The Holographic Principle

The Holographic Principle
Studio album by Epica
Released 30 September 2016
Recorded 2016
Studio Sandlane Recording Facilities, Rijen, Netherlands
Genre Symphonic metal
Length
  • 1:12:03 (standard)
  • 1:31:28 (digipak)
  • 2:43:31 (earbook)
Label Nuclear Blast
Producer Joost van den Broek, Epica
Epica chronology
The Quantum Enigma
(2014)The Quantum Enigma2014		 The Holographic Principle
(2016)		 The Solace System
(2017)The Solace System2017
Singles from The Holographic Principle
  1. "Universal Death Squad"
    Released: 29 July 2016
  2. "Edge of the Blade"
    Released: 8 September 2016

The Holographic Principle is the seventh studio album by the Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, released on 30 September 2016.[1] The album was produced by Joost van den Broek and mixed by Jacob Hansen.[2] The release date along with the album's title and cover was revealed on Epica's website on 3 June 2016, the tracklisting was revealed on 17 June 2016.[2][3]

The album is notable for being the first without band leader Mark Jansen as guitarist, as he only provides growled vocals on this album; Isaac Delahaye played all guitars on the album. The idea behind the album is the universe is a digitally generated hologram.[4]

The album produced two singles: "Universal Death Squad" (released on 29 July 2016)[5] and "Edge of the Blade" (released on 8 September 2016).[6]

Background, recording and writing

After Epica's 2014 album The Quantum Enigma was well received and the band toured Europe, Asia, Africa and both South and North America, halfway through 2015, Epica started a new journey - writing and recording their seventh studio album The Holographic Principle. "In between touring, we spent our time in the Sandlane Recording Facilities with producer Joost van den Broek" explained guitarist Isaac Delahaye.[7][8] The songwriting process took a year, and resulted in 27 songs written, but 18 songs recorded; 12 were featured on the album, with the additional six songs recorded for a later release.[9]

Speaking to Spark TV, the lead singer Simone Simons stated: "Since The Quantum Enigma was received so well, we set the bar so high, but we accepted the challenge to make an even better record. And we've done everything bigger than before — we had more orchestra, a bigger choir. We had so many different instruments — real, live instruments. Vocally, I put everything in the record that I can possibly do, and I'm very pleased with it." According to Simone, she has once again experimented a bit with her vocal approach on the new album. "With each record, I try to get the best out," she said. "And Joost (van den Broek), our producer, he's also very good at getting everything out of me. And the songs themselves, they just ask for a lot of variation in the vocal style. And I do opera, rock, pop, and in the ballads you hear the really soft voice. And, yeah, I can belt out some high notes as well." Even though "The Holographic Principle" is one of Epica's most ambitious offerings to date, the album doesn't sacrifice any of its instant appeal, something which Simone says was intentional. "I think it needs to be all in balance," she said. "We are, in heart, a metal band going in the symphonic direction. The orchestration, the choir is a little bit like the seventh and eighth bandmember of Epica, and that's something we'll always keep in there. And the choir parts are often very catchy, the choruses are very catchy. But on this record, besides having catchy melodies, we also wanted to have really groovy vocal lines. And that's something that we worked on as well; we changed up some things to make it less predictable." One of the aspects of Epica's sound which has been enhanced on "The Holographic Principle" is the growling vocal style of Epica guitarist and main songwriter Mark Jansen. "Well, it's Mark and it's actually our drummer as well," Simone said. "Mark is the main grunter, and our drummer, Ariën (van Weesenbeek), has a really nice, thick sound. So I don't know if he sang all the grunt parts as well, if he doubled them with Mark, but them together makes a totally new grunt sound, and I like it. Also, it changes it up a bit. Mark can do also really low grunts, he can do screams, and Ariën really has that deep sound to it." Simone also praised the contributions of Isaac Delahaye, who came into the band in 2009. "The guitars are definitely more brutal," she said. "Also in the mix, the melodies, the grooves, and I think that ever since Isaac joined the band, not only as a songwriter but also the guitars have been lifted to a different level, and have become more interesting to listen to, I find myself. So I'm a big fan of his guitar work and also his songwriting."[7]

