Released in tandem for the CD bearing the same name Epica gives us the visual side to We Will Take You With Us. Filmed in the studio as the band recorded the CD, this DVD shows the group playing their hearts out in a very non-descript room with their full choir and string sections. Fans of the CD or their debut release The Phantom Agony will enjoy this right off the bat but I feel that new fans might not be so taken with it. It is a simple reasoning on the way this is laid out for given that this is a studio session recording it does not offer you much in the visual sense and can come across as quite boring when you realize you are just watching them play with limited motion or sitting. Mark Jansen speaks before almost every song but this is in Dutch with no subtitles. This should have been addressed before issuing this product on the world at large as I know that I would have found it nice to understand what he was talking about before each song. Performance wise this is a great product as their level of play is incredible and while the acoustic numbers are nice I leaned towards the full band and symphonic pieces that make up the early section of the performance. There is one main difference in the DVD from the CD and that is in the omission of the German version of "Run For A Fall" which was included as a bonus on the CD. It should have been left on the DVD to be honest, there was no reason to cut it.
The bonus features redeem this product in my eyes as they give you not only a couple of videos but also a making of segment on each one with a fair amount of commentary from the band members. One piece is in English and the other has subtitles so you can follow along. The group is creative musically and Simone Simons rivals that of Tarja Turunen in my opinion. She is also as beautiful and that never fails in capturing a Male audience who might otherwise stray from this type of band. If there is some reason that you don't know about the band at all then you must look into either their debut CD or their follow-up "Consign To Oblivion". There is a strong chance that you will also find yourself impressed by them if you like the idea of a powerful female vocal over very complex Power Metal. Those that like Nightwish, Within Temptation and After Forever all seem to cite Epica as a unique band and one capable of generating a lot of attention. This release and its CD are clearly more for diehards but as I said I found them interesting enough to look into all of these pieces. If some of the aforementioned bands are your cup of tea then this will also be suitable to add to the collection.
Track List
1. Façade Of Reality
2. Sensorium
3. Illusive Consensus
4. Cry For The Moon
5. The Phantom Agony
6. Seif Al Din
7. Feint
8. Run For A Fall
9. Memory - bonus
Extras
The Phantom Agony – video
The Phantom Agony – making of
Feint – video
Feint – making of
Slide Show
Discography
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