Consign to Oblivion - Epica

Epica's Consign to Oblivion is possibly one of the best CDs I've ever listened to. No, forget "possibly", it is. Let's face it, rarely these days can you find a CD that never gets old even after the 50th time playing it. There is a diversity of sound and style on this CD that you won't find on any others. A combination of pop, classical, and metal which shouldn't work yet does. If you're into hard-hitting heavy metal, you'll love this CD. If you prefer classical or film music, you'll love this CD. If you prefer softer, "poppier" music...you know by now what I'm about to say.

But what amazes me most is the sheer depth of the lyrics. You don't hear the usual "Woe is me" emo whining from this band or the obviously cheap partisan shots you hear from other bands. Epica's messages are powerful, meaningful, and also relevant to our modern times while simultaneously timeless. Even the more personal lyrics written by Simone Simons possess a level of cultural awareness that many modern songwriters lack, and there is nothing politically correct about Mark Jansen's lyrics, either.

Epica, and bands like them, are at the forefront of a new wave of metal, and I for one am glad to see that wave on its way to America. Our culture is in desperate need of it.

Best Song: Don't make me choose! But if forced to choose, I'll have to go with "Consign to Oblivion (A New Age Dawns, Part 3)." Everything that makes Epica such a great band can be found in that epic, 10-minute mix of bombastic film music, angelic singing, and heavy-metal riffs, grunts, and screams.

Coolest Part: Dispersed within the CD is a 4-song mini-concept about the destruction of the Mayan culture at the hands of the Spanish Conquistadors. And these four songs taken together make for some of the most powerful music you'll ever hear.

Best to listen to while reading: Lord of the Rings of course! Or any piece of Epic/High Fantasy or Space Opera. In fact, listening to this CD is like listening to the soundtrack of an epic film. Got a Gladiator- or Braveheart-style of book to read? Read it with this CD.

Format: Audio CD
Label: The End Records
List Price: $13.98