EPICA’s SIMONE SIMONS recruits ARCH ENEMY’s ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ for ‘Cradle To The Grave’ video

EPICA's SIMONE SIMONS recruits ARCH ENEMY's ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ for 'Cradle To The Grave' video

26-08-2024

EPICA singer Simone Simons has shared the music video for the song “Cradle To The Grave” from her just-released debut solo album. “Vermillion”, which was made available on August 23 via Nuclear Blast Records, is a collaboration with Simone‘s longtime musical partner Arjen Lucassen (AYREON). The video for “Cradle To The Grave” features a guest appearance by ARCH ENEMY‘s Alissa White-Gluz.

Watch “Cradle To The Grave” below.

Simons and Lucassen comment: “‘Cradle To The Grave’ is about the universal experience of navigating life’s ups and downs and the quest for meaning and purpose. It views the human condition as one of struggle and resilience, where despite efforts to build and achieve, there’s an underlying acceptance that life is brief, finite and often cruel.”

Watch the previously released ‘R.E.D.’, ‘In Love We Rust’ and “Aeterna” below.

For more than 20 years, ever since she was a teenager, Simone has been spearheading the world of female fronted metal. As a lead singer, icon, and role model for a whole generation of female metalheads, the EPICA lead singer remains one of the most prominent key figures in all things metal. After eight albums and countless global tours with her band, Simons finally found the time to release her first solo album, “Vermillion”, showcasing her many different influences ranging from prog rock to film scores to metal to electronic elements.

Simone chose not to rush her solo project, opting instead to thoughtfully consider how she wanted to present herself. Enter stage right Arjen Lucassen. Her musical partner and longtime collaborator is no stranger to her soaring operatic voice. And while many would use their solo effort as a radical, even provocative departure from everything they stood for, Simone remains true to her love for epic melodies, huge choruses and monumental, intelligent music.

“Vermillion” track listing:
01. Aeterna
02. In Love We Rust
03. Cradle To The Grave (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
04. Fight Or Flight
05. Weight Of My World
06. Vermillion Dreams
07. The Core
08. Dystopia
09. R.E.D.
10. Dark Night Of The Soul

This past March, Simone told Mexico’s Summa Inferno that EPICA‘s follow-up to 2021’s “Omega” album will likely be released in 2025.

“I love the songs so far that we’ve written,” Simone said. “There’s more songs that have been written than fit on the album. So it’s gonna be cool. And we won’t tour that much this year. So we are focusing on the EPICA album and the ‘Symphonic Synergy’ shows where EPICA will play alongside an orchestra, which is a lot of work.”

EPICA announced in November 2023 that they will be playing two highly exclusive shows, in which they will bring along a choir and ochestra. The shows will take place in Amsterdam (Afas Live) on Friday, September 20th 2024 and Mexico City (Auditorio Nacional), on Saturday, December 7th. Ticket sales start on Friday, November 10th.

Says EPICA:

The time has come to write history once more. 15 years have passed since ‘The Classical Conspiracy’ and 10 years since we recorded another milestone in our career, ‘Retrospect’ – now, over a decade later, we are once again about to enter the stage with a full orchestra and choir. Under the title, ‘The Symphonic Synergy’, we will play two massive “Epica & Orchestra” shows. One in our home country, the Netherlands and another one in our second home, Mexico.
The first event takes place at Amsterdam’s Afas Live on September 20, 2024, while Mexico will see this highlight at one of Latin America’s most iconic venues, the 10.000-seat-capacity-hall, Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City on December 7, 2024.

EPICA fans however already have the opportunity to pre-order tickets, provided they are subscribed to the Epica Newsletter.

Finally, it is happening again! Epica playing together with a full orchestra and choir! And this time we are even taking the show to Mexico! To be playing these ‘Symphonic Synergy’ shows in these iconic venues is a dream come true and we’ll make both shows an experience you will never forget. You. Don’t. Want. To. Miss. This!!!
–COEN JANSSEN

Playing with an orchestra and choir is an absolute dream! I can’t wait for ‘The Symphonic Synergy’ to come alive and to share this unique experience with Epicans.
–SIMONE SIMONS

EPICA released their latest EP ‘Live at AFAS Live’ last October. Stream the full EP on all platforms now AT THIS LOCATION.

Guitarist Isaac Delahaye comments: “It’s always a pleasure to play this fan-favorite track, and to take the crowd with us while we build up to the massive groove and have a headbang party together. Enjoy listening & watching Code of Life as performed earlier this year in Amsterdam!”

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