Always pushing forward, always aiming higher: In the 20 years of their existence, Epica have never shied away from challenges, twists and turns, weathering every storm and pushing the symphonic metal genre to heights no one even dared to believe in. Since 2002, the band surrounding global metal icon Simone Simons and her long-time musical partner Mark Jansen have released eight highly innovative and cinematic albums, have toured the world over and have left their mark as one of metal’s most prolific, most cherished and most admired success stories forever.
With “The Alchemy Project”, out on November 11th, 2022, through Atomic Fire Records, Epica set another highlight in the band’s 20th anniversary year! Graced by a vivid and witty artwork by graphic wizard Heilemania, visual partner in crime for more that 15 years, Epica embark on a journey through seven extraordinary new songs. Co-written and performed with diverse guests ranging from extremists like Fleshgod Apocalypse, Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium) and Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork) via melodic masters like Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), keyboard legend Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep) or Roel van Helden (Powerwolf) to a once-in-a-lifetime song with Simone Simons, Charlotte Wessels and Myrkur, Epica have really outdone themselves once again. The result is a mind-bending EP that even surpasses the usual broad scope of an Epica record.
The first track they wrote for this 7-track-offering was “‘The Final Lullaby’, a fast-paced, intense clash between Epica and the avant-garde rock of Norwegian legends Shining (with saxophone!), graced with one of the biggest refrains you will hear all year. “I’ve been a big fan of Shining since the first time I heard them”, bassist Rob van der Loo weighs in. “Our intention with ‘The Final Lullaby’ was to make a mash-up between Epica and Shining so we thought it would be a good idea if I would come up with some riffs that would be typical Shining and they would do the complete opposite”.
Check out the music video for “The Final Lullaby” (featuring Shining) below.
“The Alchemy Project” is now available for worldwide pre-order as digipak CD, LP or digitally, here.
These 7 songs on “The Alchemy Project” were co-written and performed with the following renowned guest musicians.
Tracklist:
1. The Great Tribulation [feat. Fleshgod Apocalypse]
2. Wake the World [feat. Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep) & Tommy Karevik (Kamelot)]
3. The Final Lullaby [feat. Shining]
4. Sirens – Of Blood and Water [feat. Charlotte Wessels & Myrkur]
5. Death is not the End [feat. Frank Schiphorst (MaYaN) & Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork)]
6. Human Devastation [feat. Henri Sattler (God Dethroned), Sven de Caluwé (Aborted)]
7. The Miner [feat. Asim Searah (Damnation Plan), Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium), Roel van Helden (Powerwolf)]
Epica have embarked on their North America Tour with Sabaton just yesterday and you can catch them at these dates or in Latin America in November and Europe in early 2023 – tickets and VIP experience available here.
North American Tour 2022:
15.09.22 – The Paramount Theater | Seattle, WA (Sold Out)
16.09.22 – The Roseland Ballroom | Portland, OR
17.09.22 – The Roseland Ballroom | Portland, OR
19.09.22 – Revolution | Boise, ID
21.09.22 – The Fox Theater | Oakland, CA
23.09.22 – The Palladium | Los Angeles, CA
24.09.22 – Arizona Federal Theater | Phoenix, AZ
25.09.22 – Brooklyn Bowl | Las Vegas, NV
27.09.22 – The Complex | Salt Lake City, UT
28.09.22 – The Fillmore | Denver, CO
30.09.22 – Southside Ballroom | Dallas, TX
01.10.22 – Bayou Music Center | Houston, TX
03.10.22 – The Ryman Auditorium | Nashville, TN (Sold Out)
04.10.22 – The Tabernacle | Atlanta, GA (Sold Out)
06.10.22 – The Fillmore | Silver Spring, MD | (Sold Out)
08.10.22 – ICON | Cincinnati, OH
10.10.22 – The Fillmore | Detroit, MI
11.10.22 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe | Grand Rapids, MI
13.10.22 – The Fillmore | Minneapolis, MN (Sold Out)
15.10.22 – Aragon Ballroom | Chicago, IL
17.10.22 – Stage AE | Pittsburgh, PA
18.10.22 – The Fillmore | Philadelphia, PA
21.10.22 – MGM Music Hall | Boston, MA
22.10.22 – Place Bell Arena | Montreal, QC
23.10.22 – Hammerstein Ballroom | New York, NY
(w/ Sabaton)
Latin American Tour 2022:
19.11.22 – Audio | São Paulo, BR
20.11.22 – Ópera de Arame | Curitiba, BR
22.11.22 – Teatro Flores | Buenos Aires, AR
24.11.22 – Teatro Caupolicán | Santiago, CL
26.11.22 – El Teleférico | Quito, EC
27.11.22 – Centro de Convenciones Barranco | Lima, PE
29.11.22 – Museo De Arte Marte – San Salvador, El Salvador
02.12.22 – Hell and Heaven Festival | Toluca, Mexico
04.12.22 – Rock Al Parque| | Bogota, CL
European Tour Dates 2023:
18.01.23 – Compensa Concert Hall | Vilnius, LTU
19.01.23 – Arena Riga | Riga, LVA
20.01.23 – Saku Arena | Tallinn, EST
23.01.23 – Sentrum Scene | Oslo, NO
24.01.23 – Berns | Stockholm, SE
25.01.23 – Amager Bio | Copenhagen, DK
27.01.23 – AFAS | Amsterdam, NL
28.01.23 – Georg Elser Halle | Hamburg, DE
29.01.23 – AB | Brussels, BE
30.01.23 – O2 Academy | Bristol, UK
01.02.23 – Rock City | Nottingham, UK
02.02.23 – O2 Academy | Glasgow, UK
03.02.23 – Academy | Manchester, UK
04.02.23 – Roundhouse | London, UK
06.02.23 – Atelier | Luxemburg, LU
07.02.23 – Zenith | Paris, FR
08.02.23 – Le Bikini | Toulouse, FR
10.02.23 – Razzmatazz 1 | Barcelona, ES
11.02.23 – Gamma | Murcia, ES
12.02.23 – La Riviera | Madrid, ES
14.02.23 – Coliseum | Lisbon, PT
12.03.23 – Capitol | Hanover, DE
13.03.23 – Carlswerk Victoria | Cologne, DE
14.03.23 – Schlachthof | Wiesbaden, DE
15.03.23 – MHP Arena | Ludwigsburg, DE
17.03.23 – Komplex 457 | Zurich, CH
18.03.23 – Metropole | Lausanne, CH
19.03.23 – Fabrique | Milan, IT++
20.03.23 – Tonhalle | Munich, DE
22.03.23 – Barba Negra | Budapest, HU
23.03.23 – Gasometer | Vienna, AT
24.03.23 – Hala Vodova | Brno, CZ
25.03.23 – Progresja | Warsaw, PL
27.03.23 – B90 | Gdansk, PL
28.03.23 – Columbiahalle | Berlin, DE
29.03.23 – Haus Auensee | Leipzig, DE
(w/ Apocalyptica & Wheel)
Weblinks:
www.epica.nl
www.facebook.com/epica
