EPICA: First 'The Quantum Enigma' Studio Clip Posted Online

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA will release their sixth studio album, "The Quantum Enigma", on May 2 in Europe and May 13 in North America through Nuclear Blast.

The first in a series of webisodes featuring footage from the "The Quantum Enigma" recording sessions can be seen below.

Where the 2013 "Retrospect" performance reflected on a decade as one of the leading bands in the symphonic metal scene, "The Quantum Enigma" marks the beginning of a new EPICA: modern, heavy, and without compromises.

Says the band: "More than any of our previous albums, this album is a group effort. The only goal we had in mind: creating the album that could lift EPICA up to the next level."

"The Quantum Enigma" was produced by Joost van den Broek at the Sandlane recording facility in the Netherlands. The album was mixed by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, HATESPHERE).

"The Quantum Enigma" will be released in five different configurations:

01 - Regular jewel case
02 - 2CD digipack
03 - 3CD earbook
04 - double vinyl
05 - Digital download

"The Quantum Enigma" track listing:

01. Originem
02. The Second Stone
03. The Essence of Silence
04. Victims of Contingency
05. Sense Without Sanity (The Impervious Code)
06. Unchain Utopia
07. The Fifth Guardian (Interlude)
08. Chemical Insomnia
09. Reverence (Living in the Heart)
10. Omen [The Ghoulish Malady]
11. Canvas of Life
12. Natural Corruption
13. The Quantum Enigma (Kingdom Of Heaven Part II)

Digipack additional track: "In All Conscience"
Earbook additional track: "Dreamscape"
Vinyl additional track: "Memento"
iTunes additional track: "Banish Your Illusion"

Disc 2 (digipack and earbook only):

01. Canvas Of Life [acoustic version]
02. In All Conscience [acoustic version]
03. Dreamscape [acoustic version]
04. Natural Corruption [acoustic version]

Disc 3 (earbook Only):

01. Originem [instrumental]
02. The Second Stone [instrumental]
03. The Essence of Silence [instrumental]
04. Victims Of Contingency [instrumental]
05. Sense Without Sanity [instrumental]
06. Unchain Utopia [instrumental]
07. The Fifth Guardian [instrumental]
08. Chemical Insomnia [instrumental]
09. Reverence [instrumental]
10. Omen [instrumental]
11. Canvas Of Life [instrumental]
12. Natural Corruption [instrumental]
13. The Quantum Enigma [instrumental]

Longtime EPICA collaborator Stephan Heilemann once again created the stunning artwork to accompany the ideas behind the lyrics. Once you lay your hands on the album artwork, you will see that the cover is part of a bigger picture.

EPICA will return to the stage on April 30 for a CD-release performance at 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

After taking a break from the road due the pregnancy of lead singer Simone Simons, the release of a new concert DVD, "Retrospect", as well as the writing and recording of the band's upcoming album, the sextet will put on a memorable concert, with plans to perform both old and new songs.

EPICA celebrated its 10th anniversary with a one-night-only event, dubbed "Retrospect", on March 23, 2013 in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The band was accompanied by the seventy-piece Reményi Ede Chamber Orchestra and the Miskolc National Theatre Choir, playing an unforgettable three-hour best-of set.

On November 8, 2013, Nuclear Blast released "Retrospect" as a deluxe hardcover book with 48 pages, both as a 2DVD/3CD and 2Blu-ray/3CD version.

"Retrospect" features this massive performance in its entirety, as well as exclusive interviews with all band members and behind-the-scenes footage from the show.