Before album's release, Epica release a three part in-studio documentary about their journey with the album recording. The videos were uploaded to Epica's YouTube channel and revealed on their website on 18 July 2016, 25 July 2016 and 24 August 2016 respectively.[10][11][12]

Concept

Mark Jansen commented on the concept of the album: “The Holographic Principle” deals with the near future, where virtual reality allows people to create their own worlds which can’t be distinguished from ‘reality as we know it’. This raises the question whether our current reality could be a virtual reality in itself – a hologram. The lyrics challenge you to reconsider everything you took for granted and to be open-minded towards recent revolutions in science. Nothing appears to be what it seems in our holographic universe.”[3]

About the lyrical inspiration the band said: "'The Holographic Principle' deals with the near future wherein virtual reality has taken off and allows people to create their own virtual worlds which can't be distinguished from 'reality as we know it.' This raises the question whether our current reality is a kind of virtual reality on itself, a hologram. This implies the existence of a higher reality which we currently do not have access to. The lyrics challenge you to think out of the box, to reconsider everything you thought to know for sure and to be open-minded towards recent revolutions in science. Fasten your seat belts and get ready for a ride as nothing appears to be what it seems in our holographic universe."[7]

Songs

"Eidola" is the first track that appears on the album. Mark Jansen and Simone Simons said about the track: “The title comes from the ancient Greek for phantom or image, and it’s where the word ‘idol’ comes from. The idea is that after death, it's all that remains of the body. After I had written the music for Eidola, I felt there was something missing so our keyboard player Coen (Janssen) rebuilt it with many new parts and it became massive. He added an orchestra which gives a cinematic feel and we have all these metal riffs going on. It’s like a wild roller coaster ride.”[13] The child vocals were provided by Coen Janssen's daughter Cato.[14]

The second track on the album is entitled "Edge of the Blade" and Simone has stated: “The music for this one was written by our guitarist Isaac Delahaye, but the lyrics are mine. I’m singing about self-acceptance and about not concentrating too much on the unimportant things in life. You have to nurture your soul and not focus on being perfect because who defines perfection anyway? A lot of people are obsessed with looks these days but if someone has a good heart, that will always come through. Edge of the blade is another way of saying 'the tip of the iceberg'; it’s very dangerous to get too wrapped up in unimportant things.”[13]

"A Phantasmic Parade" was inspired by the movies Inception and The Matrix. The song is basically about The Matrix and the idea of manipulating your dreams to create new realities.[13]

The lyrics of "Universal Death Squad" are about robots who decide they want to kill; that is, artificial intelligence that’s programmed to fight in wars without anyone having to push a button. Mark Jansen said in an interview: "There have been many science fiction movies about robots who can think for themselves, but now it’s really happening. If you can put emotions into robots and create sentient artificial intelligence, what’s the difference between a robot and a human? And what if we’re all robots but just don’t know it?"[13]

The fifth track isn’t actually part of the concept, but musically, it turned out to be one of the stronger songs so it was included on the album. "Divide and Conquer" talks about media only giving us one side of the story of what is going on in the Middle East, but when you dig deeper, you find layers of truth about natural resources, like oil, that are influencing the region. The media report on how the new political regime has brought democracy to the region but maybe the inhabitants were better off before. What the West are really delivering is mainly destruction. They’re making people fight each other and when the West conquers, the big companies come in and make money.[13]

Despite the title, "Beyond the Matrix" isn't about the movie. It’s basically about being able to see that you’re in a matrix, to see that you’re in a cage. It’s hard to be able to see beyond your immediate surroundings when you’re trapped so you have to project yourself outside the matrix to understand. Musically, the song has quite a simple structure and the catchiest chorus, but the middle is completely wild.[13]

