In a new interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, EPICA singer Simone Simons was asked how she and her bandmates “reinvented themselves” on their latest album, “Aspiral”, as was noted in the press release from their record label, Nuclear Blast. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “ That’s a good question. I think by finding a new balance between the music that we write. Of course, we have five different songwriters with all a different style, so that already is a big thing. And everybody gets to write songs and the best songs are gonna be on the album. And we wanted to change the sound a little bit by adding more synth sounds and sometimes take the orchestra a little bit back and have the rawness of the guitars and the riffs come more to the foreground. And keeping a healthy balance between the symphonic side of EPICA, but also the metal side of EPICA, and then mixing in more synth sounds and creating a little bit of a different vibe on some of the songs. Because, for example, ‘Darkness Dies In Light’, ‘Metanoia’ and ‘The Grand Saga Of Existence’ have that old-school EPICA vibe, but the majority of the other songs have something different. And, of course, you still have my voice, you have the choir, you have Mark‘s [Jansen, guitar/vocals] grunts, and the orchestra still plays a huge part in the music. But I think by hustling that up a little bit, we managed to kind of make EPICA a little bit more mature, a little bit more modern, and not repeating ourselves with each album.”
Simons recently told Metal Insider that she and her EPICA bandmates “like to push” themselves during the songwriting process. “The starting point for that was after [2021’s] ‘Omega’, when the pandemic struck,” she said. “We had our ‘pandemic project,’ which we named ‘The Alchemy Project’, where we worked with other artists in the metal scene. We experimented a lot and found ourselves feeling inspired. It was a bit of a safe space for us to explore and see how our EPICA fans would react, and we got a really positive response to those songs. That gave us the motivation and a starting point to explore different sides of EPICA, and realize that there’s still a lot of leeway to try new things.”
Simone added: “Even though [‘Aspiral’], and some of the singles, are a little easier on the ears, there are still quite a few songs that have the classic EPICA elements. I think we found a really good balance between incorporating something new and staying true to the sound people know us for… I think we really managed to explore the world of EPICA even further and grow, not just as individuals, but also as a band.”
Regarding the lyrical inspiration for “Aspiral”, Simone told Dark Divas: “For one, this album marks the end of the ‘A New Age Dawns’ series, which explores the awakening of a new consciousness in humanity — the realization that only collective action can save the world from destruction. Tarot cards, as well as legends and ghost stories from my homeland, the Netherlands, also influenced the lyrics. A great example is Hoensbroek Castle and the mysterious ‘Blue Lady’ — a story definitely worth reading. A completely different theme is addressed in ‘Fight To Survive – The Overview Effect’. The song captures the deeply moving feeling astronauts experience when they look at Earth from space and become aware of its fragility and beauty. This perspective fits perfectly with current discussions about climate change. And finally, there is a very personal aspect to the album: Mark dedicated the song ‘Darkness Dies In Light’ to his newborn daughter.”
She added: “Our songs reflect both the darkness of the world and the hope that persists even in difficult times. We express this duality not only in the lyrics but also in the album artwork: the sun is always there — no matter how dark things seem, there is always the possibility to turn something negative into something positive. But without challenges and struggles, there is no progress — it’s how we grow as human beings.”
To celebrate the “Aspiral” release, EPICA will play three exclusive shows in the United States in early May: in New York City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
The “Aspiral” LP title is derived from the eponymous bronze sculpture made by Polish sculptor and painter Stanisław Szukalski back in 1965 and stands for renewal and inspiration — key words that define EPICA in 2025. In Szukalski‘s work every detail is a piece of art in its own right, and there’s always more to the story than you initially think. The band saw this as the perfect analogy for the creation of this ninth album: each song stands on its own with a distinctive vibe and meaning, while together they enforce each other into a monumental effort.
The album, featuring stunning cover artwork by Hedi Xandt (RAMMSTEIN, GHOST, PARKWAY DRIVE),was recorded once again at Sandlane Studios and expertly mixed and produced by Joost Van Den Broek.
Source: blabbermouth.net
