EPICA: Release new song ‘Arcana’ + First impressions

The highly anticipated new song from EPICA is here and is titled ‘Arcana’. There is no new info for their upcoming album yet but the band has already shared many studio posts, so announcement is probably just around the corner. A few weeks ago we also heard the new collaboration song ‘The ghost in me (dance macabre)’ which has a very symphonic, theatrical and magical approach. I really liked that so I was very eager to listen if ‘Arcana’ would follow the same direction. In fact it did and you can enjoy it below:

First of all, EPICA still impress even after all those years. It is not the song that makes you say that their glory days are past, on the contrary it builds high hopes that we may have not yet received their best work, even if I find it almost impossible for “The holographic principle” to be surpassed.

I cannot praise enough the excellent use of the choir leading to the chorus that assists in building this magical ambience that reminds me of Harry Potter! Simone gets even better and showcases great control over her voice, something that she has developed greatly in the last decade, leading to a great bridge. I admit that I could do without the harsh vocals at the end. They are a core part of EPICA, but I believe this song is so ethereal that it doesn’t need anything else, I am sure they will have ample opportunities to also expose their heavier side.

To conclude, I was sure that I would like their new song but it exceeded my expectations. Usually first singles of an album are more direct and catchy in order to appeal to more people. ‘Arcana’ still has a simple structure, but its whole atmosphere is anything but that of a regular radio hit. If that is the appetizer we best prepare for something grand!

Pavlos Pavlakis