At 7:15 PM Danish Symphonic Metal band ETHEREAL KINGDOMS enters the stage and my first thought is how “ordinary” and “normal” they look.
A friend told me before the show that this was a band I needed to check out, and that I was going to be amazed by their performance.
The singer, Sofia Schmidt, starts to sing in that beautiful opera type voice, and I think to myself: “Aha! Some symphonic metal with opera, how ordinary” and I look down on my notebook and start to write when all of a sudden a growling from the top of someone’s lungs sounds from the stage and I think “how interesting” and look up on the stage from my notebook to see which one of the males are the growler, but no no…It is actually also her!
The way this singer sings is rarely heard. Her opera voice, screams and growling shows some real technicality to her singing, and it is almost as if she has different masks she puts on. Very impressive!
One more person enters the stage and a fiddle starts to play (which actually sounds a lot like a guitar). At this point, the stage is starting to look a little bit crowded, especially when also three male choireboys (well, men) enter the stage after a few songs to help get that feeling of powerfullness.
I can tell that this band has a story to tell, as the singer is very active on stage, both dancng around like a fairy and then jumping around, growling and breaking things on stage. The choir and fiddle also helps to get the atmosphere in that right kind of mood, as symphonic power metal can give. And the harmonies sound GREAT!
The only thing is that I don’t really understand the story they are trying to tell, but I guess that could be because I have difficulties hearing the lyrics.
All in all I am entertained by Ethereal Kingdoms, but I think with a different (bigger) stage, setting, lighting and costumes, they could do an even better performance.
I felt there was something missing to get the whole picture of the performance as it could be even more theatrical and dramatic than it was. But how much can one band actually do in 30 minutes to impress a new audience?
I for sure look forward to watching this band live in the future to see what they have in store for us.
No matter what they do, it can not be less intense than what they performed this evening.
EPICA
“The Essence Of EPICA” is available for pre-order now!
THE ESSENCE OF EPICA, the lavishly designed and fully illustrated, high-quality hardback which tells the story of symphonic metal titans EPICA in their own words, is available for preorder now at epicabook.com.
Created using rare and personal photographs – including baby, childhood and teen snaps – plus professional live and studio photography, THE ESSENCE OF EPICA is the story of the band told straight from the mouths of Mark, Coen, Simone, Ariën, Rob, Isaac, Yves and Ad.
Designed with care and precision, and a cover created by long-time design collaborator Stefan Heilemann, the book is as big and beautiful as the EPICA sound.
THE ESSENCE OF EPICA is available in two distinct editions: The Classic is a 208-page, hardback with foil detailing, filled with over 200 images. The Signature hardback is signed by the band and comes in a deluxe clamshell box with three exclusive, original art prints created by Stefan Heilemann.
THE ESSENCE OF EPICA is only available for pre-order at epicabook.com. Delivery will be in November 2019.
Here’s your chance to see EPICA live this year:
29.06. NL Hertme – Openluchttheater (w/ MaYaN, BLACKBRIAR)
03. – 06.07. D Ballenstedt – Rockharz Open Air
»Design Your Universe« – 10th Anniversary Shows – Europe
04.10. D Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
05.10. NL Utrecht – TivoliVredenburg
06.10. F Paris – Élysée Montmartre *SOLD OUT*
10.10. IL Tel Aviv – Barby Club
12.10. RUS Moscow – Glavclub
»Design Your Universe« – 10th Anniversary Shows – Latin America
21.10. MEX Monterrey – Escena
22.10. MEX Guadalajara – Diana Theatre
24.10. MEX Mexico City – Auditorio BlackBerry
26.10. BR São Paulo – Tropical Butantã
27.10. BR Rio de Janeiro – Circo Voador
29.10. RA Buenos Aires – El Teatro Flores
30.10. RCH Santiago – Teatro Caupolicán
02.11. CO Bogotá – Royal Center
03.11. CR San José – Pepper Disco Club
www.epica.nl | www.facebook.com/epica | www.nuclearblast.de/epica
This is going to be my first time seeing HEXED live and as I really enjoy listening to bands with strong female fronted vocalists I am very much looking forward to it.
I do have one concern, though. It is difficult to be original in this genre, as it’s not easy not to be considered a clone of other bands playing the same type of music. Many of these bands tend to sound alike.
When the band members enter the stage, it’s sad to see that the venue is almost half empty, and the band is struggling to get the crowd going.
Being the first act of three cannot be an easy task, but the band is really putting on a show, like there was a fully packed house, and they are not holding back.
