![News Added Oct 07, 2013 With EPYSODE Samuel Arkan presents a fascinating new band project. But what exactly makes EPYSODE so outstanding and extraordinary? At first it is of course about the magnitude and quality of the material, which offers melodic and very song-oriented progressive metal at its best. In fact the songs get what […]](https://hasitleaked.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/523c2828d2cf3a086edb4669860be921.jpg "Epysode : Fantasmagoria")
With EPYSODE Samuel Arkan presents a fascinating new band project.
But what exactly makes EPYSODE so outstanding and extraordinary? At first it is of course about the magnitude and quality of the material, which offers melodic and very song-oriented progressive metal at its best. In fact the songs get what they need, what results in material that is not too hard to access to, but on the other hand offers new facets every time of listening because of the complex arrangements.
“Here we are after 1 year of composing, writing and 5 months of recording…” (Samuel Arkan) The dark progressive/power metal project EPYSODE returns with its sophomore album “Fantasmagoria” on October 11th.
The successor to “Obsessions” (2011) was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen studio in Denmark (Volbeat, Pretty Maids, Amaranthe a.m.m.)
Beside band leader Samuel Arkan, the following vocalists and musicians contribute to “Fantasmagoria”: Tom S. Englund (Evergrey) Henning Basse (ex-Metalium, ex-Sons Of Seasons, Mayan) Ida Haukland (Triosphere) Matt Marinelli (Borealis) Tezzi Persson (Between The Silence) Mike LePond (Symphony X) Léo Margarit (Pain Of Salvation) Julien Spreutels (Ethernity) Simone Mularoni (DGM)
The quite unusual thing is that all these guests came to the Noise Factory studio (Belgium) to track down their parts. Nobody recorded his/her parts at home, like with some many other projects.
“I wanted the whole thing to get a real “band” feeling”, Arkan says. “Therefore having all vocalists and musicians here was very important to me. We got to know each other better and better while spending time together. The new material sounds very fresh, dark, heavy, modern and "true" with "straight in the face" guitar riffs, intense voices and melodies, massive work on progressive atmospheres and orchestral parts. All the artists who participated in this album gave their soul to it, gave their best, they travelled deeper into sensitivity and sincerity. That's probably the best words which define this next album... sincerity & spontaneity! This album comes from the heart of each musician and vocalist who worked on it, and you can feel it when you listen to this new EPYSODE album.” Compared to the debut “Obessions” the new material is a step forward in every way, with even better songwriting, a massive sound, powerful production and an intensity you rarely find these days. With the top notch vocalists that are gathered here (a.o. Evergrey’s Tom S. Englund, who is contributing to 5 songs) the “Fantasmagoria” concept story comes to life in a very intense and thrilling way, with lots of facets, expressive singing, deep & dark emotions. Englund’s duet with Ida Haukland (Triosphere) on the album’s title track especially gives goosebumps to the listener. There is also a plot to the “Obsessions” album and many fans of concepts will have their pure delight in discovering the story behind the story. The “Fantasmagoria” recordings took place from December 2012 to end of April 2013.
