EPICA's SIMONE SIMONS Talks To 'The Metalheadz' About 'The Quantum Enigma' Album (Audio)

Tom of "The Metalheadz" radio show recently conducted an interview with vocalist Simone Simons of Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

EPICA will release its sixth studio album, "The Quantum Enigma", on May 2 in Europe and May 6 in North America through Nuclear Blast.

The official lyric video for the song "The Essence Of Silence" can be seen below.

Where the 2013 "Retrospect" performance reflected on a decade as one of the leading bands in the symphonic metal scene, "The Quantum Enigma" marks the beginning of a new EPICA: modern, heavy, and without compromises.

Says the band: "More than any of our previous albums, this album is a group effort. The only goal we had in mind: creating the album that could lift EPICA up to the next level."

"The Quantum Enigma" was produced by Joost van den Broek at the Sandlane recording facility in the Netherlands. The album was mixed by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, HATESPHERE).

"The Quantum Enigma" will be released in five different configurations:

01 - Regular jewel case
02 - 2CD digipack
03 - 3CD earbook
04 - double vinyl
05 - Digital download

"The Quantum Enigma" track listing:

01. Originem
02. The Second Stone
03. The Essence Of Silence
04. Victims Of Contingency
05. Sense Without Sanity (The Impervious Code)
06. Unchain Utopia
07. The Fifth Guardian (Interlude)
08. Chemical Insomnia
09. Reverence (Living in the Heart)
10. Omen [The Ghoulish Malady]
11. Canvas of Life
12. Natural Corruption
13. The Quantum Enigma (Kingdom Of Heaven Part II)

Digipack additional track: "In All Conscience"
Earbook additional track: "Dreamscape"
Vinyl additional track: "Memento"
iTunes additional track: "Banish Your Illusion"

Disc 2 (digipack and earbook only):

01. Canvas Of Life [acoustic version]
02. In All Conscience [acoustic version]
03. Dreamscape [acoustic version]
04. Natural Corruption [acoustic version]

Disc 3 (earbook Only):

01. Originem [instrumental]
02. The Second Stone [instrumental]
03. The Essence of Silence [instrumental]
04. Victims Of Contingency [instrumental]
05. Sense Without Sanity [instrumental]
06. Unchain Utopia [instrumental]
07. The Fifth Guardian [instrumental]
08. Chemical Insomnia [instrumental]
09. Reverence [instrumental]
10. Omen [instrumental]
11. Canvas Of Life [instrumental]
12. Natural Corruption [instrumental]
13. The Quantum Enigma [instrumental]

In a recent interview with LiveReviewer, EPICA guitarist Isaac Delahaye stated about the making of "The Quantum Enigma": "It was very much our intention to really make songs. It was because we started with putting a lot of effort into the basics and we gave a lot of attention to the band part, more so than before. And, of course, Jacob Hansen mixed it and he knows how to do these things. We tried out several people and had them do a test mix of certain songs and he came out on top. It's become a heavy album, yet all the details are there. Previously, we used to go to the studio, tune our stuff and then we recorded an album. This time we did a long pre-production in the studio and we got to check out a lot of different combinations of amps and then we could record it. Previously, we just did everything in our home studios and sent each other the parts. And after that we would go into the studio and that's it. But now we sat down together and discussed a lot more, it was more of a band effort. It was working together, rather than reacting. Everyone brought songs to the table, which was very cool. With the previous album, it was mostly Mark, Coen and me writing a lot. And now even Ariën joined in and that made it all feel refreshing. It's odd to say, but it's kind of a new beginning."

Longtime EPICA collaborator Stephan Heilemann once again created the stunning artwork to accompany the ideas behind the lyrics. Once you lay your hands on the album artwork, you will see that the cover is part of a bigger picture.

EPICA will return to the stage on April 30 for a CD-release performance at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

After taking a break from the road due the pregnancy of lead singer Simone Simons, the release of a new concert DVD, "Retrospect", as well as the writing and recording of the band's upcoming album, the sextet will put on a memorable concert, with plans to perform both old and new songs.

Interview (audio):

"The Essence Of Silence" lyric video: