Great reaction! Epica is Nightwish's darker, heavier cousin. This is their magnus opus IMO and a great introduction to the band. They have a diverse catalog of songs from epic songs like this, to very heavy songs like Consign to Oblivion and Essence of Silence, to gorgeous ballads like Tides of Time and Once Upon a Nightmare where you can really hear Simone's beautiful voice, to more typical songs like Abyss of Time and The Skelton Key. Unleashed live from their 10th anniversary Retrospect show would be a good next song. No harsh vocals and full orchestra and choir on stage. Design Your Universe and Chasing the Dragon from that same concert are excellent as well. One of my other favorites is Sirens- of Blood and Water. Gorgeous Music video with guest singers Charlotte Wessels (ex Delain) and Myrkur. You can really hear the symphonic elements in that song.
Agree with the most but never understood the comparison to Nightwish. Epica is much more creative, more complex, much heavier, more diverse and definitely more consistent for more than 20 years. Epica started amazing back in 2002 and unbelievably getting even better and better from album to album. Epica today is a legendary band with countless top-notch bangers, ballads and epic masterpieces. Simone Simons is like a mighty fairy raiding a savage metal dragon. Personally I find it more interesting than a warrior goddess riding a tired unicorn.
@@MrSh0110 Well it's kind of like comparing Nightwish to Evanescence for Americans (I am one). If the only Symphonic Metal you know is Nightwish then using them as a reference can help people understand Epica's sound even if it isn't a perfect comparison.
Just a note on the "live" aspect. Omega Alive was a streamed concert during the COVID period. There were 5 different stage setups and these were filmed at different days. So techniqually, it was not really a live concert. You can more declare it as a "studio live" recording.This allowed them to be more creative in terms of fire and other effects.
Wow thanks guy's first time ever anyone has played any of my requests .also i get the whole nightwish comparison but I also love nightwish i saw them in london in November last year for the 3rd time in which i took my daughter to her first metal concert and she couldn't take her eyes off floor all the way through and couldn't believe that they sound exactly the same live as they do in the studio. I also see epica in london this year and they just blew me away and simone is even more beautiful when your 10 feet away from the stage and the live show is better than the studio version. Anyway thanks again guys im glad you enjoyed it ❤
Well you have done it now!, you just discovered one of the greatest bands in the world, EPICA are phenomenal, here is a recent live performance from earlier this year in Amstedam, very epic 🙃 EPICA - Unleashed (Live At The AFAS Live)
guys, if Epica's music didn't have extreme vocals and death metal influences, then they would be another copy of Nightwish. Although of course there are still differences, we are talking about obvious differences. Most Epica fans are metalheads and they are completely satisfied with the presence of Harsh vocals and heavy parts 😈 in fact, these guys are quite diverse, because in their work they use a variety of metal subgenres. They also do amazing acoustic covers of their own heavy songs, and they do it in different styles that have nothing to do with metal music 😁 What you just saw was a pandemic online concert, but I strongly advise you to check out some of their live performances with a full hall, and even better with a full orchestra on stage. Many people here will advise you to watch Sancta terra (featuring Floor Jansen), but I will tell you that this is a very mediocre and uninteresting song compared to the entire repertoire of the group; they have much more interesting songs. Epica - Consign to oblivion (live at the zenith) - perhaps the most epic performance of the group that is on TH-cam, a complex song, quite heavy, a lot of harsh vocals, but absolutely epic. Epica - Design your universe (live retrospect) - live performance with full orchestra. Epica - Unleashed (live at the AFAS LIVE) - well, if the harsh vocals are so annoying, then this song only has Simone’s vocals and it’s fresh, 2023, with great video and audio quality
I can tell you it is worth going through their discography. They don't have any weak albums. Every single one is loaded with amazing songs, even though you may not recognize it when you hear them for the first time. After all, it's a complex music with many layers, deep lyrics, multiple vocals, etc. Try for example "Serenade of Self-Destruction" (Lyrics)
A few tips for Epica with less harsh vocals: - Sancta Terra, Live at the retrospect, (with Floor from Nightwish, Floor and Simone are BF's)! - Unleashed, Live at the Retrospect - Tides of Time (studio, beautifull vocals from Simone) - Once upon a Nightmare (Omega Alive, beautifull and spectacular vocals by Simone!) - Stabat Mater Dolorosa (classical song by Pergolesi, Live at the Retrospect by Simone and Floor) - Kingdom of Heaven Part 1, live in Mexico. (EPIC, but with some harsh vocals...)
I definitely concour with both of you! But maybe, they should start from the very beginning, THE PHANTOM AGONY, pre-mature but a benchmark of symphonic metal!
@s1mperadicator13 Go away. Why are you pestering people with you own petty dislikes? Sancta Terra is a GREAT SONG with a GREAT DUET by Floor and Simone. Just F* off? You have no business being here...
@@Grievance_Studies_Affair_2018 What are you smoking bro? A.) this has nothing todo with Floor fans, B.) I like Sancta Terra and it really showcases both Floor and Simone's voice. So I don't understand what you are on about.