The ballad "Once Upon a Nightmare" takes the seventh spot on the album and it’s melancholic and has more of a themed vocal going through it than a chorus. “I’m a big fan of classic fairy tales and the lyrics were inspired by a dark German tale about the Alder King, or Erlking, who steals children’s souls. A lot of times, parents don’t take their children seriously, especially when it comes to seeing monsters in the closet so it’s a dark twist on fairy tales. It’s symbolic of being stuck in a life without a happy ending and how our innocence is taken away from us as soon as we’re born,” explained Simone Simons when asked about the song.[13]

Mark Jansen said that he is most proud of the lyrics to "The Cosmic Algorithm" and explained the meaning behind the song: “It's about the man beneath the hologram. Machines operate in numbers and code, and you can find similar algorithms in nature, so literally the whole universe as we know it is built on mathematical calculations. When you start seeing the algorithms beneath everything, you start to question: why are we here? What does it all mean? And these questions come up in the lyrics. People have always searched for the meaning of life, but the answers are always the same: love, family, friends and helping each other.”[13]

The lyrics of "Ascension - Dream State Armageddon" deal with waking up and realising that everything is a hologram, but there is a danger that if you truly did find the key to unlock the mystery of the universe, everything would implode. The message is that we shouldn’t know everything.[13]

"Dancing in a Hurricane" breaks away from the concept as well. The title comes from a line in Spectre (the James Bond film) and the lyrics were inspired by the refugee crisis. It’s the idea of children trying to enjoy their childhood in an unsafe environment; they’re literally dancing in a hurricane. The song's inspiration came from Simone Simons' concern about the well-being of her son and all the children around the world.[13]

"Tear Down Your Walls" strays from the concept as well and it’s the heaviest song on the album with some brutal parts. Mark Jansen explained: “Everybody has walls around them but if you never break them down, you’ll never make progress or grow. It starts with the sound of crows and they’re really important to the lyrics as well. In Shamanism, they’re the keepers of the sacred law and nothing escapes their sight. When we meditate on the crow, we are instilled with the wisdom to know ourselves beyond the limitations of one-dimensional thinking and laws. We're taught to appreciate the many dimensions of both reality and ourselves, and to learn to trust our intuition and personal integrity.”[13]

The last track "The Holographic Principle - A Profound Understanding of Reality" sums up the concept of the whole album.[13]

Unreleased songs

The band's singer Simone Simons said in an interview in August 2016: "We had 27 songs to choose from. Then we had to narrow it down to 18 songs which we recorded and mixed. Twelve went to the CD and the remaining six are in the corner waiting patiently to be released."[15] In February 2017 Metal Rules reported the six unreleased songs to be Fight Your Demons, Wheel of Destiny, Architect of Light, Immortal Melancholy, Decoded Poetry, and The Solace System.[16] The single Fight Your Demons was given out as part of the VIP package on Epica's Canadian tour in November 2016 on a CD. The CD single replaced the 7 vinyl due to pressing delays.[17]

On June 23, 2017, the band announced that all six tracks would be released as "The Solace System".[18]

Release and artwork

'The Holographic Principle' was released digitally via iTunes and Spotify and both on CD and vinyl on 30 September 2016.[19] To celebrate the release of The Holographic Principle, Epica played two release shows at their own Epic Metal Fest (Netherlands) at 013 in Tilburg on 1 October 2016 and also at the 1st edition of Brazil Epic Metal Fest at Audio in São Paulo 15 October 2016.[2] There are 3 versions of the album - the standart edition, digipak and earbook. The earbook edition features two additional discs: The Acoustic Principle, which consists of 5 acoustic versions of songs from the main album with different names, and The Instrumental Principle, which features the instrumental versions of all tracks in the album. The digipak edition includes additional disc The Acoustic Principle.[20]

The cover art for the album was revealed on Epica's website on 3 June 2016 and was created by Stefan Heilemann, who has also created the coverart for Epica's previous albums The Quantum Enigma and Requiem for the Indifferent.[2] The backcover was unveiled 17 June 2016 together with tracklisting on Epica's website.[3]

