The primary goal of literal alchemy was to convert base metals into gold. And therefore, Epica’s mini-album commemorating their twentieth year as a band was aptly titled “The Alchemy Project.” Epica collaborated with several guest musicians to create a record celebrating this milestone. However, unlike medieval alchemy, they were successful in creating gold.
Epica mustered the help of thirteen different bands and musicians to write and record the mini-album. Each song felt like a fusion, like a chemical reaction that combined two elements to form a completely new substance. The end result is a remarkable collection of seven songs, each with its own musical direction, all stemming from the wonderful Epica signature music.
FemMetal Rating
8/10
Epica mustered the help of thirteen different bands and musicians to write and record the mini-album. Each song felt like a fusion, like a chemical reaction that combined two elements to form a completely new substance. The end result is a remarkable collection of seven songs, each with its own musical direction, all stemming from the wonderful Epica signature music.
The first thing to notice about the names Epica chose for their project is that they have chosen innovators; musicians who have developed their own musical sound. The majority of the names lean toward a progressive and experimental writing style. Phil Lanzon of Uriah Heep, for example, is a school in progressive music, while SHINING have a very distinct sound that brings together two major genres. The rest of the names aren’t less distinguished. The collaboration of these brilliant musical minds with Epica is the best gift the Dutch band could have given their fans.
“The Alchemy Project” commences with “The Great Tribulation,” in which Epica, who already incorporate Death Metal elements into their music, coupled with the Italian Death Metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse. As a result, the song has a blast power and a perfect melody to open the record with a growing thickness and loudness.
“Wake the World” comes next with a brilliant progressive sound, an expected consequence of collaborating with the iconic Phil Lanzon. Kamelot’s Tommy Karevik is also present to bless us with a Tenor-Soprano duet that feels a lot like walking into paradise.
“The Final Lullaby” is a lovely song with an intriguing fast tempo on which Norway’s SHINING leave their mark on the album. Jørgen Munkeby’s vocals and saxophone solo blend with Epica’s heavy guitars and Simon’s vocals, while Epica’s orchestral arrangements meet SHINING’s avant-garde style to create a luscious sound in what many chose as their favourite song on the EP.
After three breathtakingly heavy songs, it is time for a soothing melody with a lighter sound, as Epica collaborate with Charlotte Wessels and Myrkur to create “Sirens — Of Blood And Water”. Wessels has been positively shocking her fans and music critics with the diversity in her solo albums and was able to add her renovated signature to the song, while Myrkur’s dark folk sound was also clearly reflected.
Next is “Death is not the End” bringing Soilwork’s Björn “Speed” Strid and MaYaN’s Frank Schiphorst into the equation. The song fuses Melodic Death Metal perfectly into Epica’s sound.
What happens next is an alternate universe kind of thing as Epica goes full Death Metal while Henri Sattler and Sven de Caluwé, from God Dethroned and Aborted, respectively, unleash their internal monsters with their ground-shaking vocals on the song “Human Devastation”.
“The Miner”, featuring Asim Searah, Niilo Sevänen’s and Roel van Helden concludes the album in 7 minutes of beauty.
“The Alchemy Project,” despite sounding nothing like Epica’s previous projects, is a wonderful way to express their twenty years in the Metal scene. Epica never settled for what they have and never replicated themselves, but have always tried to expand and add to their sound while remaining true to their roots. “The Alchemy Project” demonstrates Epica’s broad and progressive musical range. It is a perfect representation of a band atop the Symphonic Metal throne because they successfully learned and inspired themselves from those who came before them, and are now inspiring those who come after them.