Epica have everything. Once upon a nightmare in the omega alive show is wonderful, Chasing the dragon at retrospect, or any of another 50 choices. For pure Simone perfection the Apocalyptica song Rise Again shows just how stellar she has become
"Design your universe " from the Retrospects live concert will give you the best representation of all they do. Heavy riffs, choral, with live orchestra as well!
I'm glad that you guys enjoyed Epica. To me is the best symphonic metal band. You should definitely check out EPICA - Once Upon a Nightmare {ΩMEGA ALIVE ~ 2021)
My first time to the channel. I enjoyed your banter! Great dynamic. I missed your comments during the watching though. I'd be happy to see more Epica. Perhaps something from their 10th anniversary performance with a live orchestra? Chasing the Dragon Live Retrospect 2013.
I'm surprised you haven't heard Epicа before. The first album is amazing. From symphonic metal let me suggest. Haggard - Per Aspera Ad Astra. - This is a unique project; not every gang has more than ten people. Theatre of Tragedy - A Hamlet for a Slothful Vassal. - One of the founders of the beauty and the beast style.
How nice that you've discovered Epica! Many people say that Epica is the harder brother of Nightwish, but I don't entirely agree with that. I would say they have more range in how heavy they can be. They have both intense death metal and beautiful melodic ballads. If you want an example of the latter, I recommend: 'EPICA feat. APOCALYPTICA - Rivers (Live At The AFAS LIVE)'. Judson will be in for a melodic treat.
I personally prefer Pt. 1 of Kingdom of Heaven. Other suggestions: - Sancta Terra (retrospect, Simone and Floor together) - Unleashed (retrospect) - Rivers (AFAS) - Once Upon a Nightmare (Omega live, rarely requested but amazingly beautiful with piano and juicy guitar solos) I believe the Omega live ones are single takes. They produced this during covid as a form a online concert.
Please react to more Epica!!! EPICA feat. APOCALYPTICA - Rivers (Live At The AFAS LIVE), Code of LIve (Live At The AFAS Live), EPICA - Consign To Oblivion - Live at the Zenith
Muchachos los sigo desde Argentina y éste video me voló la mente, tengo los dos primeros álbunes de Épica y no le seguí más desde entonces, la verdad, les doy gracia por ésto, sigan así.
To give Judson a real treat how about a Epica song with live orchestra and choir, strong focus on Simone(and she frikking OWNS IT) and one of their best compositions ever? Epica - Design Your Universe live at Retrospect
Definitely watch Unleashed at the Retrospect concert with full orchestra and choir. I think you'll love it. You will hear many time and key changes in all their music. It is typical of the genre. They have become my favorite band over there last 2 years. As for the harsh vocals, as you get used to the sound, you can see how they use the contrast as light and dark to emphasize the lyrics. Enjoy the voyage.
Hi, interesting to see you picking up Epica! My suggestion for further study is this video, with two five-ish-minute songs played back-to-back, "Unleashed" and "Storm the Sorrow": th-cam.com/video/Xkth6veR9AU/w-d-xo.html Many of us fans feel the performance in that video is particularly energetic! These two songs do not feature growling. BTW, as a new viewer, I think it's a bit weird that I cannot hear what you're saying during the video you're analysing. I can clearly see you're exchanging some words. Maybe in future you can mix the room audio with the audio from the video so we can hear both. For videos that already are up, maybe you could use the subtitle feature in TH-cam to convey what you said -- provided that you can still remember.
Well that was madder than a dog doing its tax returns, but thoroughly enjoyable. And good to see 1990s era Devin Townsend on drums. Good clean fun all round.
@@Greatmeasures Hello! Do you read all comments under this video? Definitely do much more Epica! Their music is very diverse and they are the peak of symphonic metal. Really not too many similarities to Nightwish. Epica is much heavier, they use choir very differently, their riffs and overall sound is pretty different. And goddess Simone uses wonderful operatic soprano much more than Floor in Nightwish. For now, avoid "Sancta Terra" song and instead do "Unleashed (Live at the AFAS Live)" and "The Essence of Silence (Official Live)".
Epica is another level in their style and this song is a masterpiece of genre. Very executed transitions, contrasts, elements of death and black melodic, heavy and melodic in the same time. And this drummer is a fucking good 🔥 Nightwish is more folk and soft, so many think that Epica would go the same way, when in fact they are the only ones who still do symphonic metal, notably more metal-oriented, but still with many classical bases. Few bands can make so much happen at once in music and sound cohesive, and they're very good at it. More heavy side, try victims of contingency from omega alive 🔥 death symphonic
Epica’s Simone and Floor are BFF’s .Mark Jansen guitars and guttural vocals and Floor were in the same band After Forever. Simone’s husband plays keyboards in Kamelot … which is another band to get into. Simone also appears on a number of Kamelot songs …
Septicflesh, Wintersun and Seven Spires are bands with their own unique takes on different forms of symphonic metal (roughly, one is more og death metal, another more from the melodeath side, the third mixes power, gothic and some blackened influences), they might be interesting and would make for good content! For Epica, some of my favorite songs off the top of my mind are Chasing The Dragon, Design Your Universe, Code Of Life, Sensorium, Never Enough and The Phantom Agony
Just about the time a new-listener may get ear fatigue, they bust out the bent keyboard. And Judson's smile explodes. Prometheus gave man fire, but didn't give man permission to burn his instru.. wai... Jimi/strat/Newport. I need to think on how to get Judson on board with gutterals.
