Epica

Epica were founded in 2002 by guitarist and grunt vocalist Mark Jansen following his departure from After Forever. The band first worked under the name Sahara Dust before taking the name Epica, inspired by Kamelot’s album of the same name.

With Simone Simons on vocals and Coen Janssen on keyboards, Epica released their debut studio album, The Phantom Agony, on Transmission Records on 5 June 2003. It was followed by Consign to Oblivion (2005), The Divine Conspiracy (2007), Design Your Universe (2009) and Requiem for the Indifferent (2012). In March 2012 founding bassist Yves Huts left the band and was replaced by Rob van der Loo.

After The Quantum Enigma in 2014, Epica released their seventh studio album, The Holographic Principle, on 30 September 2016 through Nuclear Blast. It was produced by Joost van den Broek and mixed by Jacob Hansen, and its concept explores the idea that reality itself could be a kind of hologram.

Ωmega followed on 26 February 2021, again on Nuclear Blast. The ninth studio album, Aspiral, was released on 11 April 2025 via Nuclear Blast. Also produced by van den Broek at Sandlane Studios, it takes its title from a 1965 bronze sculpture by Polish artist Stanisław Szukalski, and special editions include the band’s 2024 Symphonic Synergy performance in Amsterdam with orchestra and choir.

In 2026 Epica toured Europe with Amaranthe on the co-headlining “Arcane Dimensions” tour.

Current line-up: Simone Simons (vocals), Mark Jansen (rhythm guitar, grunts), Isaac Delahaye (lead guitar), Rob van der Loo (bass), Coen Janssen (keyboards), Ariën van Weesenbeek (drums)