Vicky
We are in April 2005, and After Forever gave birth to a new band about three years prior. They called themselves Sahara Dust, and then they changed their name to Epica. In 2005, the world witnessed the birth of Dark Tranquillity’s Character, HammerFall’s Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken, Kamelot’s The Black Halo, Galneryus’s Advance to the Fall, and Metalium’s Demons of Insanity – Chapter Five, to name a few. In the non-Metal world, astronomers discovered the dwarf planet Eris (one of the largest dwarf planets in our solar system), YouTube was born, and Yahoo! was the most popular website out there… Good times. Well, those good times would come to an end in August, with the devastation brought by Hurricane Katrina, but that is a bit irrelevant to the Epica masterpiece I want to review.
For the majority of us Symphonic Metal fans, Consign to Oblivion was the beginning of it all. That is where we got our passion for (mezzo) soprano vocals combined with growls, majestic orchestrations, and powerful guitar solos. And let’s admit it, most of us learned what the words “consign” and “oblivion” meant with the help of Epica, didn’t we? We’ll never admit that in public, but it’s the truth.
Even though Epica has certainly improved the way Dutch bands approached Symphonic Metal as a genre, I noticed that its earlier tracks (such as the ones on Consign to Oblivion) tend to also explore the depths of Power Metal, with fewer Gothic influences than its predecessors (and competitors, if you will) in After Forever. Don’t get me wrong, having Power Metal tendencies is a wonderful thing, and the guys (and girl) in Epica really blend those genres in a marvelous way.
Moreover, in some parts of songs such as “Quietus” and even in the beginning of the title track, Epica’s overall sound could even be classified as a Power-ish Haggard with more rhythm and more focus on the feminine voice than on the growls. The lyrics of Consign to Oblivion are also a key aspect of the music. With intriguing metaphors and alternating between English and Latin, the lyrics send a clear and complex message. In a very surprising manner, all of the band members were included in the songwriting process, and the group’s two vocalists (the growler and rhythm guitarist Mark Jansen and the mezzo-soprano Simone Simons) composed the lyrics. My favorite lyrics from Consign to Oblivion are the ones featured in the track “Force of the Shore”: “Appearance is deceptive/So perfect in disguise/There’s more than what you see//A semblance is protective/A blinder for the eyes/A place to hide and flee//Flee and you’ll never see/What you’re going to be/If you throw away the key//The truth from the past you can’t make it last.” As a side note, the series of tracks “A New Age Dawns” first appears on the Consign to Oblivion LP. It was later featured on The Divine Conspiracy (2007) and Design Your Universe (2009) albums as well.
The album’s two primary ballads, “Solitary Ground” and “Trois Vierges” (the latter featuring Roy Khan, who was back then Kamelot’s lead singer), show the band’s versatility. I, for one, have always appreciated Simone Simons’ pristine voice, which dominates these slower melodies. Here, it’s worth mentioning that Epica’s choir was made up of highly appreciated vocalists: Andre Matos (unfortunately deceased; he had been a member of Angra, Shaman, Viper, etc.), Amanda Somerville (HDK, Trillium, Kiske/Somerville, ex-Exit Eden, etc.), Bridget Fogle (Bridget Goble and the Gospel Experience, ex-Luca Turilli, ex-Luca Turilli’s Dreamquest), Annie Goebel (also known for her work with Lunatica), Linda Janssen-van Summeren (married to Epica’s keyboardist, Coen Janssen), Melvin Edmondsen, and Previn Moore (a renowned classical vocalist, also known for his work with After Forever, Rhapsody of Fire, Luca Turilli, and Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody). The talented guitarist Sascha Paeth of Avantasia and other Power Metal titans was featured on the track “Dance of Fate”.
I think that the main disadvantage of Consign to Oblivion is that it doesn’t last longer. In my opinion, this LP deserved to be at least two hours long, so we could listen to it at all times—while going on a road trip, while walking on the street, while working, etc. But that just teaches one how to play an album on repeat.
In conclusion, the LP is nothing short of a bittersweet album, a Symphonic Metal work of art, and the ultimate soundtrack of oblivion, in its true meaning.
Label: Transmission
Release date: 21 April, 2005
Website: https://www.facebook.com/epica
Country: Netherlands
Score: Just bittersweet!
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