He needs to understand the emotional content of the gutturals, their role as builders of tension and driving energy, or vehicle to express utter despair. So I think watching something with a emotional punch and lyrics enabled in the video would help.
Nice reaction guys (subscribed) and greetings from Australia. I discovered Epica via Nightwish, then was hooked after the Retrospect 10th anniversary show in 2013, with full orchestra and choir. I have this on bluray (3 hour concert) and still get a kick out of replaying it. Amazing to think they have just marked their 20th anniversary. I was also not a great fan of harsh vocals, but have sort of come to accept Mark's, for the light and dark counterpoint with Simone's angelic voice. If I can offer you a left field suggestion, please check out the Japanese all female metal band, Lovebites. Start with the 2023 live comeback performance (post Covid hiatus) called Hammer of Wrath, it's on their YT channel. I think they may blow your socks off! 🤗
Next, go for "Design Your Universe" or "Kingdom of Heaven Part 1" by Epica. Amazing songs. I also love "Illusive Consensus" but it's one of their oldest songs (it's so besutiful and groovy).
Epica…..! Hell yeah, love it. Burn to a cinder is one of my favourite songs of theirs. Definitely worth checking out Adagio too, their song ‘R’Lyeh The Dead’ is worth a listen/review.
You guys have *got* to do something from Dimmu Borgir's Enthroned to Death Cult stretch of albums. Probably Progenies of the Great Apocalypse because of Mustis' amazing piano breakdown and Vortex' vocals. Or maybe Kings of the Carnaval Creation. (But don't go with the clip or the shortened version, you'd be doing everyone a disservice.) Either way, despite Mustic and Vortex having left the band, man I'd love to see the reaction to their work for Dimmu specifically. Cool videos guys!
I have a love hate relationship with EPICA. One is that the drummer doesn't really do anything except paying double peadals... he's boring AF for a symphonic metal band. Anotehr is that they repeat the verse a lot. I think they don't need to repeat it 2 times in this track to go into the prog part. It could be ABCDA instead of AABCDA... But oh well, they do this a lot with other songs too.
You should definitely check out a Swedish band called Therion. They are рioneers of Symрhonic Metal. Songs: Nightside Of Eden, Via Nocturna, Adulruna Rediviva.
Since you're comparing Epica to Nightwish you might want to check out 'Epica - Sancta Terra'. Other than that: my personal favorites would be 'Design your Uniververse (Retrospect)' or 'Essence of Silence (Official Live Video)'
@@Percy92 It may be a bit overhyped. But what is this BS about "setting the bar low"? That is complete NONSENSE. It is one of Epica's better compositions, and Floor and Simone really shine in it. For both singers it is one of their better performances, period. So please stop slagging of a GREAT piece of music with GREAT SINGING in it. So please stop trying to impose your own opinion on others?
@@rientsdijkstra4266 Why so unfriendly? I was just giving my opinion in a decent way. As I said Sancta Terra is a great song but it doesn't really show what Epica is capable of. They have so much more great (and unfortunately underrated) songs.
@@Percy92 I am not unfriendly. You are using the (very unfriendly, and misplaced) words "setting the bar low". So I am asking you to explain in what sense Sancta Terra "sets the bar low". I spot two mistakes in your reasoning. 1.) Songs are not written to "show what a band is capable of", that is what demo's are for that go to the record company. Songs are written as tools of expression and transmission of emotion. And as such Sancta Terra is great. That Epica is also able of doing quite different things is another matter, they will find that out automatically when they delve deeper. 2.) You and the OC of this stream may think that you are helping Epica by steering the guys of Great Measures to other songs, but that is not how it works. This kind of negative input by you only pushes them away altogether.
Hello I'm writing to you from Italy, you have to listen to a Japanese trash power metal band made up of only women called Lovebites, they made songs with piano intros, one of them is Swan Song with an intro by Chopin, ok, according to me, you'll like it, hello
EPICA is much different than nightwish there is no comparison. They may share the same style but the rest is much more heavier and much more different also nightwish was heavier too in the past but a bit lighter always at least than epica. I love epica been listening to them since first album! such a fantastic band.
Epica is the perfect band fore me. If I heard them years ago I probably wouldn't have liked the guttural vocals to start with. Opeth I loved the music and not the vocals to start with, then I realised I was loving them after a while. Here I love them as a contrast to Simone, and I love them harmonized with them. But yeah, now one of my absolute s-tier bands along with Opeth.
You can't possibly compare the genius of Opeth with the mediocrity of Epica. Epica sounds mostly like a pop band nowadays. Their music is overall closer to Amaranthe, a purely pop-metal band, than say to Therion , who are truly classical. The comparison with Opeth is totally misplaced IMO . Afterall, Amaranthe also have contrasting vocal styles.
nice video, bit dirtorted , but nice :) uhm nightwish is.... far less brutal. so there is many differences. far less key changes ! and way simpler. but ok :) really nice !! but really different
Nightwish are good, but they are the very soft version, compared to Epica. They both have similarities, but in Epica you still have the pure raw Metal still in. Nightwish has become way too polished over time, that it's more about the theatrics and the show, than the heavyness. Epica have something from the raw Metal in it, which makes their music a whole different beast.
