★★★★★
At first glance, the title of Epica's latest release may evoke the most counter-intuitive of scientific paradigms, but the "quantum" the band explores on its sixth full-length studio album is more "mind over matter" than particle physics. If you come to this record expecting something grandiose (and you should -- Epica is nothing if not superbly bombastic), you won't be disappointed...
- exclaim.ca
2014-05-03
★★★★★
Going big, bombastic and, well, epic, once more, as their name suggests, is Netherlands' Epica with their sixth studio album The Quantum Enigma. Despite press material to the contrary, little has changed for Epica. Epica: go epic. Excepting a change of producers, Sascha Paeth is out, Joost van den Broek is in, Epica still delivers symphonic power metal with large orchestrated arrangements with Simone Simons operatic vocals...
- www.dangerdog.com
2014-04-25
★★★★★
"Epica has presented an album that is much stronger than 'Requiem for the Indifferent,' but falls just a tick short of the pinnacle of 'Design Your Universe.'" When band's reach a longevity of ten years, or even five full-length albums, it is easy to lose sight with just how incredibly hard it is to continue to make relevant music...
- www.metalunderground.com
2014-04-23
★★★★★
"This album represents yet another progression for a band that has an unending ability to sound different, but unyielding desire to successfully blend in all the elements a listener would expect." Nightwish and Within Temptation may have defined the genre that is absurdly called "female-fronted metal," but Epica was the band that took that basic premise, nurtured and progressed it, and then created a style which is instantly recognized and often imitated...
- www.metalunderground.com
2012-03-06
★★★★★
Considering the proliferation of female-fronted symphonic metal bands, coming to another one for review can sometimes be problematic. We've reviewed two since the beginning of the year, Xandria and Voices of Destiny. The former pretty great, the latter about average. Above, Epica: makers of symphonic power metal...
- www.dangerdog.com
2012-02-23
★★★★★
Sound: The debut release from the Dutch band, Epica does not fail to please. However, this is difficult to review as a debut since Mark Jansen was with After Forever prior to creating Epica. However, the music is much more bombastic than the sound of his former band. This also comes with a price, mainly there are no solos to speak of. Some songs may consist of too much chugging for some, but it is not a huge problem since there are a couple ballads to break it up...
- www.ultimate-guitar.com
2011-05-10
★★★★★
"While it may be long, it's an awesome example of how classical music training and inspiration from Slayer and Megadeth (along with Kamelot and Nightwish), can lead to something incredible." Epica's latest release, a live album recorded in Hungary called "The Classical Conspiracy," is, well, epic. At two hours and 23 minutes, it's a gargantuan two-disc listen that you'll have to block out a large time in your schedule to hear all the way through...
- www.metalunderground.com
2010-12-21
★★★★★
Sound: Epica is one of the few metal bands that have female singer. That almost ineviteably means that Epica is not from the heaviest end of the metal scene. Also Epica has a guitarist/singer who does more metal-ish "singing", actually roaring would describe it better. Anyhow, if that didn't scare you off the following probably will. The Divine Conspiracy sound a lot like Nightwish's new masterpiece, it has Polish orchestra and Simone Simons is soprano, just like Nightwish's former singer Tarja...
- www.ultimate-guitar.com
2009-11-15
★★★★★
The Dutch symphonic metal band swings for the fences on its fourth album, delivering a convoluted, long-winded meditation on organized religion, but despite some inspired moments, it winds up being dragged down by the sheer weight of it all...
- www.popmatters.com
2009-03-23
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