solid album, questionable publication policy of Nuclear Blast

The record label Nuclear Blast makes it a not easy when one of the under contract with them bands released a new album you have to be prepared for a plurality of different album versions brought to be spoiled for choice to be which version you should increase now. In addition, the Donzdorf record label has not exactly covered with partially defective releases in recent years with glory: Amorphis can vouch for this, both on their album "Skyforger" as well as the DVD / CD set "Forging The Land Of Thousand Lakes "there was tone error, NB was required to start an exchange action of defective discs, 2 years ago, there were the same games at Epica album" Requiem for the Indifferent "a not final mixdown version of" Serenade Of Self - contained Destruction ", lacking here all vocals by Simone and Mark. I do wonder how something like the self-proclaimed "world's leading Independent Heavy Metal Label" happen but may be that as it may, in conjunction with the release of Epica's new album "The Quantum Enigma" Nuclear Blast shoots anyway the bird when it comes to questionable publication policy: In addition to the standard version (1 CD) are 4 or 5 different album versions with different bonus tracks carved out, here's an overview of the respective versions and their respective bonus tracks:

1 double CD version with "In All Conscience" as a bonus track, beyond a bonus disc with acoustic versions
2. Earbook with 3 CDs, here again is "Dreamscape" included as a bonus track, here too, the acoustic CD is, in addition, there is a third disc that contains the instrumental versions of "The Quantum Enigma"
3. Vinyl Edition (that record), here there is also a separate bonus track, namely "Memento"
4. i-tunes download version, this includes, in turn, "Banish Your Illusion" as a bonus
5. Last but not least, there is a mandatory Japan version of "The Quantum Enigma", also it contains with "Mirage Of Verity" its own bonus track. This is at least not really something new, to my knowledge, are CDs in Japan more expensive than in Europe and to prevent that the Japanese make use of the cheaper European imports are a lot of bands and record companies contractually committed to create your own bonus tracks for Japan editions. As I said this is not really something new so I can here ignore most likely about ...

That said, I think it's moronic if 4/5 different bonus tracks to 4/5 different editions are divided. Such a policy is in my eyes one of the reasons why the CD sales are declining in general, of course, one wants to hear as a fan the different bonus tracks and but who is so stupid if you please all 4 or 5 versions of "The Quantum Enigma" also regularly to purchase ??? In my opinion this is a carte blanche to draw the appropriate songs from the Internet, Nuclear Blast should lead times in mind that you shoot with such an action himself in the leg ....

Good times as much to me in that the released regurgitates policy of Nuclear Blast pretty pissed I find it frankly not easy an objective judgment to album express itself. This is at least been greater than the direct predecessor "Requiem for the Indifferent", on the one hand have Epica apparently now seen that her former producer Sascha Paeth has not just brought out the best of its predecessors (the sound of "Requiem for the indifferent" was for example very bad mixed) so you with Joost van den Broek and Jacob Hansen has this time (producer of, among other things Volbeat) collaborated. The production this time is much clearer and punchier failed, moreover, affects "The Quantum Enigma" something more accessible than "Requiem for the Indifferent". "The Essence Of Silence" for example, comes with one of the best and catchiest chorus therefore the Epica have been written on the other side stand the whole the unnecessary nested and underlaid with growls verses over who do not fit together somehow so right with the chorus. Regarding the Epica can probably not entirely of their skin, you still trying to on the basis of death metal bonds and the corresponding growls of other symphonic metal bands stand out, in the long run the whole thing sounds too strenuous for me again and unnecessarily top-heavy. With Simone has yet a great singer can carry the songs alone and this is reflected, for example, the great "Unchain Utopia" therefore stand to Epica I think myself in the way when you do with the death metal elements of the excellent approaches to naught and a Song as just "Unchain Utopia" is more of a positive exception. This works best combination Symphonic / Death Metal still on "Omen - The Ghoulish Malady" that begins classically, in the further course to its hardening and Mark Jansen until the end has a short Growlpassage.

To me, the way before that on "The Quantum Enigma" more than ever working with choirs, whatever such a thing is because with all choirs goes Simones voice permanently somehow, less would be here in my opinion have been more.
A highlight is at least still the obligatory ballad "Canvas Of Life", where Epica show finally what they would be able if they would not be consistent with the whole bombast and Death Metal elements in the long run itself in the way.

As I said, "The Quantum Enigma" is stronger than "Requiem for the indifferent" but no excess album, highlights for me are definitely in the first place "Unchain Utopia", "Canvas Of Life", "Omen - The Ghoulish Malady" and to a lesser extent "The Essence Of Silence" this song lives in the first place of the chorus. A solid album where I would vary from 3 to 4-star, for the feeble-minded policy of release Nuclear Blast there by my side now time points deduction so I stay with 3 stars ....