SIMONE SIMONS

Epica’s vocalist on working with Arjen Lucassen on her solo debut and exploring the symbolism of the colour red.

Phil Weller

She’s been fronting the symphonic metal band Epica for over two decades, but for Simone Simons, there has been a long, lingering desire to branch out with a solo album. A record 15 years in the making, Vermillion sees her operatic vocals stretch further beyond the realms of Epica’s canon, with a stark industrial clangour, sweeping silver-screen chorals and progressive side-plots that showcase Simons in a bold new light. She’s teamed up with Ayreon’s multi-instrumentalist mastermind Arjen Lucassen to actualise her dream, providing a “full circle” moment for the singer, who “fell in love” with his music aged 16. “Who would have thought back then that little Simone would sing on an album like that one day?” she says. They have proved a winning pairing across numerous collaborations, but these…

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Prog Italia (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 153

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