter (guitar), Jeroen Simons (drums) - all emerging from the Cassiopeia band - and Yves Huts (bass) of Axamenta.
The first album was recorded in Germany, at the Gate Studio in Wolsburg, under the artistic management of the famous producer Sacha Paeth (Aina, Rhapsody, Kamelot, Angra …).
The characteristics of the music of Epica are very quite present there: use of a classic choir, violins, violas and violoncellos: the main idea remaining the voice of mezzo-soprano of Simone Simons.
All the measurement of the talent of Epica shows through thanks to contrast due to the combination of traditional and extreme metal: aggressive guitars versus arrangements of cord, growls of Mark Jansen versus sublime song of Simone. |
|  Even if the ambition of the group is to integrate emotions as well in the words as in the musical arrangements, which leaves the free field to the listeners to interpret the meaning of them, Epica does not remain blind with daily reality: «Façade of Reality» for example speaks about the state of the world before and after the attacks of September 11 and the changes occurred during this period.
The name of Epica is a tribute to the band Kamelot of which one of the albums puts down this title and of which they all are fans: in 2005, they finished moreover a tour with Kamelot and Kotipelto (singer of Stratovarius) which took them along to Holland of course, in France, in Germany, in Belgium …
Lastly, Epica corresponds to a place in the universe where all the answers to the crucial questions can be found, which agrees perfectly to the deep sense of the lyrics.
In June 2004 leaves the splendid live DVD «We will take you with us» recorded live and partially acoustic at the Wisseloord studios for the program of Dutch television «2 meter sessies».
The album «Consign to Oblivion», ”, released on April 21, 2005, has in particular as a subject the Maya culture of Guatemala and Mexico, replaced in a contemporary context.
The new album «The Divine Conspiracy» is currently acclaimed by all criticism like the album of maturity! |
| | Discography | | The Phantom Agony (2003) | : |  | | We Will Take You With Us (DVD - 2004). | : |  | | Consign to Oblivion (2005) | : |  | | The Score (2005 - Movie music) | : |  | | The Road to Paradisio (2006 - Photo Sound Book) | : |  | | The Divine Conspiracy (2007) | : |  |
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| | Line-up | | Mark Jansen (Guitars, growls) | : |  | | Coen Janssen (Keyboards and piano) | : |  | | Yves Huts (Bass) | : |  | | Simone Simons (Vocals) | : |  | | Ad Sluijter (Guitars) | : |  | | Ariën van Weesenbeek (Drums) | : |  |
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| Copyright © 2007-2008. Site updated on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 |  | Contact us at tpeasbl@scarlet.be |
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