Singles and music videos

On July 27, 2016 Epica announced through their Facebook website that the lead single "Universal Death Squad" would be released two days later. The song was released 29 July 2016 via iTunes along with its lyric video, that was uploaded to Epica's YouTube account. The video was shot and directed by Jens de Vos. The guitarist Mark Jansen said of the track: “This cool track is both heavy and melodic. Representative of the whole album, it has all the Epica elements you’re used to, but takes it to a new level. The lyrics of the song deal with advanced robotic legions with a self-determination to kill.”[21][5] The song was then given two additional videos, both uploaded to Epica's YouTube channel.[22][23] The first video was launched with the help of Slagwerkkrant at their website and it Is a drum playthrough by Epica's drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek.[24] The second video was launched at Gear Gods and is a guitar playthrough by Epica's guitarist Isaac Delahaye.[25]

"Edge of the Blade" was released as the second single via iTunes on 8 September 2016, accompanied by a video.[26] The video was directed by Jens de Vos and produced by Panda Productions. Coen Janssen said of the video: “We’re very happy with the way it turned out! This music video gives a glimpse into what to expect from our upcoming live shows."[6]

On November 16, 2016 Epica released a lyric video for the track "Ascension – Dream State Armageddon". The video is compiled of footage shot at band's release show during Epic Metal Fest in Netherlands and was edited by Panda Productions.

"Beyond the Matrix" official music video was released on 11 January 2017 and was again directed and shot by Jens De Vos from Panda Productions. Simone Simons commented: “The energy that lives within ‘Beyond the Matrix’ is extremely contagious. It will sweep you off your feet when the melodies enter your mind. The video embodies the spirit and liveliness of Epica. Transcend together with us and shine past the sky.”[27]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Hardrock Haven[28]
Metal Hammer[29]
Metal Injection[30]
Metal Temple[31]
Ultimate Guitar Archive[32]

The Holographic Principle received positive reviews from critics, including an 8 out of 10 from Ultimate Guitar Archive[32] and a 9 out of 10 from Metal Injection.[30]

Promotion

Prior to album's release Epica has announced two release shows - their own Epic Metal Fest (Netherlands) at 013 in Tilburg on 1 October 2016 and also at the 1st edition of Brazil Epic Metal Fest at Audio in São Paulo 15 October 2016.[2]

The North American Principle Tour

22 shows in North America were announced by Epica on 27 June 2016. It was the first tour in support of their album The Holographic Principle. Epica was joined on the tour by Italian symphonic death metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse, Russian band Arkona and Canadian metalcore band The Agonist. The tour kicked off on November 4th in Québec City and concluded on December 3rd in Worcester, MA.[33]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, opening acts and co-headliner.[8][33]
Date City Country Venue Opening acts Co-headliner
November 4, 2016 Quebec City Canada Imperial Theater The Agonist Fleshgod Apocalypse
November 5, 2016 Montreal Corona Theatre
November 6, 2016 Toronto Phoenix Concert Hall
November 8, 2016 Chicago United States Concord Music Hall The Agonist
Arkona
November 9, 2016 Minneapolis Cabooze
November 11, 2016 Saskatoon Canada Saskatoon Event Center
November 12, 2016 Calgary Marquee
November 13, 2016 Edmonton The Ranch
November 15, 2016 Vancouver The Venue
November 16, 2016 Seattle United States Studio 7
November 18, 2016 San Francisco Social Hall
November 19, 2016 Los Angeles The Regent
November 20, 2016 Las Vegas Vinyl at Hard Rock Hotel
November 22, 2016 Denver Summit Music Hall
November 23, 2016 Lawrence Granada Theater
November 25, 2016 Dallas Gas Monkey Live
November 26, 2016 Austin Empire Control Room
November 28, 2016 St. Petersburg State Theater
November 29, 2016 Atlanta Masquerade
December 1, 2016 Baltimore Soundstage
December 2, 2016 New York City Webster Hall
December 3, 2016 Worcester Palladium