Why is Therion better? Firstly, they have been monotonous for many years and secondly, after the Niemann brothers left the group and Thomas came, to whom the main songwriting rights were transferred, this group has not been able to create anything interesting for more than 15 years. We will not take into account their old achievements from the 90s; now Therion are nothing interesting. As for Nightwish, they are more pop and popular. You need to listen to Epica more than 1-2 songs. I have listened to the entire discography of all three groups, so I can appreciate each of the three groups on its merits. The only good news about Therion is that Lori Lewis is returning to them after 10 years
There are female fronted bands, and then there's whatever this warbling noise is. Try TOWER or Astarte or Warlock (Doro!) or Christian Mistress or Solicitor or Chastain or Sanhedrin or Kobra or Savage Master or Lucifer or Blood Ceremony and on and on. There's so much great female-fronted metal out there. Epica, Nightwish, Jinger, i guess has it's niche. Just don't call it metal. It's pop music.
These bands are just Disney-Pop Metal. Not Jinjer though that you mentioned. Jinjer is a respectable progressive band (okay, it may not be true metal , but their music is far superior)
Disney metal is Nightwish. Epica has orchestral arrangements to match films like The Lord of the Rings. Although, of course, apart from their music, Simone sounds like a Disney princess.
however, listen for example to their song “ascension dream state Armageddon”, which goes into Black metal, I wonder if there will be Disney vibes from this song 😁 there is a video for this song on TH-cam
You can call Nightwish a "Disney metal" but certainly not Epica. Especially after hearing just one song. Their music is very varied. Try these for example: - Serenade of Self-Destruction (Lyrics) - Resign to Surrender (Lyrics) - Universal Death Squad (Official Lyric video) - Unleashed (Live at the AFAS Live)
Epica is the best symphonic metal band in the world!
Absolute agree!
I'll put my name here 😊
🎶🥰
I agree!
I`m a huge Nightwish fan, but i can`t find one negative thing to say about Epica.
They are just awesome. Epic! Crème de la crème👌
Great reaction! Epica is Nightwish's darker, heavier cousin. This is their magnus opus IMO and a great introduction to the band. They have a diverse catalog of songs from epic songs like this, to very heavy songs like Consign to Oblivion and Essence of Silence, to gorgeous ballads like Tides of Time and Once Upon a Nightmare where you can really hear Simone's beautiful voice, to more typical songs like Abyss of Time and The Skelton Key. Unleashed live from their 10th anniversary Retrospect show would be a good next song. No harsh vocals and full orchestra and choir on stage. Design Your Universe and Chasing the Dragon from that same concert are excellent as well. One of my other favorites is Sirens- of Blood and Water. Gorgeous Music video with guest singers Charlotte Wessels (ex Delain) and Myrkur. You can really hear the symphonic elements in that song.
Agree with the most but never understood the comparison to Nightwish. Epica is much more creative, more complex, much heavier, more diverse and definitely more consistent for more than 20 years. Epica started amazing back in 2002 and unbelievably getting even better and better from album to album. Epica today is a legendary band with countless top-notch bangers, ballads and epic masterpieces.
Simone Simons is like a mighty fairy raiding a savage metal dragon. Personally I find it more interesting than a warrior goddess riding a tired unicorn.
20 years ago, few could do something like this
Epica - Sensorium
In 2005 Simone sang beautifully with Кamelot.
Kamelot & Simone Simons - The Haunting.
@@MrSh0110 Well it's kind of like comparing Nightwish to Evanescence for Americans (I am one). If the only Symphonic Metal you know is Nightwish then using them as a reference can help people understand Epica's sound even if it isn't a perfect comparison.
@@MrSh0110I completely agree with you, I don’t get the comparison with NW, and Imo Epica is way better.
Just a note on the "live" aspect. Omega Alive was a streamed concert during the COVID period. There were 5 different stage setups and these were filmed at different days. So techniqually, it was not really a live concert. You can more declare it as a "studio live" recording.This allowed them to be more creative in terms of fire and other effects.
What a fantastic song. Epica is one of the best, and very very good live
Guys, please, more Epica! From the musical point of view they are flawless! 🌀🌀🌀🙏🙏🙏👍👍👍
Wow thanks guy's first time ever anyone has played any of my requests .also i get the whole nightwish comparison but I also love nightwish i saw them in london in November last year for the 3rd time in which i took my daughter to her first metal concert and she couldn't take her eyes off floor all the way through and couldn't believe that they sound exactly the same live as they do in the studio. I also see epica in london this year and they just blew me away and simone is even more beautiful when your 10 feet away from the stage and the live show is better than the studio version. Anyway thanks again guys im glad you enjoyed it ❤
Well you have done it now!, you just discovered one of the greatest bands in the world, EPICA are phenomenal,
here is a recent live performance from earlier this year in Amstedam, very epic 🙃
EPICA - Unleashed (Live At The AFAS Live)
guys, if Epica's music didn't have extreme vocals and death metal influences, then they would be another copy of Nightwish. Although of course there are still differences, we are talking about obvious differences. Most Epica fans are metalheads and they are completely satisfied with the presence of Harsh vocals and heavy parts 😈 in fact, these guys are quite diverse, because in their work they use a variety of metal subgenres. They also do amazing acoustic covers of their own heavy songs, and they do it in different styles that have nothing to do with metal music 😁
What you just saw was a pandemic online concert, but I strongly advise you to check out some of their live performances with a full hall, and even better with a full orchestra on stage. Many people here will advise you to watch Sancta terra (featuring Floor Jansen), but I will tell you that this is a very mediocre and uninteresting song compared to the entire repertoire of the group; they have much more interesting songs.
