Customer Reviews

Score: An Epic Journey

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD is a little different from other albums that Epica has put out, but it is a good listen in its own right. I actually quite enjoy this CD, and I would have rated it much higher EXCEPT I found after purchasing that it is Copy Controlled and cannot be ripped onto the computer (which I use as my stereo) and you cannot make a copy of this CD (I like to copy my music to protect the original CD from my own clumsiness). I always prefer to purchase an album for my CD library, and that way I have the lovely artwork and the nice jewel case. Burning a spare copy is important, however, as I like to protect my purchases and ensure that the item I buy stays as new as possible for as long as possible, especially when it's a relatively expensive import CD. I would have thought twice about purchasing this CD if I had known that it is "Copy Controlled", and I just wanted to warn other potential buyers out there of this irksome little feature.

Music = thumbs up
Copy Protection = thumbs waaaay down

If you listen to classical compositions like Wagner's "Der Fliegende Holländer", Stravinski's "Firebird Suite", or Tchaikowsky's "1812", you'll find great orchestations with an epic feeling, and there was no movies or video games as we know them by then. they are just what they are, the vision of an artist expressed with sounds. And that's exactly what this disc is all about: The vision of Mark Jansen and his fellow musicians, expressed in a new, different way.

This work is something completely different from their previous works, and as such, it can't be watched with the same glasses. This is more in the lines of Midnight Syndicate's Dungeons & Dragons RPG Soundtrack, with synthesized orchestrations and an epic, adventurous feeling in it. As the disc title says, it's an epic journey through the vast empire of the imagination, with the score as your guide. Pieces like "Unholy Trinity" and "The Valley" bring to your mind images of inmense battlefields an heroic acts of brave warriors, while others like "Empty Gaze" and "The Alleged Paradigm" take you to the deepest of the heroes' hearts, feeling their fear, their sorrows, and their desire to put an end to it.

Yes, it's true, it's completely different from "The Phantom Agony" or "Consign to Oblivion", but that doesn't mean it's bad, does it? Each artist has a need to express his feelings and ideas, and it's up to him to choose his means to do that.

A piece of advice for everyone: When writing a review, about anything, judge it by itself, not by comparing apples with oranges.

I'm an aficionado of both classical music and symphonic metal, and Epica is my favorite band because of their seamless blend of both. This early album is a superb introduction to Epica's operatic style. The musicians are all classically trained...and it shows. As the album is a movie score, instrumental tracks dominate (unlike their other albums), but mezzo-soprano Simone Simons lends her exquisite vocals to a few tracks. Epica demonstrates its mastery of the grand orchestral sound and wonderful weighty chorales (often with Latin lyrics) where symphonic metal shines, and Simons' luminous voice enriches this "epic" feeling rather than detracting from it. (I find the pop-star voices of some other bands in the genre end up being at odds with an otherwise lush, complex sound.) This album can be difficult to find inexpensively in the States, so when it's available, grab it and enjoy being transported to a rich sonic landscape by the foremost creative force in symphonic metal.

Epica's roots are in symphony music guys. Their main influences are the likes of Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman; film music! It is only natural that they would release an all symphonic album. This disc contains the music that they create in its pure and unadulterated state. Epic's other stuff is good and I enjoy it don't get me wrong. Given their influences, they HAD to do an album like this. So don't negatively rate it. This album belongs with their other releases.

The cd case was really slim and that makes it also fragile. The CD arrived in very good shape both box and disk.

I would give it about 3 and a half stars but wouldn't let me.

This album is completely different from anything else Epica has done. There is no metal in it. It is completely classical/film music. It is really boring to listen to by itself for this reason. It sounds like something you would have in the background of a video game or a film. For that reason alone (that it is very boring to listen to by itself) it will probably not be well enjoyed by the public exept for a few.

Having said that, given the genre of music they are doing it is pretty well composed. I would only suggest to buy this album if you are interested in using music for a film or video game or else if you are a fan of classical music or some sort of background music.

Yes, it is very different from Epica's other songs, and I would have liked a little more vocals in this, but overall, it's absolutely fantastic and incredibly powerful, worthy of the classics.

Since may personal point of view not the best, not bad, simply diferent, kind a movie sound track. Good for those who want all Epica CD's.