Epica - Nottingham Rock City, Friday 6th April 2018

The first band, Oceans of Slumber, played just over half an hour of doom laden metal. The changes from atmospheric segments to extreme sections felt abrupt and a little formulaic. The band suffered from a poor mix where the drums were too loud, the keyboards were inaudible and the vocals were too quiet. The lead guitarist and female vocalist showed promise however.

Myrkur were the second support group. Although their music was heavy in places, they seemed to focus on creating a dreamlike atmosphere. This unusual vibe was emphasised by the lead and bass guitarists being hooded, allowing the audience’s attention to remain fixed on the frontwoman as she worked through the strong emotions of the songs. There were occasional screams which are likely employed to demonstrate the vocalist’s torment and tribulations but they did disrupt the ambiance. Unfortunately they had to finish abruptly due to strict time restraints and having started late.

Less than ten minutes later the lights went down again and Epica‘s intro tape started. Although I am not highly knowledgable about the Epica backcatalogue it would be difficult to have not appreciated such an amazing performance. It was clear throughout the set that they were having fun and were enjoying presenting their music to a live audience. Even though Simone Simons was too low in the mix it was still evident that her singing was flawless. Epica’s music is grandiose and makes great use of orchestral and choral elements in the studio, however the songs did not lose any of their power in the live setting and the taped parts actually fitted seamlessly into the sound which I have found from experience is not the case with all bands. The show focussed on the band’s recent output but the emphasis on their newer material didn’t seem to be an issue as the crowd’s enthuisiasm and involvement in the songs remained high throughout. Special mention must be given to keyboardist Coen Janssen who was perhaps the most energetic member of the band as he leapt around and switched between his movable keyboard stand and his portable rounded keyboard. He even ended up down at the barrier with the two guiatrists at one stage. The highlight of the set was Cry for the Moon, during the ending of which the band members meddled with each other’s instruments. I have the feeling that I may become much more familiar with Epica’s music in the close future and it is likely that I shall be seeing them the next time they tour the UK after witnessing this inspiring performance.

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