Epica - Consign to oblivion (live at the zenith) - perhaps the most epic performance of the group that is on TH-cam, a complex song, quite heavy, a lot of harsh vocals, but absolutely epic.
Epica - Design your universe (live retrospect) - live performance with full orchestra.
Epica - Unleashed (live at the AFAS LIVE) - well, if the harsh vocals are so annoying, then this song only has Simone’s vocals and it’s fresh, 2023, with great video and audio quality
I fully agree in everthing you said my fellow Epican friend
hey Honey
Very well said Wildhoney.
Personally I don’t like it when people ask for Sancta Terra, but I guess it’s all because of Floor. 😮💨
@@MegaDog555hey MegaDog 👋
@@frank1963 Infidel!😠🔥
Next Epica song: "Consign To Oblivion" Live in Paris! 🤘
If he doesn't like the growls??
A another great video this is one of the greatest bands of musicians ever all of them blow me away
I saw them live in hamburg opening for metallica. Great live band.
I can tell you it is worth going through their discography. They don't have any weak albums. Every single one is loaded with amazing songs, even though you may not recognize it when you hear them for the first time. After all, it's a complex music with many layers, deep lyrics, multiple vocals, etc.
Try for example "Serenade of Self-Destruction" (Lyrics)
A few tips for Epica with less harsh vocals:
- Sancta Terra, Live at the retrospect, (with Floor from Nightwish, Floor and Simone are BF's)!
- Unleashed, Live at the Retrospect
- Tides of Time (studio, beautifull vocals from Simone)
- Once upon a Nightmare (Omega Alive, beautifull and spectacular vocals by Simone!)
- Stabat Mater Dolorosa (classical song by Pergolesi, Live at the Retrospect by Simone and Floor)
- Kingdom of Heaven Part 1, live in Mexico. (EPIC, but with some harsh vocals...)
Also beautiful:
- Once upon a nightmare (Omega Alive)
- Rivers (Live At The AFAS LIVE)
- In all conscience (Omega Alive)
I definitely concour with both of you! But maybe, they should start from the very beginning, THE PHANTOM AGONY, pre-mature but a benchmark of symphonic metal!
@s1mperadicator13 Go away. Why are you pestering people with you own petty dislikes? Sancta Terra is a GREAT SONG with a GREAT DUET by Floor and Simone. Just F* off? You have no business being here...
@@rientsdijkstra4266 It's more like Floor fans are pestering everyone else. You know very well you don't care about Sancta Terra song...
@@Grievance_Studies_Affair_2018 What are you smoking bro? A.) this has nothing todo with Floor fans, B.) I like Sancta Terra and it really showcases both Floor and Simone's voice. So I don't understand what you are on about.
Epica have everything. Once upon a nightmare in the omega alive show is wonderful, Chasing the dragon at retrospect, or any of another 50 choices. For pure Simone perfection the Apocalyptica song Rise Again shows just how stellar she has become
Neutral Milk Hotel intro, sweet!
epica unleashed live
Ayreon "When the world breaks down" got 11 leadsingers, 2 of them are Floor and Simone.
"Design your universe " from the Retrospects live concert will give you the best representation of all they do. Heavy riffs, choral, with live orchestra as well!
"Consign to Oblivion" Live in Paris!
So many times y'alls faces were what I was thinking... lol. This was a trip
I'm glad that you guys enjoyed Epica. To me is the best symphonic metal band. You should definitely check out EPICA - Once Upon a Nightmare {ΩMEGA ALIVE ~ 2021)
My first time to the channel. I enjoyed your banter! Great dynamic. I missed your comments during the watching though.
I'd be happy to see more Epica. Perhaps something from their 10th anniversary performance with a live orchestra? Chasing the Dragon Live Retrospect 2013.
Nice Reaction ! Love both your reaction. It's a good song. The other two parts of 'Kingdom of heaven' are also very good.
I'm surprised you haven't heard Epicа before. The first album is amazing.
From symphonic metal let me suggest.
Haggard - Per Aspera Ad Astra. - This is a unique project; not every gang has more than ten people.
Theatre of Tragedy - A Hamlet for a Slothful Vassal. - One of the founders of the beauty and the beast style.
How nice that you've discovered Epica! Many people say that Epica is the harder brother of Nightwish, but I don't entirely agree with that. I would say they have more range in how heavy they can be. They have both intense death metal and beautiful melodic ballads. If you want an example of the latter, I recommend: 'EPICA feat. APOCALYPTICA - Rivers (Live At The AFAS LIVE)'. Judson will be in for a melodic treat.
