Chemical Insomnia and Reverence-Living In The Heart, share dark symphonic overtones, with layers of guitars underneath. A short interlude called The Fifth Guardian is next, followed by Chemical Insomnia. Its another very solid symphonic piece, and I enjoyed it a lot. The nearly four minute and fifty second Unchained Utopia, could almost be called a psuedo-ballad in parts, due to its mostly slower nature, but I would not.
The haunting yet beautiful intro of Sense of Without Sanity-The Impervious Code, leads into a melodic rocker, very similar to The Second Stone, but with a chorus that is very different, plus Jansen growls thrown in for good measure. Fans of Jansen's Mayan, will love this song. Victims, is the shortest song you will find on the disc at just over three and a half minutes. The extreme heaviness to melodic-ness can not be done any better than this song. Again, Jansen takes the lead, and I am really digging the extra heaviness. Victims of Contingency, is another faster song, with a very cool symphonic overtone. Mark Jansen's growls are featured throughout the song, and in more of lead variety, then the usual beast to the beauty that is Simmons's vocals. I love the mixture of dissonant and driving guitar riffs. Its a song deep in the typical Epica fashion, and definitely does not disappoint. The Essence of Silence, was the first song released with a lyric video you will be able to watch here. It definitely sets the tone, for what you can expect.
This is easily one of my favorite songs, and its only the first. Similar to Never Enough on The Divine Conspiracy, but not "poppy" but pure Symphonic Metal, without the operatic overtones. The first thing I notice, is her singing in her more subdue and melodic vocal range, versus her operatic range. The beautiful vocals, of lead lady, Simone Simmons kicks in shortly thereafter. The Second Stone, brings the Symphonic Metal to the fold, with driving guitars, strings, and solid choral vocals.
Not exactly an instrumental, though a sweeping movie score-esque string melody is heard throughout the track, choral vocals join in during the last third of the song. The procedural first intro song as always, comes first. Epica really needs no introduction, and as one of the leading bands in the Symphonic Metal genre, the only questions asked usually are is this disc going to be like the last one, is it going to be just as epic, are they going to try something new? Is there something new? My honest opinion, this cd has a different feel to it at times(which I will get too) which adds to to the disc as whole.