The European Principle Tour

On 6 June 2016 it was announced on the band's website that they would embark on European Tour in support of their 7th album co-headlined by German power metal band Powerwolf.[34] Two additional venues were announced on 22 June 2016 on Epica's website.[35] Later on, further dates were announced through band's Facebook site, making the total number of shows 18. The tour kicked off on January 12 in Wiesbaden, Germany and concluded on February 4 in Paris, France.[36][8] The tour became Epica's biggest European tour to this date.[37]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, opening act and co-headliner.[8]
Date City Country Venue Opening act Co-headliner
January 12, 2017 Wiesbaden Germany Schlachthof Beyond the Black Powerwolf
January 13, 2017 Cologne Palladium
January 14, 2017 Ludwigsburg MHP Arena
January 16, 2017 Geneva Switzerland Salle des Fetes de Thonex N/A
January 17, 2017 Zurich Volkshaus Beyond the Black
January 18, 2017 Milan Italy Live Club
January 20, 2017 Munich Germany Tonhalle
January 21, 2017 Vienna Austria Gasometer
January 22, 2017 Budapest Hungary Barba Negra
January 24, 2017 Warsaw Poland Progresja
January 25, 2017 Berlin Germany Huxleys
January 27, 2017 Oberhausen Turbinenhalle
January 28, 2017 Prague Czech Republic Forum Karlín
January 29, 2017 Hannover Germany Capitol
January 31, 2017 Hamburg Mehr! Theater
February 1, 2017 Brussels Belgium Ancienne Belgique
February 3, 2017 London Great Britain O² Shepherd’s Bush Empire
February 4, 2017 Paris France Le Zénith

The Russian Principle Tour

On 20 September 2016, the band announced three show dates in Russia along five shows in the Nordic countries. The tour kicked off on February 24, 2017 in Moscow and concluded on February 26, 2017 in Saint Petersburg.

List of concerts, showing date, city, country and venue.[8]
Date City Country Venue
February 24, 2017 Moscow Russia Izvestiya Hall
February 25, 2017 Ekaterinburg Tele-Club
February 26, 2017 Saint Petersburg Avrora Hall

The Nordic Principle Tour

On 20 September 2016, the band announced five show dates in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The melodic metal band Crimson Sun from Finland was announced as the opening act for the first venue, while the Icelanding folk metal band Skalmöld was announced as the opening act for the latter four dates. The band kicked off The Nordic Principle Tour on February 28, 2017 in Helsinki, Finland and concluded the tour on March 5, 2017 in Malmö, Sweden.

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and opening act.[8]
Date City Country Venue Opening act
February 28, 2017 Helsinki Finland Tavastia Crimson Sun
March 1, 2017 Stockholm Sweden Debaser Strand Skálmöld
March 3, 2017 Copenhagen Denmark Amager Bio Skálmöld
March 4, 2017 Oslo Norway Vulkan Arena Skálmöld
March 5, 2017 Malmö Sweden KB Skálmöld

The Asian Principle Tour

On 8 October 2016 Epica announced they would tour Japan for the first time in their career.[38] Later, dates for Taiwan and South Korea were announced. The tour kicked off in Osaka, Japan on 4 April 2017 and concluded in Seoul, South Korea on 9 April 2017.[39][8]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country and venue.[39][8]
Date City Country Venue
April 4, 2017 Osaka Japan Umeda Club Quattro
April 5, 2017 Nagoya Club Quattro
April 6, 2017 Tokyo Shibuya Club Quattro
April 8, 2017 Taipei Taiwan The Wall
April 9, 2017 Seoul South Korea Rolling Hall

South and Central America

11 shows for South and Central America were announced. The tour is set to kick off in San José, Costa Rica on 5 May 2017 and conclude in Bogotá, Colombia on 21 May 2017.[39]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country and venue.[39][8]
Date City Country Venue
May 5, 2017 San José Costa Rica Pepper's Club
May 6, 2017 Tegucigalpa Honduras Hotel Clarion
May 9, 2017 Chihuahua City Mexico Expo Chihuahua
May 11, 2017 Mexico City Pepsi Centre
May 12, 2017 San Luis Potosí City Cineteca Alameda
May 13, 2017 Guadalajara City Teatro Diana
May 15, 2017 Monterrey Escena
May 17, 2017 Bucaramanga Colombia Auditorio Luis A. Calvo
May 18, 2017 Medellín Teatro Universidad de Medellin
May 19, 2017 Cali Teatro Jorge Isaacs
May 21, 2017 Bogotá Royal Center

Festivals

Epica is set to perform at 8 festivals in Europe in the summer of 2017.

