Sold Date: October 7, 2016
Start Date: September 8, 2016
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PRE-ORDER RELEASED 30TH SEPTEMBER 2016

The world of symphonic metal is all about big ideas and high standards but few bands have
taken this most bombastic of genres to such momentous creative heights as Epica. Formed in
the Netherlands in 2002, these perennially dynamic masters of sonic opulence swiftly grabbed
the world’s attention with their 2003 debut album ‘The Phantom Agony’. With a fresh and vital
sound that struck a sublime balance between orchestral grandeur and pure heavy metal grit,
Epica’s music showcased the compelling contrast between singer Simone Simons’ soaring vocals
and guitarist Mark Jansen’s guttural growls. The lyrics made Epica stand out from the crowd as
well, eschewing the traditional symphonic trope of fantasy and exploring and dissecting notions
of philosophy, science and spirituality. By the time the band released 2005’s grand evolutionary
step ‘Consign To Oblivion’ the Dutch sextet were widely regarded as the genre’s brightest hopes
and international success was in their grasp.
The decade that followed has seen Epica grow from plucky contenders to their current status as
symphonic metal heavyweights with a huge and expanding worldwide following. With each
successive album the band have made huge creative progress while consistently delivering
stage shows and performances of overwhelming power and grandiloquence. Now it’s 2016 and
Epica are poised to unveil their greatest masterwork to date. Their seventh full-length studio
effort, ‘The Holographic Principle’, signifies a significant upping of the musical ante for this most
adventurous of modern bands.
Recorded once again with esteemed producer Joost van den Broek at the controls, ‘The
Holographic Principle’ represents the most impressive and powerful expression of Epica’s boldly
inventive sound yet. One listen to thunderous new songs like ‘Edge Of The Blade’ and ‘Universal
Death Squad’ will confirm that ‘The Holographic Principle’ is Epica’s heaviest album to date.
Meanwhile, the shimmering soundscapes and multi-layered melodrama of ‘Once Upon A
Nightmare’ and the towering 11-minute title track confirm that ‘The Holographic Principle’ is
also the band’s most musically extravagant and daring release so far. With lashings of
sumptuous orchestration and a never-ending stream of ingenious but brutal metal riffs and
propulsive rhythms underpinning the whole explosive enterprise, this is an album that raises the
bar for the entire symphonic metal genre.
As an expectant fanbase gears up to immerse themselves in ‘The Holographic Principle’, Epica
are relishing the chance to further extend their renown and influence around the world. 14
years on from their humble beginnings, this band have risen steadily from obscurity to the
upper echelons of the metal world and this latest chapter in their fantastic journey is surely
destined to elevate them even higher.

Double LP packaged in deluxe gatefold sleeve.

Tracklisting
‘The Holographic
Principle’
Eidola
Edge Of The Blade
A Phantasmic Parade
Universal Death Squad
Divide And Conquer
Beyond The Matrix
Once Upon A Nightmare
The Cosmic Algorithm
Ascension – Dream State
Armageddon
Dancing In A Hurricane
Tear Down Your Walls
The Holographic Principle
- A Profound
Understanding Of Reality