Perhaps one of these days I ought to change the blog description to 'this is a fucking music blog'. I can't help though, I've really gotten into my little unprofessional album reviews - and since 2014 looks to be a great year music-wise, it's to be expected there's a lot more to write.
Epica's and Xandria's new albums both came out on 2 May, but since I barely listen to Xandria, I thought I'd pass that one up - I barely have time as it is. That's the other factor for writing about music - it's faster and takes less effort than putting together fashion-related posts. I do have a few ideas though, but until my most difficult exam is over, I won't be investing that much energy into the blog (that's end of May).
As far as an operatic voice in symphonic metal goes, Simone Simons is by far the best example. As much as I love Tarja, I think Simone's voice fits the bill more closely. Or maybe it's the fact that her voice is higher - sometimes it's even a bit too dramatic for me. However, this album is so perfectly put together I really can't complain about such little preference details.
Admittedly I don't listen to as much Epica as Nightwish or Within Temptation. I quite like Consign to Oblivion and The Divine Conspiracy. I even liked Design Your Universe, but I was largely indifferent to their last album. This one however, it has the heaviness and the operatic choruses which make Epica so outstanding. I wasn't as taken with it as with Insomnium's new release, so I didn't listen to it as many times - my opinion thus might be a little superficial, but I tried.
Originem is a decent instrumental intro, not really memorable, and somehow a lot less impactful or heavy than most of the album, but the following song ups the tempo. The Second Stone is one of my favourite songs: fast, guitar-heavy, with amazing vocals and a softer, even pop-y chorus.The Essence of Silence is also a pretty good song, with lots of heavy grunted male vocals contrasted to the truly operatic voice of Simone (and an awesome intro, and a guitar solo - not so common in symphonic metal, is it?). Victims of Contingency is another masterful song: I love the drumming on this one (ever since I grew familiar with the awesomeness that is Gojira I simply can't ignore drums), and the slightly 'film-music' feel to the intro. It might be the formula for me though - heavy song, soft chorus, optional operatic backing vocals and male grunting. I also love the message of the lyrics. Sense Without Sanity (The Impervious Code) and Unchain Utopia don't feel like filler songs either, but to me, they are more average Epica song (which is obviously still good stuff). I do like the second half of the latter a lot though. The Fifth Guardian might just be my new favourite interlude: it's some Lord of the Rings-realness. I might need an infinite loop of it for studying. Chemical Insomnia and Reverence (Living in the Heart) again feel more conventional to me, and again, I like the latter one better. I thought Omen (The Goulish Malady) was going to be a ballad, but it isn't really. It picks up, and then after two and a half minutes fades again into a slow verse. It has a really compelling chorus and I really like the string instruments in this song. Canvas of Life is the ballad I was looking for - it's a gorgeous piece. It has a somehow uncertain acoustic guitar-piano arrangement in the beginning and it somehow provides the perfect undertone to 'death is a certainty'. Natural Corruption nicely follows with a piano intro in a more energetic and sure way. It has an undeniable folk influence, and I think it makes it a really special song. The last track, the eponymous The Quantum Enigma is a rather brave try with its length of almost 12 minutes. It's a nice song, but somehow a bit too much for me to take in. It's a bit too powerful in relation to the length, so I find it hard to concentrate throughout (maybe I'm not metal enough). I wouldn't say it's the perfect closure for the album, but certainly isn't the worst, and overall I like the structure of the album.
My top 3 picks: The Second Stone, Victims of Contingency, Natural Corruption
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