List of concerts, showing date, city, country and festival.[8]
Date City Country Festival
June 8, 2017 Interlaken Switzerland Greenfield Festival
June 10, 2017 Paris France Download Festival
June 17, 2017 Nickelsdorf Austria Nova Rock
June 16, 2017 Dessel Belgium Graspop
July 14, 2017 Vizovice Czech Republic Masters of Rock
August 4, 2017 Corroios Portugal VOA
August 9–12, 2017 Villena Spain Leyendas del Rock
August 16–19, 2017 Dinkelsbühl Germany Summer Breeze (rock festival)
August 23–27, 2017 Straszęcin Poland Czad Festiwal

The Ultimate Principle Tour - North America

Epica announced a set of tour dates with co-headliner Lacuna Coil for another tour in both the United States and Canada. Support bands will be Insomnium and Elantris. The tour will begin on August 31, 2017 in Boston and end on September 29, 2017 in New York City.[40]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, opening acts and co-headliner.
Date City Country Venue Opening acts Co-headliner
August 31, 2017 Boston United States Royale Insomnium
Elantris		 Lacuna Coil
September 1, 2017 Montreal Canada Métropolis
September 2, 2017 Quebec City Imperial Theater
September 3, 2017 Toronto The Opera House
September 5, 2017 Cleveland United States Agora Theatre
September 6, 2017 Joliet The Forge
September 8, 2017 Denver Ogden Theatre
September 9, 2017 Salt Lake City The Complex
September 11, 2017 Seattle The Showbox
September 12, 2017 Portland Hawthorne Theatre
September 14, 2017 Berkeley UC Theatre
September 15, 2017 Los Angeles The Novo
September 16, 2017 Santa Ana The Observatory
September 17, 2017 Phoenix Marquee Theatre
September 19, 2017 San Antonio Alamo Music Hall
September 20, 2017 Dallas Gas Monkey Live
September 21, 2017 Houston Warehouse Live
September 23, 2017 Fort Lauderdale Revolution Live
September 24, 2017 Orlando The Plaza Live
September 25, 2017 Atlanta Masquerade
September 27, 2017 Baltimore Rams Head Live!
September 28, 2017 Philadelphia Trocadero Theatre
September 29, 2017 New York City PlayStation Theater

The Belgian Principle Tour

Date City Country Venue Opening act
October 17, 2017 Leuven Belgium Het Depot MaYaN and King Hiss
October 18, 2017 Antwerp Belgium Trix MaYaN and Off The Cross

The Dutch Principle Tour

Epica is playing 3 Dutch club shows with Mark Jansen's other band MaYaN serving as the opening act on all three dates.[41]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and opening act.[8]
Date City Country Venue Opening act
October 20, 2017 Zwolle The Netherlands Hedon MaYaN
October 21, 2017 Haarlem The Netherlands Patronaat MaYaN
October 22, 2017 Nijmegen The Netherlands Doornroosje MaYaN

The Ultimate Principle Tour - Europe

On April 12, 2017 Epica announced through their website, that they would tour Europe in support of The Holographic Principle one last time. Epica will be supported by the Tunisian progressive oriental metal band Myrath and newly formed Dutch band of Anneke van Giersbergen named VUUR. The band will play 11 venues and visit Poland, Germany and France. The tour is supposed to kick off in Kraków, Poland on November 9, 2017 and conclude in Lille, France on December 3, 2017.[37]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and opening act.[8]
Date City Country Venue Opening acts
November 9, 2017 Kraków Poland Klub Studio Myrath and VUUR
November 12, 2017 Berlin Germany Kesselhaus
November 13, 2017 Hamburg Markthalle
November 14, 2017 Cologne Essigfabrik
November 15, 2017 Metz France La BAM
November 17, 2017 Nantes Stereolux
November 18, 2017 Bordeaux Krakatoa
November 25, 2017 Marseille Le Moulin
November 26, 2017 Lyon Le Transbordeur
November 29, 2017 Munich Germany Backstage Werk
December 1, 2017 Bologna Italy Estragon
December 2, 2017 Pratteln Switzerland Z7
December 3, 2017 Lille France L’Aéronef

