EP review: EPICA – Epica vs Attack On Titan

Nuclear Blast [Release date 20.07.18]

This EP features Epica covering songs based on the Japanese anime ‘Attack On Titan’. It features four songs (along with an instrumental version of each song) originally written and composed by Revo of Linked Horizon (who is a fan of the band and asked them to cover his work), reworked by Epica with the choral arrangements and scoring composed by keyboardist Coen Janssen and the EP was produced by Joost van den Broek (Star One/Ayreon).

All four songs feature plenty of symphonic bombast Epica style and a couple of soaring guitar solos, most notably on ‘Dedicate Your Heart’, which also features piano and strings solos. Yes it is gloriously OTT and more the better for it. ‘If Inside These Walls Was A House’ has that big stage production feel about, with Simone Simons on fine vocal form.

The instrumental versions (they still keep the choral parts) are a neat addition and with eight songs on the EP you can’t complain.

You can enjoy this EP regardless of whether you are an anime fan and good to see it get a full release, as it was originally only available in Japan upon its original release back in December 2017. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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