EPICA: THE PHANTOM AGONY

SCORE: 100/100

'The Phantom Agony' is even more operatic than most symphonic metal albums, paving the way while being an underappreciated album by a band that clearly has their sound down as well as it can possibly get. It touches on themes of religion and strings together a deeply-wound concept while the songs come to life with the work of the band and Simone Simons leading the album into new horizons.

Stunning transitions, more orchestra-based than most, and entirely captivating, 'The Phantom Agony' is symphonic metal at its most symphonic, the metallic elements coming together strikingly while the compositions soar. The songs are mostly long in duration, but they make their runtime drawn out in a way that will leave you entirely enthralled the entire time.

Epica made themselves known with just this debut - bringing the symphonic metal sound to new, soaring heights through their stunning melodies and gorgeous compositions. Every element comes together into a bigger, more beautiful picture than the last - and the pieces that come together lead into one massive metal spectacle that is more than just your average piece of metal.

Both the growling and crooning vocals come together in a harmonious way that only Epica could pull off - sure it's something that has been done before, but not like this. Simons has one of the most gorgeous vocal registers that I have heard; especially within the metal soundscape. Her high vocals are delightfully controlled and full of a whimsical, almost fairytale-esque sound that few vocalists could ever match, and her usage of her voice is done to immaculate levels within this album.

'The Phantom Agony' feels almost like a movie without having any visual content being attached to it, and the story of the album pans out in a way that you won't find anywhere else. It's so gorgeous it almost feels like the band were just showing off with each composition; but it has genuine art within all of the cinematic flair that is done so well - it isn't too over the top while still being entirely mystifying, and the album breezes along incredibly well.

For a longer album (with songs that run on for 5+ minutes more often than not), 'The Phantom Agony' goes by surprisingly quick. It will completely hook you in and leave you wanting more from the band before it has even ended, and it's clear that Epica still aren't going anywhere; even decades after the release of this album.

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