Next song KINGDOM OF HEAVEN PART 1 Omega Alive show (Best Guitar riffs version 🤘🙏)
I personally prefer Pt. 1 of Kingdom of Heaven. Other suggestions:
- Sancta Terra (retrospect, Simone and Floor together)
- Unleashed (retrospect)
- Rivers (AFAS)
- Once Upon a Nightmare (Omega live, rarely requested but amazingly beautiful with piano and juicy guitar solos)
I believe the Omega live ones are single takes. They produced this during covid as a form a online concert.
Your great! Gracias.
I would suggest for a next 'Epica' reaction : "The holographic principle - a profound understanding of reality"
Yes! It’s one of my faves and so rarely reacted to.
Please react to more Epica!!!
EPICA feat. APOCALYPTICA - Rivers (Live At The AFAS LIVE), Code of LIve (Live At The AFAS Live), EPICA - Consign To Oblivion - Live at the Zenith
Muchachos los sigo desde Argentina y éste video me voló la mente, tengo los dos primeros álbunes de Épica y no le seguí más desde entonces, la verdad, les doy gracia por ésto, sigan así.
Epica Rivers live in Amsterdam!
Epica craft some of the best music ever. 🤘 Their older stuff is even more amazing. Simone's operatic style is bliss on the ears.
More Epica You must do! Consigne to oblivion live from zenit France. Epica is the best blend of metal and clasic music. Metal greatings from Poland 🤘
Yes more epica❤ JUST SUBSCRIBED if u want more Coen on his portable keyboard u should react to Epica “ dancing in a hurricane “ live from Zenith
Cry for the moon , live studio version. Is a must see and listen. Get it done...🤘
To give Judson a real treat how about a Epica song with live orchestra and choir, strong focus on Simone(and she frikking OWNS IT) and one of their best compositions ever? Epica - Design Your Universe live at Retrospect
Disgorge Man! my Fav. Bruital Band
look into the enter album from within temptation and the prison of desire album by after forever
Definitely watch Unleashed at the Retrospect concert with full orchestra and choir. I think you'll love it.
You will hear many time and key changes in all their music. It is typical of the genre. They have become my favorite band over there last 2 years.
As for the harsh vocals, as you get used to the sound, you can see how they use the contrast as light and dark to emphasize the lyrics. Enjoy the voyage.
Hi, interesting to see you picking up Epica! My suggestion for further study is this video, with two five-ish-minute songs played back-to-back, "Unleashed" and "Storm the Sorrow": th-cam.com/video/Xkth6veR9AU/w-d-xo.html
Many of us fans feel the performance in that video is particularly energetic! These two songs do not feature growling.
BTW, as a new viewer, I think it's a bit weird that I cannot hear what you're saying during the video you're analysing. I can clearly see you're exchanging some words. Maybe in future you can mix the room audio with the audio from the video so we can hear both. For videos that already are up, maybe you could use the subtitle feature in TH-cam to convey what you said -- provided that you can still remember.
Epica design your universe live or consign to oblivion live
You absolutely need to react to Consign to oblivion live in paris by Epica
Well that was madder than a dog doing its tax returns, but thoroughly enjoyable. And good to see 1990s era Devin Townsend on drums. Good clean fun all round.
😂😂 That Devin Townsend comment…
ha ha 😆 there really is a similarity, but Arjen didn’t have dreadlocks like Devin
Arjen also doesn't swear as much, I guess :)
@@Greatmeasures Hello! Do you read all comments under this video?
Definitely do much more Epica! Their music is very diverse and they are the peak of symphonic metal. Really not too many similarities to Nightwish. Epica is much heavier, they use choir very differently, their riffs and overall sound is pretty different. And goddess Simone uses wonderful operatic soprano much more than Floor in Nightwish.
For now, avoid "Sancta Terra" song and instead do "Unleashed (Live at the AFAS Live)" and "The Essence of Silence (Official Live)".
@@Grievance_Studies_Affair_2018 I don’t read all of them but I see this one. Thanks for the suggestions!
Epica is another level in their style and this song is a masterpiece of genre.
Very executed transitions, contrasts, elements of death and black melodic, heavy and melodic in the same time. And this drummer is a fucking good 🔥
Nightwish is more folk and soft, so many think that Epica would go the same way, when in fact they are the only ones who still do symphonic metal, notably more metal-oriented, but still with many classical bases. Few bands can make so much happen at once in music and sound cohesive, and they're very good at it.
More heavy side, try victims of contingency from omega alive 🔥 death symphonic
Okay, for female vocalist Nirvana check out Sancta Terra from the Epica live show Retrospect. Duet with Floor.
Epica’s Simone and Floor are BFF’s .Mark Jansen guitars and guttural vocals and Floor were in the same band After Forever. Simone’s husband plays keyboards in Kamelot … which is another band to get into. Simone also appears on a number of Kamelot songs …
"At one time were roommates." - Just for the record: they weren't.
Septicflesh, Wintersun and Seven Spires are bands with their own unique takes on different forms of symphonic metal (roughly, one is more og death metal, another more from the melodeath side, the third mixes power, gothic and some blackened influences), they might be interesting and would make for good content!