Singer Tina Gunnarsson has a really beautiful, strong and powerful voice and she is using it to her fullest. Her body language, gestures and performance on stage is very powerful. She has that kind of aura that reaches out from beyond the stage and onto the audience.
Yes, I do think of bands like Amaranthe and older Within Temptation when hearing Hexed, but still there is something unique about their performance.
Tina Gunnarsson’s voice is pitch perfect and together with the screams/growls from guitarist Stellan Gunnarsson, they make the sound more metal than the typical Symphonic Metal sound. It feels more “raw”.
After a few songs, I can see the crowd responding to their performance, and I am enjoying myself. The band is tight, the performance is rock solid and you can see that the band is having a good time.
I am impressed, and by the looks of it, this band is performing as if they were in a huge arena instead of a small venue. I can imagine this band headlining their own European tour in the future, maybe with a support act called Amaranthe, who knows?
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EPICA-announce additional »Design Your Universe« 10th anniversary shows for Latin America
Dutch Symphonic metal band EPICA will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their fan-favorite album »Design Your Universe«.
After a phenomenal response from their Latin American fans, the band have decided to add more dates to the tour in Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica.
Coen Janssen comments:
“Wow! The response on the first announced dates for the Latin-American celebration of the 10-year anniversary shows for »Design Your Universe« was simply astonishing. There is only one thing we can do and that is comply to your wishes and add a few more shows!
I, for one, will certainly enjoy this prolonged stay in one of my favourite parts of the world and I can’t wait for this tour to be unleashed!! See you soon!”
Mark Jansen adds:
“We are very happy to announce some extra »Design Your Universe« tour dates for Latin America! It’s ‘Our Destiny’ to guide you through these ‘Tides of Time’, so let’s open the gates to the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’!”
»Design Your Universe« – 10th Anniversary Shows – Latin America
21.10. MEX Monterrey – Escena *NEW*
22.10. MEX Guadalajara – Diana Theatre
24.10. MEX Mexico City – Auditorio BlackBerry
26.10. BR São Paulo – Tropical Butantã
27.10. BR Rio de Janeiro – Circo Voador
29.10. AR Buenos Aires – El Teatro Flores
30.10. CHI Santiago – Teatro Caupolican *NEW*
02.11. CO Bogota – Royal Center *NEW*
03.11. CRC San José – Pepper Club *NEW*
Tickets and VIP upgrades are available at: www.epica.nl/tour
The band will also play the following other shows this year:
29.06. NL Hertme – Openluchttheater
03. – 06.07. D Ballenstedt – Rockharz Open Air
»Design Your Universe« – 10th Anniversary Shows – Europe
04.10. D Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
05.10. NL Utrecht – TivoliVredenburg
06.10. F Paris – Élysée Montmartre *SOLD OUT*
10.10. IL Tel Aviv – Barby Club
12.10. RUS Moscow – Glavclub
www.epica.nl | www.facebook.com/epica | www.nuclearblast.de/epica
Corresponding with the wide variety of artists, the album itself is extremely varied and detailed, spanning a wide array of themes and impressions. From the theatrical Meatloaf-influences on the intro track “Ghost In The Moon”, to “The Piper At The Break Of Dawn” combining a classic power metal beat with electronic elements, to the musical playground that is the cover of “Maniac” – nobody can claim that Avantasia is staying inside any comfort zone on this album.
One might get that idea on “The Raven Child” in particular. The song initially features the clean vocals of Sammet, Lande and Kürsch, as they sing over a soft, celtic guitar melody. After an enchantingly folk-y bridge with catchy wordless vocals, the song abruptly transitions into the more classic Avantasia sound, with epic power metal choruses and medieval chanting. Although I would have liked for the initial celtic elements to continue throughout the entire song, the song still impresses with its many facets and is almost bound to become a fan favorite.
All in all, the latest chapter of Sammet’s metal opera can only be said to be a theatrical gemstone. The listener can feel the amount of detail poured into the album, and although not all tracks are equally enthralling, the album is captivating from beginning to end as it pulls the listener into the atmospheric Avantasia universe. Moonglow simply feels like it was written with love!
]]>It’s worth noting that this marks the full-length recording debut of drummer Manuel Lotter and singer Giacomo Voli (not considering the retrospective “Legendary Years”). In my mind I will always have Fabio Lione as the de facto voice of Rhapsody but Voli is really very good, perhaps slightly less operatic than Lione but there’s a lot of emotion in his singing. Keyboardist Alex Staropoli is the only remaining member of the original line-up and he is now also more active in writing the band’s lyrics.
