Ever since the Dutch gothic metal band Epica emerged on the scene, the band has been caught in a whirlwind of studio recordings, interviews, screaming fans, world wide live performances and a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Fronted by the extremely powerful Simone Simons, and with a mighty new album entitled Design Your Universe, Epica steps out of the shadow of their peers – the likes of Nightwish and Within Temptation – and stands out by not only taking influences from the world of rock and symphonic metal, but also from film music as composed by the likes of Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer. After hundreds of shows in dozens of countries all over the world (including the US, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, most European countries, Israel, Tunisia,…), Epica has become a well oiled metal machine that seems unstoppable.