Epica - Design Your Universe (4.5/5)

01. Samadhi Prelude 01:27 02. Resign to Surrender A New Age Dawns Part IV 06:19 03. Unleashed 05:48 04. Martyr of the Free Word 05:03 05. Our Destiny 06:00 06. Kingdom of Heaven A New Age Dawns Part V 13:35 07. The Price of Freedom Interlude 01:14 08. Burn to a Cinder 05:41 09. Tides of Time 5:34 10. Deconstruct 04:14 11. Semblance of Liberty 05:42 12. White Waters 04:44 13. Design Your Universe A New Age Dawns Part VI 09:29 14. Incentive 04:14

Design Your Universe is the fourth studio release from Dutch symphonic metal sextet Epica. Released in 2009, Design Your Universe sees Epica take a slightly darker path than in previous releases: the growls are more frequent and the black metal shredding and blast beat drums are more pronounced. Fans of the traditional Epica sound need not despair though as front woman and operatic mezzo-soprano Simone Simons remains centre stage, defying the black metal onslaught with mighty lungs and melody at the forefront. This blend of heaviness and soaring melody has set Epica apart from many of their contemporaries in the crowded European symphonic/gothic metal genre and Design Your Universe sees them tighten their grip on the symphonic metal crown.

Recorded in early 2009, existing members Simone Simons (vocals), Mark Jansen (guitar), Yves Huts (bass), Ariën van Weesenbeek (drums) and Coen Janssen (keyboards) were joined by new lead guitarist Isaac Delaheye, replacing Ad Sluijter who departed in 2008. Former God Dethroned axeman Delahaye has to wait until after orchestral and choral prelude Samadhi to make his presence felt. The ‘proper’ album opener Resign to Surrender continues the choral theme for a time before blasting into some top quality black metal riffage. Full synthesised orchestration battles for dominance with super energetic and tight drumming, pummelling bass work and seven string guitar shredding as well as Jansen’s backing snarls and Simons’ ethereal voice. Delaheye’s black metal influence resurfaces from the wonderfully melodious noise in a blistering solo and crunching lead guitar parts. The technical guitar work: stringskipping, sweeps and diminished arpeggios show off yet another weapon in the Epica arsenal.

The album continues with first single Unleashed, a more accessible track where Simons’ mezzo soprano is given free rein to soar above the heavy riffage and grand orchestral melodies. Her voice remains impeccable and a shows a startling maturity for her (in 2009) 23 years. Often the classical operatic voice is left on the shelf in preference for a more natural singing voice, these two styles are used to good effect in Our Destiny. While possibly not a stand out track on the album, this track can be seen as a classic or standard Epica offering, and is testament to the superb quality of the rest of the tracks that this seems ordinary by comparison.

Kingdom of Heaven continues the album in rock solid fashion with a thirteen minute giant of a song, continuing the A New Age Dawns saga. The links between this and earlier parts of the grouping are unclear, sharing no musical particular musical similarities to title track of previous album Consign to Oblivion. No matter, Kingdom of Heaven for me is the pinnacle of Design Your Universe, like the rest of the album, flawlessly produced, showing the many diverse elements of Epica’s style, heavy metal riffing, acoustic, orchestral, chloral and spoken sections.

Sonata Arctica frontman Toni Kakko of Sonata Arctica fame lends his not insignificant vocal abilities to ballad White Waters performing a stirring duet with Simone Simons. The album closes with the title track, another rock solid symphonic metal track with a moving outro vocal and piano solo, the delicacy of this final section counters the bombastic nature of much of the rest of the album and is another interesting tool in Epica’s already well stocked armoury.

Despite being Epica’s darkest and heaviest offering, Design Your Universe has just as many moments of catchy sing-along-ness as it’s 2007 predecessor, The Divine Conspiracy. This reviewer often finds himself singing along with Simons’ soprano choruses, only to catch himself doing so, then speaking gruffly in a deep manly voice for the next few minutes as though nothing had happened… ‘Me?… No that wasn’t me singing… I was… um… Sneezing’

Backing vocalist and snarler Mark Jansen has been criticised on previous releases for the lack of power in his voice and the lack of ferocity in his delivery. While still no Devin Townsend, Jansen’s vocal performance has improved markedly. His snarls and grunts now fit much more neatly into the songs, becoming to an extent, less noticeable however they are now no longer cringe-making, offering instead counterpoint to Simon’s soprano.

As with previous Epica releases, Design Your Universe’s vocal themes cover a wide range of modern metal fare; the failings of religion (Resign to Surrender), personal struggles (Unleashed) and equality (Burn to a Cinder). One of the major themes of the album is the role of science in society and secularity (Kingdom of Heaven, Design Your Universe).

Lyrically, it seems as though main songwriters Jansen and Simons tackle many themes within Design Your Universe and are trying to say a lot within each verse as well as within every chorus. It is a strange sounding criticism, but Design Your Universe seems a bit too ‘wordy’; trying to fit too many ideas into each song: ‘Quantum physics leads us to/ Answers to the great taboos’ doesn’t exactly roll of the tongue as a sing-along chorus. That said, many interesting ideas are brought forward and the album sleeve notes are definitely worth a look, if for nothing else than there are photos of the whole band soaking wet (yes… including Simone… calm yourself).

Design Your Universe is yet another step up for the Dutch six-piece. Increasing depth and complexity with every album may alienate listeners after a simple heavy metal kick, but to those with a little more patience will be rewarded with an album which can best be described as EPIC.

Design Your Universe is available to buy or download at Play.com

Genre : Gothic Metal

Article by Richard Passe