The live show took part in Miskolc, Hungary on June 14, 2008, in the framework of the Miskolc Opera Festival (where Therion did a similar show a year before). In May of that year, Epica recorded The Classical Conspiracy, their first live album. Ad's successor on guitar was announced in January 2009 to be Isaac Delahaye, who is formerly of God Dethroned fame. He left a message on his Myspace page with his reasoning for leaving the band, which included frustration over being unable to enjoy composing music because of deadlines. On December 16, 2008, Ad Sluijter left the band. The second single, "Chasing the Dragon," was released in 2008 without an accompanying video. The first single of the album was released on Augentitled "Never Enough". The band toured North America again in April 2008 with Into Eternity and Symphony X, this time with Amanda Somerville because Simone had contracted a staph infection (MRSA). That December, Ariën van Weesenbeek was announced to be Epica's permanent new drummer. In September 2007, Epica headlined their first tour through North America and released their third album, The Divine Conspiracy, this time on a new label, Nuclear Blast. In December, Ariën van Weesenbeek from God Dethroned was announced via Epica's official website as the guest drummer for their new album, but not as a permanent band member. In Fall 2006, Simone once again contributed vocals to an album of Kamelot, this time on the tracks "Blücher" and "Season's End" on the album Ghost Opera. After the tour, drummer Jeroen Simons left the band because of his wish to pursue other musical interests. In 20 Epica went on their first tour throughout North America with Kamelot. Mark Jansen describes the album as typical Epica, "only without the singing, without the guitars, no bass and no drums".
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Two singles were released from the album, "Solitary Ground" and "Quietus (Silent Reverie)".Įpica's non-metal album The Score – An Epic Journey was released in September 2005 and is the soundtrack for a Dutch movie called Joyride, though it could also be considered to be their third album. Epica also joined Kamelot as a support band on parts of their tour for promotion of the The Black Halo album, to which Simons had contributed her vocals on the track "The Haunting (Somewhere In Time)". The album features guest singing by Roy Khan (from Kamelot) on the song "Trois Vierges". Consign to Oblivion was composed with film scores as a basis, with Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman cited as major inspirations. "A New Age Dawns" refers to the time system of the Mayan people, which extends up to the year of 2012, and makes no reference of what may happen past said year. Their second release, entitled Consign to Oblivion, was influenced by the culture of the Maya civilization, which can be noticed on songs in the "A New Age Dawns" series. The album was followed by three singles: "The Phantom Agony", "Feint" and "Cry for the Moon".Ĭonsign to Oblivion / The Score (2005–2007) The song "Façade of Reality" on the album was written about the September 11 attacks and includes fragments from speeches by Tony Blair. Their debut album, The Phantom Agony, was produced by Sascha Paeth (known for having produced bands such as Angra, Rhapsody of Fire and Kamelot) and released in late 2003. As a result, they were signed to Transmission Records. Still under the name Sahara Dust, they produced a two-song demo entitled Cry for the Moon in 2002. The name was later changed to Epica, inspired by Kamelot's eponymous album.Įpica then assembled a choir (made up of two men and four women) and a string orchestra (three violins, two violas, two cellos and an upright bass) to play along with them. The band's line-up was completed by guitarist Ad Sluijter, drummer Jeroen Simons, bassist Yves Huts, and keyboard player Coen Janssen. In late 2002, the band courted Helena Michaelsen (from Trail of Tears) as its frontwoman, but shortly after she was replaced by the then unknown mezzo-soprano Simone Simons, who was Jansen's girlfriend at the time. He then began looking for musicians who would work towards a more classical/symphonic type of music project this was initially named "Sahara Dust". In early 2002, Mark Jansen left After Forever over creative differences. Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever.