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Epica - Design Your Universe



8.6 | 837 votes |
Release date: 16 October 2009
Style: Symphonic metal

Owners:

974 have it
71 want it
1 trades it


01. Samadhi (Prelude)
02. Resign To Surrender (A New Age Dawns - Part IV)
03. Unleashed
04. Martyr Of The Free Word
05. Our Destiny
06. Kingdom Of Heaven (A New Age Dawns - Part V)
07. The Price Of Freedom (Interlude)
08. Burn To A Cinder
09. Tides Of Time
10. Deconstruct
11. Semblance Of Liberty
12. White Waters
13. Design Your Universe (A New Age Dawns - Part VI)
14. This Is The Time [bonus]
15. Incentive [bonus]
16. Nothing's Wrong [Heideroosjes cover][Japanese bonus]
17. Unleashed [duet version][iTunes bonus]

The Best Atmospheric/Symphonic Metal Album Of 2009
Top 20 albums of 2009: 13

Additional info
The album was recorded at Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany with producer Sascha Paeth.
Artwork by Stefan Heilemann.

"White Waters" features Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica on vocals.
"Unleashed" features Amanda Sommerville

Staff review by
Baz Anderson
Rating:
8.5
Dutch symphonic metallers Epica make their return in spectacular form with Design Your Universe, studio album number four. The band have grown over the years and Design Your Universe is the product of a confident and mature band. The album sees Epica at their most bombastic yet and also their most experimental.

Maybe not the most accessible album initially, weighing in at a hefty length but Design Your Universe is packed with quality content. As you would expect, Epica have once again produced an album with all their hallmarks. The music is inevitably built around Simone's ever growing sweet but powerful, theatrical, operatic style of singing backed up with more orchestral choirs and symphonies than ever before. The album is also the grittiest Epica have created. No longer is Epica a limp symphonic band for girls, but the harsh vocals also make their mark on Design Your Universe, especially with songs like the brilliant "Martyr Of The Free World" that in the chorus sounds exactly like what you'd imagine Amon Amarth to sound like if they played along a symphony orchestra. Not committing themselves to song templates or letting genre definitions define their music, Epica even show a glimpse of progressive flair with a nod towards Dream Theater during their fourteen-minute epic "Kingdom Of Heaven".

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published 16.10.2009 | Comments (49)

Guest review by
TheJester
Rating:
9.0
Two years after their previous record, Epica outdid themselves. When I heard the first notes of "Resign To Surrender", I said to myself that this is gonna be different. If you read my review on The Divine Conspiracy, you know my opinion. It was a good album but it could be much better and that's what frustrated me. Design Your Universe learned from its predecessor.

Read more ››
published 26.04.2020 | Comments (6)

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Comments

Comments: 23   Visited by: 1485 users
03.03.2010 - 16:24
Rating: 5
nehrodwarf

I heard some music and I thinked too different, at past albuns (phantom agony and consign to oblivion) they mixture, with sucess opera and metal and got awsome.
I don't know about your mind, but at mine... these two last albuns I didn't like of simone's way of sing: too different. nicely... I prefer the old simone's way of singining(like opera singer).

It's just my too simple opinion (too subjective).
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05.03.2010 - 15:31
Rating: 10
Vonpire

I think absolutelty the other way. The last 2 albuns are far way better than the first 2. But, it's my humble opinion In fact i think Design Your Universe is far the best album of 2009.
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Beware the Shadows of Dusk
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11.12.2010 - 18:28
Blasphemer1992

So we have a new Nightwish after Tarja left NW, fantastic
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02.02.2011 - 08:50
Rating: 10
Metaller

This is the best album that Epica have done. It's AWESOME and the best song is Kingdow of Heaven. I enjoyed it a lot. Simone Simons has a great voice. WOW!
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01.05.2011 - 14:00
Rating: 10
Franchu

Best Epica album. Just wonder how are they to surpass it...;)
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05.05.2011 - 03:47
Rating: 10
Hollenvaen

Written by Blasphemer1992 on 11.12.2010 at 18:28

So we have a new Nightwish after Tarja left NW, fantastic


No way, Epica are way better. Just comapre lyrics, themes, complexity...Epica win.
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08.07.2011 - 03:10
Metal_4Ever

Written by Hollenvaen on 05.05.2011 at 03:47

Written by Blasphemer1992 on 11.12.2010 at 18:28

So we have a new Nightwish after Tarja left NW, fantastic


No way, Epica are way better. Just comapre lyrics, themes, complexity...Epica win.

And we don't forget the vocals
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16.07.2011 - 07:59
Rating: 10
ohmayhem

I actually have the hard copy of this album, and I'm glad to say I didn't waste money on it. It seems as though Epica has at last mastered the type of music they've been working for.
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18.08.2011 - 11:47
Rating: 10
the Dreamer

Epica is the Best Symphonic Metal Band ...... if Anyone doesn't say that , (s)he must be an idiot
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18.08.2011 - 14:55
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by the Dreamer on 18.08.2011 at 11:47
Epica is the Best Symphonic Metal Band ...... if Anyone doesn't say that , (s)he must be an idiot

Epica is not the best symphonic metal band.
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18.08.2011 - 14:55
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.08.2011 at 14:55

Written by the Dreamer on 18.08.2011 at 11:47
Epica is the Best Symphonic Metal Band ...... if Anyone doesn't say that , (s)he must be an idiot

Epica is not the best symphonic metal band.


+1
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Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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18.08.2011 - 15:11
ErnilEnNaur
Account deleted
Written by Troy Killjoy on 18.08.2011 at 14:55

Epica is not the best symphonic metal band.


Indeed they are not. After Forever wipes the floor with them. I've nothing against Epica, "Consign To Oblivion" is one of my favorite albums, but everything they have done since has been uninspired and boring.

EDIT: I guess it would be fair to say that Epica were a candidate for the title of greatest symphonic metal band at some point, but they certainly aren't anymore. They're still a good band, but they used to be divine.
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30.09.2011 - 18:11
Rating: 9
musicalkaratekid

The album that got me into epica, and still my favourtie to this day. It seems to be their most progressive as well-this is one of those albums that aren't too long in my opinion.
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07.10.2011 - 07:23
Rating: 10
AngelofDeth
Cyborg Raptor
A fucking masterpeice. best epica album imo and one of my faves in general
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pewpew.. gotcha
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31.10.2012 - 21:05
Rating: 8
Erik M.

People who say this album is Epica's best might not have heard The Phantom Agony (as it's less popular on MS).

That being said, this album is definitely great. I'd put it add #2, right behind their debut.
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28.04.2013 - 03:40
HyperDrifter

Written by musicalkaratekid on 30.09.2011 at 18:11

The album that got me into epica, and still my favourtie to this day.


+1
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28.04.2013 - 12:45
Rating: 8
Masonics

I have not heard "requim for the indifferent" yet as Im listening to the records in order, but so far this is my fav record. They have found the best streamline "symphonic" sound on this record. Simones voice sounds most confident and less operatic on previous records, and the backup growls sound good too.
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06.02.2014 - 16:39
4look4rd
The Sasquatch
I think this will be remember as the peak of Epica's career. The Phantom of Agony and Cosign to Oblivion had great individual tracks but the overall package was lacking, while the Divine Conspiracy was the other way around - it was a great overall album but lack the individual tracks.

Design Your Universe has everything. It is still the same recognizable Epica style, its full of "hit songs" and the overall album is amazing.
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30.06.2014 - 08:06
ElMarcado
Account deleted
Written by Erik M. on 31.10.2012 at 21:05

People who say this album is Epica's best might not have heard The Phantom Agony (as it's less popular on MS).

That being said, this album is definitely great. I'd put it add #2, right behind their debut.

TPA is simply better. (The only Epica album i can listen without the feeling of being hearing a overproduced and overplayed mediocre 'Symphonic' metal.)
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30.06.2014 - 23:02
Rating: 8
Erik M.

Written by Guest on 30.06.2014 at 08:06

TPA is simply better. (The only Epica album i can listen without the feeling of being hearing a overproduced and overplayed mediocre 'Symphonic' metal.)


Exactly.
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03.08.2015 - 11:11
Rating: 6
Joppe
Steelemeister
Too long, not enough interesting parts, especially at the end of the album it gets really boring. Cut it in half and you have a decent album. Fixed track list as follows:

01. Samadhi (Prelude)
02. Resign To Surrender (A New Age Dawns - Part IV)
03. Martyr Of The Free Word
04. Kingdom Of Heaven (A New Age Dawns - Part V)
05. The Price Of Freedom (Interlude)
06. Burn To A Cinder
07. Tides Of Time
08. Deconstruct
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My vision is augmented
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19.06.2018 - 01:15
Rating: 9
Furiator

Written by Franchu on 01.05.2011 at 14:00

Best Epica album. Just wonder how are they to surpass it...;)

Well, they fucking did
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21.03.2022 - 18:54
Rating: 9
nonZero

It took me a while to get into Epica, but I'm glad I persisted! This album is great.

8.9/10 for me. Easily their best.
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