This is an update (and rebranding) of a previously released article, “Epica Recap: The Best Way to Get Ready for the New Epica Album.“
When Ωmega was announced back in 2020, it felt like it would take forever until its release date in February 2021. To help ourselves and other fans cope with the long wait, we created a timeline for Epica releases. Fast forward to 2025, and Epica is releasing their ninth studio album, Aspiral. It’s time to update the timeline to include this exciting new release, along with other Epica releases from 2021 to now.
The goal of this report is to map major releases into a timeline alongside other significant world events. Hopefully, reviewing this timeline will trigger happy memories of when you first listened to the older albums and leave you in awe and excitement at how much the world has changed since then. This timeline also serves as a reminder that while presidents, kings, and queens may change as variables in the grand equation of the universe, music and art remain constants.
2003
The Phantom Agony (2003)
Epica’s debut album was released on June 5th 2003. Feint, The Phantom Agony, and Cry for the Moon were released as singles, with music videos made for the first two.
Cry For the Moon is the most played Epica song on Spotify. Two remarkable names appearing on the album personnel are producer Sascha Paeth and Amanda Somerville (Trillium, Exit Eden) as a choir member and a vocal coach.
Same Year Around the World
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is released in cinemas.
- Cristiano Ronaldo makes his debut for Manchester United.
- The Iraq War begins. (2003 US invasion of Iraq)
- Final season of the sitcom Friends is being aired on TV.
- MySpace was Launched
2005
Consign to Oblivion (2005)
Two years later Epica released their second album on April 21st 2005, Again, as for the next four albums, they worked with producer Sascha Paeth and Amanda Somerville as choir member. Solitary Ground and Quietus were the singles released from that album, with a music video for each.
Roy Khan, Kamelot‘s vocalist at the time, featured on Trois Vierges.
Same year, Epica released the soundtrack album ‘The Score – An Epic Journey’, for the Dutch adventure movie, Joyride.
Same Year Around the World
- Tarja Turunen part ways with Nightwish.
- Lionel Messi signs first contract with Barcelona.
- A fire year in cinemas as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the first Narnia movie and Star Wars Episode III are released.
- First seasons of How I Met Your Mother and Supernatural are being aired on TV.
2007
The Divine Conspiracy (2007)
The third album was released on August 22nd 2007. Never Enough and Chasing the Dragon were the two singles released from the album, with two versions of music videos for the former being released.
Drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek, who would later join the band as an official member, was an additional musician on the album.
Same Year Around the World
- Apple Computer Company announce the release of the first iPhone.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book from the Harry Potter series is published.
- 300, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Ocean’s Eleven are in cinemas.
- On July 7 (07/07/07), Live Earth concerts were held on all 7 continents to raise awareness about climate change. Madonna, The Police, Metallica, and more performed.
- Netflix quietly launches its streaming service.
- First season of The Big Bang Theory is being aired on TV.
2009
Design Your Universe (2009)
The fourth album in Epica’s discography was released on October 16th 2009. It was the first album with Ariën van Weesenbeek and Isaac Delahaye as official members, and also the first album that would credit Epica as co-producers with Sascha Paeth.
The singles from ‘Design Your Universe’ were Unleashed and Martyr of the Free World, with a music video for the former.
Same Year Around the World
- Barrack Obama becomes the first African-American US president.
- Pop icon, Michael Jackson, passes away aged 50.
- Cristiano Ronaldo completes his transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid for a record deal at the time (€94 million)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is in cinemas.
- The first season of The Vampire Diaries is aired on TV.
It was during this period that I discovered Epica through the song Unleashed. When did you discover Epica? Leave a comment below and tell us your story.
2012
Requiem for the Indifferent
While we were all busy with the “end of the world” in 2012, Epica were releasing the fifth studio album, ‘Requiem for the Indifferent’, on March 9th 2012. Additional choir musicians for the album included Laura Macri (MaYaN).
One single, Storm the Sorrow, was released from the album. At the same time, a collaboration between Epica and Ruurd Woltring entitled Forevermore was released as a single.
Same Year Around the World
- Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60th throne ascension anniversary.
- First man to land on the moon, Neil Armstrong, passes away aged 82.
- Whitney Houston dies at 42 due to drug overdose.
- First Hunger Games, Avengers, and The Hobbit movies in cinemas.
- Season 2 of Game of Thrones is airing on TV.
The Quantum Enigma (2014)
Epica’s sixth album, ‘The Quantum Enigma’, was released on the 2nd of May 2014. It was the first album co-produced by Joost van den Broek and also first to feature Rob van der Loo on bass guitar. The album’s choir featured the name of Marcela Bovio (MaYaN).
The Essence of Silence and Unchain Utopia were released as singles with lyric videos. A music video for Victims of Contingency was released.
Same Year Around the World
- Scotland votes to remain part of the United Kingdom, while US and Cuba resume diplomatic relationship after 54 years of hostility.
- Germany wins the 2014 World Cup hosted in Brazil.
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay I, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy and final The Hobbit movie in cinemas.
- The first season of The 100 airs at the same time as the final season of How I Met Your Mother
2016
The Holographic Principle (2016)
On September 30th 2016, Epica released their seventh album, ‘The Holographic Principle’. With the same production team as its predecessors, and again featuring Marcela Bovio in the choir.
Two singles from the album, Universal Death Squad and Edge of the Blade, were released, with a lyric video for the first and music video for the second.
Same Year Around the World
- Donald Trump wins U.S. presidency, while Britain votes to leave the EU.
- Portugal wins UEFA Euro 2016 hosted in France.
- David Bowie passes away at 69 years old.
- La La Land, Suicide Squad, and Fantastic Beasts in cinemas.
- The final season of The Vampire Diaries is aired.
2021
Ωmega (2021)
The eighth album was released on February 26th 2021. Joost van den Broek was the co-producer with the band again.
Four singles were released from this album: Abyss of Time, Freedom – The Wolves Within, Rivers, and The Skeleton Key.
Same Year Around the World
- COVID-19 Vaccines Rolled Out Globally
- Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and other billionaires went to space in their own rockets, kicking off a new era of space travel.
- Facebook Changed Its Name to Meta
- Spider-Man: No Way Home and Black Widow were released in cinemas
- Squid Game‘s first season airing
2022
The Alchemy Project (2022)
In 2022, Epica released a 7-track EP featuring guest musicians and bands on each track. The guests musicianians included Fleshgod Apocalypse, Charlotte Wessels, Myrkur, and Tommy Karevik, among others.
Same Year Around the World
- Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The aggression leads to global political, humanitarian, and economic fallout.
- Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, after 70 years on the throne of the UK.
- Elon Musk officially acquires Twitter, later changes its name to X.
- Top Gun: Maverick is in cinemas
- House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones, is airing on HBO
2025
Aspiral
Here we are! It’s 2025 and Epica is back with another album!
What was your favorite Epica album so far? Tell us below.
I heard about the band for the first time in 2005, but I became a fan after design your universe. I think that was the best album of all time. Aspiral is so good also