For Epica, some of my favorite songs off the top of my mind are Chasing The Dragon, Design Your Universe, Code Of Life, Sensorium, Never Enough and The Phantom Agony
You can anticipate the intellectual discussion to come when you hear the words "Dutch band from the Netherlands"
If you'd like to see Simon and Floor kicking a$$ together on stage you should check out "Sancta Terra" live!
Just about the time a new-listener may get ear fatigue, they bust out the bent keyboard. And Judson's smile explodes.
Prometheus gave man fire, but didn't give man permission to burn his instru.. wai... Jimi/strat/Newport.
I need to think on how to get Judson on board with gutterals.
He needs to understand the emotional content of the gutturals, their role as builders of tension and driving energy, or vehicle to express utter despair. So I think watching something with a emotional punch and lyrics enabled in the video would help.
You can start your journey by listening their first album. Just search "we will take you with us" I suggest listen the 4K version
My advice would be to check out Consign to Oblivion (live at Zenith) next.
you need to hear consing to oblivion live at paradiso. It's one of my favorite performances by the band, right at the beginning of their career
CtO from Paradiso? Never seen anyone else recommending that version. And I think that that guest growler sounds weird :D
If you want Epica without growling, try "Rivers" or "Sancta Terra". These mainly focus on Simone.
I’ve been waiting for this. 🤣
Nice reaction guys (subscribed) and greetings from Australia. I discovered Epica via Nightwish, then was hooked after the Retrospect 10th anniversary show in 2013, with full orchestra and choir. I have this on bluray (3 hour concert) and still get a kick out of replaying it. Amazing to think they have just marked their 20th anniversary.
I was also not a great fan of harsh vocals, but have sort of come to accept Mark's, for the light and dark counterpoint with Simone's angelic voice.
If I can offer you a left field suggestion, please check out the Japanese all female metal band, Lovebites. Start with the 2023 live comeback performance (post Covid hiatus) called Hammer of Wrath, it's on their YT channel. I think they may blow your socks off! 🤗
"Dutch Symphonic metal band - from the Netherlands" - you don't say??
Love the band. Epica - code of life (AFAS Live), that would be my suggestion for a song with little less growling and more Simone Simons.
Listen to Unleashed (Live at Retrospect) if you want to hear one of their powerful songs without the guttural vocals. You won't regret it.
this song have more parts, listen to "EPICA - Kingdom of Heaven, Part 1 / A New Age Dawns, Part V (ΩMEGA ALIVE) ~ 2021 [Full HD]"
Next, go for "Design Your Universe" or "Kingdom of Heaven Part 1" by Epica. Amazing songs. I also love "Illusive Consensus" but it's one of their oldest songs (it's so besutiful and groovy).
yall need some Crypta they have a new album out
crypta from the ashes live at wacken 2022
Anything off the Retrospect is great for the next reaction, please! 🌀🌀🌀🙏🙏🙏
Epica…..! Hell yeah, love it. Burn to a cinder is one of my favourite songs of theirs.
Definitely worth checking out Adagio too, their song ‘R’Lyeh The Dead’ is worth a listen/review.
Echt wel kaartje binnen voor 20.sep affa ❤
Next please: Consign to oblivion in the Zenith in Paris or at AFAS live in Amsterdam😀
You guys have *got* to do something from Dimmu Borgir's Enthroned to Death Cult stretch of albums. Probably Progenies of the Great Apocalypse because of Mustis' amazing piano breakdown and Vortex' vocals. Or maybe Kings of the Carnaval Creation. (But don't go with the clip or the shortened version, you'd be doing everyone a disservice.) Either way, despite Mustic and Vortex having left the band, man I'd love to see the reaction to their work for Dimmu specifically.
Cool videos guys!
I have a love hate relationship with EPICA. One is that the drummer doesn't really do anything except paying double peadals... he's boring AF for a symphonic metal band. Anotehr is that they repeat the verse a lot. I think they don't need to repeat it 2 times in this track to go into the prog part.
It could be ABCDA instead of AABCDA...
But oh well, they do this a lot with other songs too.
You should definitely check out a Swedish band called Therion. They are рioneers of Symрhonic Metal. Songs: Nightside Of Eden, Via Nocturna, Adulruna Rediviva.
sabaton epica nightwish my top 3 bands
Since you're comparing Epica to Nightwish you might want to check out 'Epica - Sancta Terra'.
Other than that: my personal favorites would be 'Design your Uniververse (Retrospect)' or 'Essence of Silence (Official Live Video)'
You guys gotta do Dream Theater i so want to see judson face watching erotomania! HAHAHAAH xdomg
Haha lekker hoor stink home
Mark Jansen is a guest on my brand new book, #lafisicadelrock 🙂
You should listen some Amorphis.
Next Consign to Oblivion live in Zenith Paris
Oh yeah, for me Epica is much more interesting than Nightwish. Good pick!
Kingdom of heaven part 1! And skip ‘Sancta Terra’ , no matter what they say. Design your Universe feom the Retrospect concert is also cool.
Sancta Terra is GREAT (especially the Retrospect live version)!
@@rientsdijkstra4266 Sancta Terra is a great song, but very overhyped because of the duet with Floor. It sets the bar pretty low for Epica imo.
