Looking foward to it.

So soon? Hope it's better than their last album, that was a really a weak record. Worst by them by far.

Good news , I wasn't disappointed by RFTI ... could be better though . I knew them for so many years but only recently they have become one of my favorite bands .

I hope they review the songs and check if they are really worth album material. I'm kinda hoping they make something absolutely different now and with all these songs already written I'm thinking it's going to be RFTI similar stuff.
And also give Simone a break so she takes some singing lessons

Already? I haven't heard last album yet! Lol

They should take a little break from writting new material and let the ideas mature for some time. Their last 2 records were the weakest for me and they are getting kind of boring TBH.

"Wouldn't be surprised if many people gonna like those songs."

The level of expectations here is sooo high!
This made me laugh.

That's way too fast, but in a way I'm happy because I was so disappointed with their last album, I need a new album FAST to try to forget it. I wish they'd go back to their roots and do something more polished. Don't know why, but they just wrote better songs back in the day. Then after the brilliant The Divine Conspiracy it all just collapsed. I think they're just wingin' it without really knowing what they're doing. It's sad. They have so much potential.

Yeah, they knew their last album sucked and now they are trying to kick sand over it. Good for them

OMG! Are you serious =D *jeeei* I've never expected to get another album so soon after this great kick-ass album. So happy right now.

I liked Requiem for the Indifferent. Yes, it was their weakest, yes it sounded too much like a SImone fronted Mayan, but it was still ...well...EPIC!
My dream would be that they could enter a state of productivity similer to what Devin Townsend is doing now.

DYU was the best thing I have herd from them, but requiem is a crap. And judging how soon, they are going to record a new one, I am afraid this one will be too. They probably want to recover.

All the ridiculously different opinions about Epica on this thread almost seem written on purpose

Written by Guest on 30.08.2012 at 02:27

The last two albums are the best...

I agree on that... although I keep waiting them to improve their studio sound. Specially guitars... I'm not sure if it's the tuning or the amps or just the use of a crappy distortion pedal. Even the most elaborated riffs are disappointing when the sound is that weak.

Written by Guest on 30.08.2012 at 16:24

Written by mariano on 30.08.2012 at 16:04

Written by Guest on 30.08.2012 at 02:27

The last two albums are the best...

I agree on that... although I keep waiting them to improve their studio sound. Specially guitars... I'm not sure if it's the tuning or the amps or just the use of a crappy distortion pedal. Even the most elaborated riffs are disappointing when the sound is that weak.

As for those guitars, I think it's intended - you can listen to Mayan's debut where the guitars sound very similarly... You can even listen to some live perfomances of Epica or mainly Mayan to ensure yourself that what you hear especially on Requiem is not "digitally compressed sound" but just what Mark wants it to sound like. I think he just wants to sound "classical".

then I guess the engineers in charge of the mixing and the mastering are not to blame

Written by chronic-headache on 29.08.2012 at 22:18

I liked Requiem for the Indifferent. Yes, it was their weakest, yes it sounded too much like a SImone fronted Mayan, but it was still ...well...EPIC!
My dream would be that they could enter a state of productivity similer to what Devin Townsend is doing now.

That would be awesome!!

Written by Irritable Ted on 07.09.2012 at 22:30

Pressure from the label, to get stuff out quick.

Hope they realize the last album was weak with no highlights compared to all of their other albums.

The highligts were gone after Ad left in my oppinion.. DYU was pretty okay but not as good as TDC, and the last one was weak indeed

I like all the opinions about how the last 2 albums suck (or only the last one in some cases)..
It is important for a band to grow and explore en experiment, loved that about AF..
Too bad Epica took that change the wrong way (my opinion!!) to a regulair symphonic metalband from the epic band they were (The Divine Conspiracy as a cherry on the cream)
If they would do some climaxing again like they did in the songs Seif al Din, The Phantom agony, Consign to Oblivion, Fools of Damnaton etc. for example, I think they'll do great mixing their new style with old-fashioned Epica goosebumb-giving-eargasm sounds like they did on the first 3 releases