Tonight may not be billed as a battle of the female vocalists but deep down it's what most of us are thinking, in terms of looks and actual vocal ability. The last time I witnessed Revamp was at an early morning slot at the Graspop festival in Belgium and left feeling pleasantly impressed. Ex- After Forever front woman Floor Jansen bursts onto the stage with the enthusiasm of an excited kid and soon gives those powerful yet subtle pipes a good airing. Offering a deeper tone to Epica front woman Simone Simons, set opener 'Here's My Hell' is certainly better live, and 'Fast Forward' stomps along with its heavy de- tuned guitars offering a guttural edge to Floors soaring vocals. Ending the set with 'Disgraced' Revamps first visit to these shores seems to have left a very positive vibe.

Epica on the other hand are no strangers to the U.K and it's surprising to see the barrier at the front of the stage predominantly female! Seems you can be a symbol of desire and role model. 'Samadhi' gets the venue nicely warmed up before pounding straight into 'Resign To Surrender' which cues the smoke machine to go into overdrive and briefly losing all but silhouettes of the band. Again as with Revamp, Epica have a much fuller heavier sound live, with Mark Jansen offering up timely grunts to accompany Simone's soaring operatic warbles. What is obvious is that the band are having a blast and put all their energies into making this a memorable gig, a quick blast of the 'Imperial March' sends shivers with its weighty guitar led stomp and 'Consign To Oblivion' majestically over the top (that's good by the way). The set soon comes to an end but not before Simone is joined by Floor for the encores which seems strangely like a sing off (it was a dead heat). With a performance like this Epica seem to be gaining momentum and popularity year after year, one thing is for sure they damn well deserve it.

1. Samadhi
2. Resign To Surrender
3. Sensorium
4. The Obsessive Devotion
5. Unleashed
6. Martyr of the Free Word
7. Kingdom Of Heaven
8. Cry For The Moon
9. Imperial March (John Williams cover)
10. Tides of Time
11. Consign to Oblivion
12. Encore:
12. Sancta Terra
13. Quietus
14. The Phantom Agony

www.epica.nl