@@Percy92 It may be a bit overhyped. But what is this BS about "setting the bar low"? That is complete NONSENSE. It is one of Epica's better compositions, and Floor and Simone really shine in it. For both singers it is one of their better performances, period. So please stop slagging of a GREAT piece of music with GREAT SINGING in it. So please stop trying to impose your own opinion on others?
@@rientsdijkstra4266 Why so unfriendly? I was just giving my opinion in a decent way. As I said Sancta Terra is a great song but it doesn't really show what Epica is capable of. They have so much more great (and unfortunately underrated) songs.
@@Percy92 I am not unfriendly. You are using the (very unfriendly, and misplaced) words "setting the bar low". So I am asking you to explain in what sense Sancta Terra "sets the bar low". I spot two mistakes in your reasoning. 1.) Songs are not written to "show what a band is capable of", that is what demo's are for that go to the record company. Songs are written as tools of expression and transmission of emotion. And as such Sancta Terra is great. That Epica is also able of doing quite different things is another matter, they will find that out automatically when they delve deeper. 2.) You and the OC of this stream may think that you are helping Epica by steering the guys of Great Measures to other songs, but that is not how it works. This kind of negative input by you only pushes them away altogether.
Hello I'm writing to you from Italy, you have to listen to a Japanese trash power metal band made up of only women called Lovebites, they made songs with piano intros, one of them is Swan Song with an intro by Chopin, ok, according to me, you'll like it, hello
EPICA is much different than nightwish there is no comparison. They may share the same style but the rest is much more heavier and much more different also nightwish was heavier too in the past but a bit lighter always at least than epica. I love epica been listening to them since first album! such a fantastic band.
the divine conspiracy title track please 🥰
(studio version)
Dream Theater!!!!!!!!!!
Which song for example?
@@Grievance_Studies_Affair_2018 I would start with breaking all illusions
Next skeleton key
Still love Epica but I just don't find their later albums as entertaining as the first 5. Design your Universe is peak epica for me.
Epica is the perfect band fore me. If I heard them years ago I probably wouldn't have liked the guttural vocals to start with. Opeth I loved the music and not the vocals to start with, then I realised I was loving them after a while. Here I love them as a contrast to Simone, and I love them harmonized with them. But yeah, now one of my absolute s-tier bands along with Opeth.
You can't possibly compare the genius of Opeth with the mediocrity of Epica. Epica sounds mostly like a pop band nowadays. Their music is overall closer to Amaranthe, a purely pop-metal band, than say to Therion , who are truly classical. The comparison with Opeth is totally misplaced IMO . Afterall, Amaranthe also have contrasting vocal styles.
nice video, bit dirtorted , but nice :) uhm nightwish is.... far less brutal. so there is many differences. far less key changes ! and way simpler. but ok :) really nice !! but really different
Nightwish are good, but they are the very soft version, compared to Epica. They both have similarities, but in Epica you still have the pure raw Metal still in. Nightwish has become way too polished over time, that it's more about the theatrics and the show, than the heavyness.
Epica have something from the raw Metal in it, which makes their music a whole different beast.
Simone Simons and Floor Jansen performing together do Sancta Terra and Stabat matar de la rosa live!
Great production🎉.. but Therion are much better...Nightwish too
Why is Therion better? Firstly, they have been monotonous for many years and secondly, after the Niemann brothers left the group and Thomas came, to whom the main songwriting rights were transferred, this group has not been able to create anything interesting for more than 15 years. We will not take into account their old achievements from the 90s; now Therion are nothing interesting. As for Nightwish, they are more pop and popular. You need to listen to Epica more than 1-2 songs. I have listened to the entire discography of all three groups, so I can appreciate each of the three groups on its merits.
The only good news about Therion is that Lori Lewis is returning to them after 10 years
I prefer Epica over Therion and Nightwish, always did and always will.
Sorry, but neither Therion nor Nightwish are better than Epica.
There are female fronted bands, and then there's whatever this warbling noise is.
Try TOWER or Astarte or Warlock (Doro!) or Christian Mistress or Solicitor or Chastain or Sanhedrin or Kobra or Savage Master or Lucifer or Blood Ceremony and on and on.
There's so much great female-fronted metal out there.
Epica, Nightwish, Jinger, i guess has it's niche. Just don't call it metal. It's pop music.
These bands are just Disney-Pop Metal. Not Jinjer though that you mentioned. Jinjer is a respectable progressive band (okay, it may not be true metal , but their music is far superior)
Epica wasn’t that epical for me. Sounded like a what I imagine Disney-metal would sound like. Little too polished and gimmicky
Disney metal is Nightwish. Epica has orchestral arrangements to match films like The Lord of the Rings. Although, of course, apart from their music, Simone sounds like a Disney princess.
however, listen for example to their song “ascension dream state Armageddon”, which goes into Black metal, I wonder if there will be Disney vibes from this song 😁 there is a video for this song on TH-cam
Brave of you to say that.😂
This makes two of us. Let's see how long it takes before we get ritually sacrificed.
@s1mperadicator13 Here we go!
You can call Nightwish a "Disney metal" but certainly not Epica. Especially after hearing just one song. Their music is very varied. Try these for example:
- Serenade of Self-Destruction (Lyrics)
- Resign to Surrender (Lyrics)
- Universal Death Squad (Official Lyric video)
- Unleashed (Live at the AFAS Live)