The songs in “The Eighth Mountain” are mostly very well written – compared with Rhapsody’s back catalogue I get the impression that there seems to be a slightly greater emphasis on heaviness rather than the symphonic paradigm. This is particularly evident in ‘Seven Heroic Deeds’ where, incidentally, we find Lotter in top form. Even Staropoli’s keyboards augment the music’s impact rather than ‘merely’ add pomp and drama to the music.
Other than that, “The Eighth Mountain” contains several hallmarks of Rhapsody’s sound…intricate orchestrations, lavish choirs, flute sounds and of course conceptual fantasy lyrics. With regards to that, this album marks the beginning of a new story which the band is calling ‘Nephilim’s Empire Saga’. In a recent press-release Staropoli said “It’s about which path in life you choose. The story may be fictitious but quite obviously relates to reality the way we experience it every day.”
But what of the songs themselves? ‘March Against The Tyrant’ and ‘Tales Of A Hero’s Fate’ showcase Voli’s impressive talents. ‘Clash Of Times’ sounds as if it was taken from an Yngwie Malmsteen album. ‘The Courage To Forgive’ contains some excellent guitar shredding.
‘Tales Of A Hero’s Fate’ provides an epic conclusion to the album and, curiously enough, features some Black Metal vocals. It would be interesting to hear more of these vocals in future as I feel it enriches the album’s dynamics further. The same ‘Tales Of A Hero’s Fate’ also features a narration by Christopher Lee. Considering Mr Lee passed away more than 3 years ago suggests Staropoli had been planning this album for quite a while.
For me, one of the greatest things about “The Eighth Mountain” is that Rhapsody aren’t just rehashing the same music…they do sound like a band that is evolving. My rating falls short of a perfect score mainly due to ‘Warrior Heart’ which I felt is the album’s weakest link.
But there’s no doubt about it…I haven’t felt this excited about a Rhapsody Of Fire album for quite a while.
]]>In ‘Valkyria’ for instance there are some grunts and in ‘Winterfall’ Linda shows that she has besides a rather aggressive singing style also a great clean voice. Influences of arena rock, typical hair metal parts, bombast and power metal form the main ingredients on this album. At times the band Vixen enters my mind because of Linda’s singing style. One of my personal favorites is ‘Play With Fire’ , a power metal track where bombast, choir parts and aggressive fast riffs go hand in hand. For a few this album might have too much keyboards and will sound a bit too overproduced, but the good songs and the very catchy grooves do convince me. The last track on the album is a song that Ken wrote for Sabaton, this version got a make over and a sound that sticks to the rest of the songs on this debut album Follow the Cipher.
This is a good album,it is catchy, bombastic and sounds gigantic. I will advice you to check it out if a combination of melodic (power) metal, lots of keys, arena rock and 80’s hair metal doesn’t scare you. I reward the album with an extra devil for Linda her voice!
]]>Just a bit sad that the music doesn’t quite live up to her performance; too safe and the keyboard sound is too dominant and up-front to really rock my world. It’s always a fine balance and on some albums things simply tips over and becomes too much. The multiple layers of keyboard sounds are off course an important ingredient in symphonic metal and in some songs they’ve found the right balance, but the few missteps make the album a bit uneven and unbalanced, in my humble opinion off course – I know many who loves this album a lot more than me…
But let’s not take anything away from Anette Olzon because she does an excellent job on their self-titled debut album and the album has grown on me without truly convincing me at any point. It’s still a fine offering if you like bands like Nightwish, Edenbridge and Amaranthe.
Give it a few spins, it might be just the thing for you…
Best moments: ‘The Dark Element’, ‘My Sweet Mystery’, ‘The Ghost and the Reaper’ and ‘Someone You Used to Know’.
]]>The first song is already known by most fans, as it was released in June as a single. Its key ingredients are catchy refrains and beautiful orchestrations. ‘Fight Your Demons’ was a bonus single in the VIP package you could buy during the last tour. Now all can enjoy this powerful song with grunts included. ‘Architect of Light’ is an epic, heavy piece with nice choirs, aggressive grunts, and a nice groove. ‘Wheel Of Destiny’ starts like a guitar driven power metal hymn, but has some slower parts as well, with nice vocals by singer Simone Simons. The accoustic song ‘Immortal Melancholy’ reminds me of something from Blackmore’s Night. The band finishes heavy and fast with a typical Epica track, in which I really like the aggressive grunting parts near the end.
The Solace System is as good as The Holographic Principle, just a bit shorter, so it’s worth checking out!
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