2022 marks the 20th anniversary of Symphonic Metal titans EPICA. After nearly 1 million albums sold worldwide and over 300 million combined streams on all digital platforms, the Dutch band has manifested their talent to combine metal with unique operatic vocals and has gained a huge international fanbase in the process. Through their career EPICA have played over 1,000 shows in more than 60 countries across all continents. With their latest musical output “Omega”, the band achieved Top 5 placements in the album charts of several countries such as Germany and Switzerland, but now they look to their past.
On September 2nd, EPICA will re-issue their first three albums “The Phantom Agony”, “Consign To Oblivion” and “The Score”, which have become milestones of the genre and rarities within the physical market. Each record will be available in either a CD box, a collector’s LP box or as an earbook and each will come with previously unreleased bonus tracks for each album. As a special surprise for their fans, the band have dug up some spectacular hidden gems from their early career that will be available as bonus material on some of the formats.
“Live At Paradiso” – Initially recorded in 2006 at the beautiful “Paradiso” venue in Amsterdam, the performance has become shrouded in legend; often scheduled for release, this will be the first time it’s seen the light of day. The recording allows fans to relive the memories of a young band who had just freshly released their two first albums, and features a number of their evergreen hits like ‘Cry For The Moon’ or ‘Solitary Ground’. Now, after being hidden away in a dark drawer for more than 16 years, “Live At Paradiso” is finally available on 2CD and BluRay/DVD – specifically revamped in 4K resolution.
Recorded at the ‘Twee Meter Sessies’ on public Dutch TV, most hardcore fans will be familiar with this release that was the band’s first major performance on television and first DVD release that has long been sold out. You can also discover two especially rare demo recordings from SAHARA DUST – the band that should later become EPICA. Fans have their chance to see SAHARA DUST for the first time ever as they support EPICA at their sold-out anniversary show in Tilburg!
Available on September 2nd, the anniversary releases are available for preorder here: http://nblast.de/Epica-WeStillTake. Get a first glimpse here, with the first single ‘Sensorium (Live At Paradiso)’ below.