The United Principle Tour - Ireland & United Kingdom

On July 31, 2017, the band announced tour dates for Ireland and United Kingdom shows in April 2018.[42]

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, venue and opening act.
Date City Country Venue Opening acts
April 6, 2018 Nottingham England Rock City N/A
April 7, 2018 Glasgow Scotland O² ABC
April 8, 2018 Bristol England O² Academy
April 10, 2018 Dublin Ireland Tivoli
April 12, 2018 Manchester England O² Ritz
April 13, 2018 London O² Forum

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Eidola"M. JansenC. Janssen, M. Jansen2:39
2."Edge of the Blade"S. SimonsI. Delahaye, Epica4:34
3."A Phantasmic Parade"S. SimonsA. van Weesenbeek, Epica4:36
4."Universal Death Squad"M. JansenI. Delahaye, Epica6:38
5."Divide and Conquer"M. JansenM. Jansen, Epica7:48
6."Beyond the Matrix"M. JansenI. Delahaye, Epica6:26
7."Once Upon a Nightmare"S. SimonsC. Janssen, Epica7:08
8."The Cosmic Algorithm"M. JansenI. Delahaye, Epica4:54
9."Ascension - Dream State Armageddon"M. JansenR. van der Loo, Epica5:16
10."Dancing in a Hurricane"S. SimonsC. Janssen, Epica5:26
11."Tear Down Your Walls"M. JansenM. Jansen, Epica5:03
12."The Holographic Principle - A Profound Understanding of Reality"M. JansenM. Jansen, Epica11:35
Total length:1:12:03

Personnel

Epica

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

The Holographic Principle became Epica's third album (after The Quantum Enigma and Requiem for the Indifferent) to chart on Billboard 200 chart in the US, peaking at number 139. It also peaked at number 4 in Netherlands, making it together with Epica's 2014 The Quantum Enigma the band's highest charting album in their country.[43][44][45]

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[46] 46
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[47] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[48] 12
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[49] 24
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[50] 4
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[51] 26
French Albums (SNEP)[52] 26
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[53] 9
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[54] 21
Italian Albums (FIMI)[55] 26
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[56] 25
Scottish Albums (OCC)[57] 27
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[58] 32
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[59] 8
UK Albums (OCC)[60] 46
US Billboard 200[61] 139

