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Epica - The Quantum Enigma CD (album) cover

THE QUANTUM ENIGMA

Epica

 

Progressive Metal

3.81 | 93 ratings

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Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars Well ...it's been quite sometime that I have not listened to any kind of music with growling vocal style which under local term here in my country I call it as 'muntah kolak' even though Epica is not full with growling vocal. Obviously the clean vocal by Simone Simons (I like her appearance in Kamelot's DVD couple of years ago) in which she sing with power she possibly can, The result is truly an excellent power metal album packed with heavy orchestration from start to end of the album. I am the kind of person whom very easy and happy to enjoy any kind of music which has orchestra in its composition, be it real or just software manipulation like tons of softwares used in the Tangent's latest album. I am not quite sure how the boys in Epica produce the orchestra as part of their composition but for sure I do enjoy all passages of this album.

The opening orchestra Originem really blew me away at first listen as it produces dramatic sound to open this beautifully crafted album. It sets the overall tone of the album, really. It reminds me the first time I felt in love with Kamelot through their Karma album where it started with an orchestra titled as Regalis Apertura. Originem is really as good as Regalis Apertura. The music moves beautifully to the second track The Second Stonewith a full blast of power metal style complete with heavy riffs and double pedal bass drums that is running in full speed. Simone Simons proves herself as one of best metal vocalist with her pure, clear and powerful tones throughout the song backed with heavy music and male choirs. The orchestration still playing dominant role throughout the song.

The Essence Of Silence starts off ambient with a nice combination of violin sound and piano fills. The music then blasts off beautifully with male back vocal in growling style followed with clean vocal of Simone and female choirs. In some way it reminds me to Haggard 'Tales from Itheria' album even though the music is different. Victims Of Contingency kicks off nicely with string arrangements followed with the blast of double pedal bass drums that brings the music into full power metal style with male growling vocal backed with female choirs just before clean female vocal enters. Sense Without Sanity - The Impervious Code changes the mood of the music where now guitar riffs becomes quite dominant and female vocal delivers nice melody.

Unchain Utopia, unlike other tracks, starts with a choir an then followed with music blast that contains string arrangement and heavy riffs followed with toning down style when Simone enters her vocal line. The choirs now seem to dominate the song. The Fifth Guardian (interlude) is a very nice outfit in mellow style that represents a reasonable break after full blast of metal music from prior tracks. It's short in duration with approx 3 minutes containing some blends of eastern music and eerie vocal, backed with powerful violin-like sounds. I can consider this as a nice instrumental that bridges the next track. The nuance of this instrumental is sad in nature. It then shifts smoothly to the next one: Chemical Insomnia with full power of metal.

I love almost all tracks featured by this album including the tracks that follow: Reverence - Living In The Heart, Omen - The Ghoulish Malady. When it reaches Canvas Of Life, the music is tuned down to the fullest as it's basically a mellow song containing mainly vocal and guitar plus string arrangements. It's a very nice melodic mellow track where the drums are not typical double pedal speed tempo as this is a slow track. It's a very nice track. Natural Corruption brings back the power metal style. The album concludes with an epic from the album title: The Quantum Enigma - Kingdom Of Heaven part II which has an excellent composition. The music moves nicely from an ambient opening through wonderfully crafted string arrangement and moves in crescendo as drums come into play. The vocal part enters at about 2 minute after the opening. I like the interlude section which demonstrates simple orchestration with guitar riffs and choirs at the back. It's really nice music!

Musically, I think this band has progressed in the right direction from time to time as I remember vividly I only reviewed their album released in 2007 and I find there is so much progress of I look at this beautifully crafted album in 2014. I highly recommend you to have this album and you won;t regret especially if you like the heavy side of music. Keep on proggin' ...!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Gatot | 4/5 |

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