(2005) Consign to Oblivion

Title: Consign To Oblivion


Year: 2005


Genre: Power Metal


Bitrate: 320 kbps


Booklet + Lyrics Included




TRACKLIST


01. Hunab K’u: ”A New Age Dawns” ~ Prologue


02. Dance of Fate


03. The Last Crusade: “A New Age Dawns” Part I


04. Solitary Ground


05. Blank Infinity


06. Force of the Shore


07. Quietus


08. Mother of Light: ”A New Age Dawns” Part II


09. Trois Vierges


10. Another Me “In Lack’ech”


11. Consign to Oblivion: ”A New Age Dawns” Part III




REVIEW


Epica's newest release, Consign to Oblivion, is a KILLER album. You're probably thinking that the use of killer to describe a Symphonic Metal album is a little peculiar but I'm sorry, the usual adjectives like magnificent or remarkable fall short here. This is surely the best Symphonic Metal album to be released since Therion`s, double masterpiece Lemuria/Sirius B, amazed everyone in May of last year. But that was last year and this year Epica has taken the torch from the likes of After Forever, Sirenia, Tristania and Penumbra and ran away with it. I would say that Consign to Oblivion is their `Magnum Opus', except I wouldn't be surprised to see them top it. This is only their second album and I thought their first, The Phantom Agony, was fabulous and wrote so with my March 4, 2004 review. Far be it, for me to put a limit on Epica's potential.

Epica's creative founder, lead guitar player, Mark Jansen, is a former member of Holland's After Forever. He left them a couple years ago, citing the usual, artistic differences. From my perspective, it looks Mark was right, Epica is soaring, while After Forever is foundering after three mediocre albums.

Epica's lead singer, Simone Simons, an attractive woman with long flaming red hair is competition to Cristina Scabbia for the most attractive Femme Metal singer but singing wise, she is no Floor Jansen, the exquisite singer for After Forever. Then again, who is? Nevertheless, Simone really isn't bad. In fact she's pretty good and has done a commendable job on Consign to Oblivion. The remaining members of Epica's nuclear family are Ad Sluijter - guitars, Coen Janssen - synths, Yves Huts - bass and Jeroen Simons - Drums and percussion.

Tracked By [Colombo-bt.org] - Releaser Zeus87