References

  1. ↑ "Epica: 'The Holographic Principle' Track Listing, Album Concept Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "EPICA Announces Artwork + Release Date for Their Upcoming Album, "The Holographic Principle" - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  3. 1 2 3 ""The Holographic Principle" Tracklisting Revealed! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-06-17. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  4. ↑ "Epica's track by track guide to The Holographic Principle". 23 September 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  5. 1 2 "EPICA Releases "Universal Death Squad" Lyric Video + Album Pre-orders - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-07-29. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  6. 1 2 "EPICA Launches "Edge of the Blade" Music Video! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-09-08. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  7. 1 2 3 July 18, 2016 (2016-07-18). "Epica: First Part Of Documentary On Making Of 'The Holographic Principle'". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Tour Archive - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  9. ↑ Cavuoto, Robert (27 August 2016). "Simone Simons of Epica Gives us a look into the The Holographic Principle". Metal Rules. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  10. ↑ "EPICA Launches "The Holographic Documentary (Episode 1)" - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  11. ↑ "EPICA Launches "The Holographic Documentary (Episode 2)" - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-07-25. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  12. ↑ "EPICA Launches "The Holographic Documentary (Episode 3)" - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-08-24. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Features / 23 Sep 2016 / by Natasha Scharf (2016-09-23). "Epica's track by track guide to The Holographic Principle - Metal Hammer". Teamrock.com. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  14. ↑ "Cato Janssen - Encyclopaedia Metallum". The Metal Archives. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  15. ↑ Rules, Metal (2016-08-27). "News, Interviews, Concert Reviews » Simone Simons of Epica Gives us a look into the The Holographic Principle". Metal-rules.com. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  16. ↑ by Metal-Rules.com UK Team (2017-02-08). "News, Interviews, Concert Reviews » Epica – Interview with Mark Jansen". Metal-rules.com. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  17. ↑ "Epica (2) - Fight Your Demons (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  18. ↑ "EPICA To Release 'The Solace System' EP In September". Blabbermouth. June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Epica - Our new album "The Holographic Principle" is OUT...". Facebook. 2016-09-30. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  20. ↑ ""the holographic principle" - Your search result - Nuclear Blast". Nuclearblast.de. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  21. ↑ "Epica - Our first single "Universal Death Squad" will be...". Facebook. 2016-07-27. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  22. ↑ "EPICA – Universal Death Squad – Drum Playthrough by Ariën van Weesenbeek". YouTube. 2016-09-01. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  23. ↑ "EPICA – Universal Death Squad – Guitar Playthrough by Isaac Delahaye". YouTube. 2016-09-07. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  24. ↑ "Exclusieve drummerstrack Universal Death Squad van Epica". Slagwerkkrant.nl. 2016-08-31. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  25. ↑ Xavier, Trey (2016-09-06). "EPICA - The Weekly Riff with Guitarist Isaac Delahaye - "Universal Death Squad" Guitar Lesson/Playthrough". GearGods. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  26. ↑ "Video Premiere: EPICA's 'Edge Of The Blade'". Blabbermouth.net. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  27. ↑ "EPICA Launches "Beyond the Matrix" Music Video! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  28. ↑ Miss, Joe (30 September 2016). "THE quintessential Symphonic Metal act". Hardrock Haven. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  29. ↑ Team, MH (30 September 2016). "Fast perfekt". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  30. 1 2 Sol, The (30 September 2016). "The Holographic Principle is certainly the best album I have heard since Epica released The Quantum Enigma". Metal Injection. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  31. ↑ Campbell, Dave (30 September 2016). "Overall, the album is excellent!". Metal Temple. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  32. 1 2 Team, UG (30 September 2016). "I strongly recommend you check this album out". Ultimate-Guitar. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  33. 1 2 "EPICA Announces The North American Principle Tour! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-06-27. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  34. ↑ "EPICA / POWERWOLF European Tour Announced - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  35. ↑ "EPICA / POWERWOLF Additional Dates Announced! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  36. ↑ "Epica - Tomorrow, we will kick off our European tour with...". Facebook. 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  37. 1 2 "EPICA Announces The Ultimate Principle Tour! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  38. ↑ "Epica to Tour Japan! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-10-08. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  39. 1 2 3 4 "Upcoming Shows - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  40. ↑ "EPICA to Tour North America with LACUNA COIL, INSOMNIUM". Blabbermouth. 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  41. ↑ "EPICA Announces The Dutch Principle Tour - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  42. ↑ "Epica Headline The First Metal Hammer Tour of 2018". Team Rock. July 31, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  43. ↑ ""The Holographic Principle" Chart Entries! - EPICA Official Website - THE HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLE out now!". Epica.nl. 2016-10-13. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  44. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Epica - The Quantum Enigma". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  45. ↑ Steffen Hung (2016-10-15). "Epica - The Holographic Principle". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2017-04-15.
  46. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Epica – The Holographic Principle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  47. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Epica – The Holographic Principle" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  48. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Epica – The Holographic Principle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  49. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Epica – The Holographic Principle" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  50. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Epica – The Holographic Principle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  51. ↑ "Epica: The Holographic Principle" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  52. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Epica – The Holographic Principle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  53. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Epica – The Holographic Principle" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  54. ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2016. 40. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  55. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Epica – The Holographic Principle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  56. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Epica – The Holographic Principle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  57. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  58. ↑ "TOP 100 ALBUMES — SEMANA 40: del 30.09.2016 al 06.10.2016" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  59. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Epica – The Holographic Principle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  60. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  61. ↑ "Epica – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Epica. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.