The Quantum Enigma
Epica keep the guitars firmly in view on The Quantum Enigma. The orchestras and choirs sound grand, but the music remains clearly metal: heavy riffs, busy drums and a strong contrast between clean singing and growls. This 2014 album does not completely change direction. Its main achievement is how convincingly the band bring their different elements together.
The Essence of Silence makes that approach clear. Simone Simons climbs into her higher range before the growls and guitars pull the song towards its heavier side. The contrast serves the music and gives the transition extra force. Chemical Insomnia also shows that Simons offers more than an attractive high voice. She can give the music emphasis and character without relying on the same delivery throughout.
The production helps support the arrangements. Plenty happens at once, yet the instruments retain enough definition. The symphonic layers increase the scale without covering all the guitar work. The result sounds polished and heavy together. That matters on an album whose sound could easily become crowded with less careful handling.
Even so, the amount of activity can become tiring. The choirs and backing occupy so much room that the singing does not always emerge clearly enough. Familiar genre devices remain, too. The quieter ballad shape of Canvas of Life therefore offers a welcome change. The melody has room to connect directly, without a constant need for something larger to follow.
The Quantum Enigma succeeds mainly because the band perform their established style with commitment and care. There is enough weight to make it more than a symphonic display, and enough melody to keep the activity approachable. Anyone wanting a completely new direction from Epica will not find one. Anyone wanting their combination presented more sharply and powerfully has plenty to return to.
