by BRIAN GIFFIN
DUTCH symphonic metal titans Epica recently released their ninth album. Inspired by the artwork of Albert Szulaski, whose work adorns the cover, Aspiral seeks to build on their legacy while reforging their approach for the future. We sat down with vocalist Simone Simons.
HOT METAL: Is this new album a rebirth or a re-evaluation of Epica?
SIMONE SIMONS: “We wanted to keep things interesting for us, because we’ve been around for quite some time! We’ve always looked for ways to become better with album, and after we did Omega we had a little palette cleanser, so to speak. We had a collaboration project with many other bands in the scene where we could experiment and we didn’t feel any expectations. The response to that was great, so we continued that into Aspiral.”
HM: Did that have anything to do with the pandemic and the way things prevented you from working properly during that period?
SS: “Well we did that Alchemy Project as a kind of pandemic project, working with other artists, and luckily we did manage to promote Omega eventually, on tour, after a slight delay. Also we did a show that we streamed, and we could experiment there as well and we could implement that in the live shows that came after that. We actually came out stronger through the pandemic and we are unstoppable with Aspiral.”
HM: What was it that made you look at it and go – because it’s the ninth album, and the number nine is significant for a lot of reasons – this needs to be a rebirth for Epica?
SS: “I think it was a time that we were in as a band, as individuals, with things going on in the world, where sometimes life knocks you down and you’ve got to get back on your feet and keep on going. Not giving up, and come out stronger at the end. That’s something we wanted to pass on as a message: that life can throw you some roadblocks but it’s up to you to make the best out of it and keep on believing in yourself. We keep on believing in Epica and we see a very long, bright future for the band because we’re very passionate about our art, and we hope that it’s contagious!”
HM: It’s important to maintain that passion. Do you feel that this has helped you to recover that passion at all – looking at it and thinking that you needed to get some of that back. Was there a point where you looked at the band and thought that you needed to bring in something new?
SS: “I think the passion was always there. But of course, after excessive touring you can become a little exhausted, and with many of us becoming parents, the struggle of combining family with touring and life situations becomes very challenging. We consider ourselves very lucky that this is our profession and we make a living from it, so we try to make it work, and balance is key in this case.”
HM: You must feel incredibly lucky that you can make a living from it, and you’ve obviously seen the rewards from that because, as you said, Epica has been around for a long time now. You really must feel fortunate you’ve been able to make a career from it, because so many have been unable to do that.
SS: “I do see that, of course. I grew up with Epica, so this is normal for me, but I know that it’s not for a lot of people. I do practise gratitude and I’m very thankful for this. This is what I do and this is what gives me energy and helps me through life. Music is definitely therapy, and singing is very therapeutic and it’s helped me a lot in my life.”
HM: Saying that you grew up with Epica is a pretty true statement. It’s been part of your life for such a long time? What’s it like growing up in a band? Some people join bands later in life, some people come and go, but for you it’s very much been your life journey. What’s that been like?
SS: “Yeah – it’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle. You have to be the right fit to thrive in this job. It’s more like a calling. I love music… it was more like a dream to sing on stage, a hobby! I never thought it would be my job, my profession. It’s an unusual job, but I get to see so much of the world, and I get to travel and sing on stage each night and it’s something I enjoy up to this day.”
HM: I have to ask you this, because I know it must have been a big thing – what was it like performing with Metallica? Their fans can be very hostile to bands opening for them. What was it like to be asked to do that, and what was it like to be able to play with them?
SS: “It came out of the blue, the call we got that we had the opportunity to play with Metallica. It sounded very surreal. We had to decide fast, because we knew that so many other bands would give their left arm to play with Metallica. It was surreal, it was amazing meeting the guys, the shows went great. Even the audience was very welcoming, so it was nothing but a positive experience and I’m very grateful for that. You never know what life’s going to bring you, and that was a very beautiful milestone in our career.”
HM: There would have been plenty of milestones for Epica during your career, but that must have been something really huge that not even you could have expected?
SS: “I remember sixteen or fourteen year old Simone listening to Metallica, watching the videos on MTV and seeing them on magazine covers where I would buy my CDs… that one day I would meet the metal icons and see myself on the cover of the magazines, I never would have imagined it. So that shows how beautiful life can be, I guess.”
HM: We should talk a little about Aspiral now. What is it that you want to say and present to the fans this time?
SS: “We wanted to polish up Epica a little bit. Introduce elements and still stay true to our sound, and embody everything we’ve learned in the course of our career. Stay true to ourselves, but still adding fresher things to keep it interesting for ourselves and our fans. It’s a natural evolution, and with each new album you strive to get the best out of the band. I think we managed to get that with Aspiral.”
HM: What’s the story behind Aspiral itself?
SS: “It goes back to 2022 when we were on tour in North America. Rob (van der Loo), who is our bass player and composer, told me to watch a documentary on Netflix called Struggle, which is about the Polish artist who made the sculpture Asprial. We had the opportunity to meet with the documentary creators and we got to see the art of Szukalski. Then Rob told me his dream would be to write music inspired the art from Szukalski but he wasn’t sure if he would use it for Epica, or another project. When we came together for the writing of the ninth album, he showed us the song “Aspiral”, and it made the selection for the album. Then we were we in the end phase of selecting the final songs it passed the test! I wrote the lyrics inspired by the sculpture about from absolute destruction, you can come out stronger and that you have to rebuild your life again. It was also inspired by post-war times. To pick the album title, it was pretty clear we wanted to choose Aspiral because it fits the message beautifully that, out of destruction, new things can arise. We go through phases in our lives where we have to pick up where we left off, and it’s the same with the band. Life has ups and downs and you always come out stronger if you never stop believing in yourself and the power and beauty of humankind. That’s a little bit of what we wanted to focus on. That’s the message we wanted to convey.”
HM: It’s a very powerful and positive message that the world can do with right now. It seems very timely.
SS: “It’s a good reminder to keep on believing in the good, no matter how dark the world can get. Because it’s up to us – humankind – to make the best out of it, and not from a selfish point of view, looking to the future and what we can do to contribute. We should use our art for the greater good. That’s what we wanted to contribute, being an artist and a mirror of society and offering solace with our music.”
