Epica – Omega Alive 2CD+Blu-Ray Digipak

Descripción

The version I purchased of “Omega Alive” by Epica contained three discs; a Blu-ray of the band performing fifteen songs in the studio, and two CDs.

The Blu-ray is a wonderfully fantastic way to enjoy the music of Epica! Each song is performed with slightly different costumes and sets. Typically there are ancillary personnel doing Cirque du Soleil-type complementary activities (fire juggling, ballet, street dancing, acrobatics, etc.) within each performance. The visual and aural aspects combine to create a thrilling and moving experience.

Epica has always spliced together the seemingly disparate elements of classical music and extreme metal, with lyrics that delve into serious and deep concerns such as the meaning of existence, man’s tendency to control others through authoritarianism and the misuse of religion, the lies society hoists on us, science and spirituality needing to converge, etc. The DVD enables the listener to enter and be embraced into this world of philosophy, art, and heavy, progressive, art metal by capturing the visual art they’ve created, in crystal clear blu-ray technology, complementing the aural and lyrical art the band has created through their music. And the sound of that music on the Blu-ray is awesome!

Yet in the midst of all this high-brow artistry, the band clearly is having a great time and enjoying themselves. Like when the two guys play one guitar. And there’s a bit of whimsy, like when the background dancers seem more suited for a Britney Spears video, than than for the metal philosophers of Epica. Evidently, the band was having fun messing with us, at times! Plus, Simone Simons sounds and looks angelic, and of course, holds the whole performance together with her beautiful voice. It’s actually a lot of fun when Isaac Delahaye and Mark Jansen offer up their harsh death/black metal vocals which are obviously a great contrast to Simone’s soprano classically oriented vocals.

Fifteen songs are performed in total.
-Seven are from 2021’s “Omega”;
-two are from 2016‘s “The Holographic Principle”;
-three are from 2014’s “The Quantum Enigma”;
-one is from 2009’s “Design Your Universe”;
-one is from 2007’s “The Divine Conspiracy”;
-and one is from 2003’s “The Phantom Agony”.
For some reason, no songs were performed from 2005’s “Consign to Oblivion”, to me a personal favorite Epica album.

Also included are two CDs containing the music on the Blu-ray. The songs were all re-recorded for this project with the latest, clearest digital technology and I found it interesting to compare the new versions to the originals, especially for older songs such as “Cry For The Moon” which was originally on Epica’s first album, The Phantom Agony. The new versions were genuinely superior.

All in all, this is a top grade package, and is great both for the first time Epica listener and for the seasoned veteran of their music!