The Phantom Agony

The Phantom Agony
Studio album by Epica
Released 5 June 2003
Recorded January-March 2003
Studio Gate Studio, Wolfsburg, Germany
Genre Symphonic metal
Length 53:56
Label Transmission
Producer Sascha Paeth
Epica chronology
Cry for the Moon
(2002)
The Phantom Agony
(2003)
Consign to Oblivion
(2005)
Singles from The Phantom Agony
  1. "The Phantom Agony"
    Released: 29 October 2003
  2. "Feint"
    Released: 8 January 2004
  3. "Cry for the Moon"
    Released: 13 May 2004
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Sea of Tranquility[2]
Musical Discoveries[3]
Metal Ship[4]
Lords of Metal[5]
Metal Reviews[6]

The Phantom Agony is the first full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. It was released in 2003 by the Dutch label Transmission Records. It is the first album recorded by guitarist Mark Jansen after his departure from the band After Forever. On this album, Mark Jansen continues with the collection of songs that make up "The Embrace That Smothers". The first three parts can be found on Prison of Desire (2000), After Forever's debut album, and the following three parts can be found on The Divine Conspiracy (2007), Epica's third album. These songs deal with the dangers of organized religion.[7]

The album was re-released on 23 March 2013, which coincided with Epica’s 10th anniversary Retrospect show, as a 2-disc expanded edition by Epica’s former record label Transmission Records.[8][9]

Track listings

No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Adyta (The Neverending Embrace)"  Simone SimonsMark Jansen 1:27
2. "Sensorium"  JansenJansen, Ad Sluijter, Coen Janssen, Simons 4:47
3. "Cry for the Moon (The Embrace That Smothers, Part IV)"  JansenJansen, Sluijter, Simons 6:44
4. "Feint"  JansenJansen, Sluijter, Janssen, Simons 4:18
5. "Illusive Consensus"  SimonsJansen, Sluijter, Janssen, Simons 4:59
6. "Façade of Reality (The Embrace That Smothers, Part V)"  JansenJansen, Sluijter, Simons 8:10
7. "Run for a Fall"  JansenJansen, Sluijter, Janssen, Simons 6:31
8. "Seif al Din (The Embrace That Smothers, Part VI)"  JansenJansen, Sluijter 5:47
9. "The Phantom Agony"  JansenJansen, Sluijter, Yves Huts 9:00

Personnel

[10]

Band members
  • Simone Simons - mezzo-soprano
  • Mark Jansen - guitars, grunts, screams, orchestral arrangements
  • Ad Sluijter - guitars
  • Coen Janssen - synths & piano, orchestral and choir arrangements
  • Yves Huts - bass guitar
  • Jeroen Simons - drums
Additional musicians
  • Olaf Reitmeier - acoustic guitars on "Feint" and "Run for a Fall", engineer
  • Annette Berryman - flute on "Run for a Fall"
Production
  • Sascha Paeth - producer, engineer, mixing
  • Robert Hunecke-Rizzo - orchestral arrangements
  • Hans van Vuuren - executive producer, coordination and research
  • Peter van 't Riet - mastering

Epica Orchestra
  • Thomas Glöckner - violin
  • Andreas Pfaff - violin
  • Tobias Rempe - violin
  • Marie-Theres Stumpf - viola
  • David Schlage - viola
  • Jörn Kellermann - cello
  • Cordula Rhode - cello
  • Andrè Neygenfind - contrabass
Epica Choir
  • Melvin Edmonsen - bass
  • Previn Moore - tenor
  • Bridget Fogle - alto
  • Cinzia Rizzo - alto
  • Annie Goeble - soprano
  • Amanda Somerville - soprano, vocal coach

Singles

The Phantom Agony

"The Phantom Agony" was the first single of the eponymous album. It was released in October 2003.

Track listing

  1. "The Phantom Agony" (Single Version) - 4:35
  2. "Veniality" - 4:36
  3. "Façade of Reality" - 8:17
  4. "Veniality" (Orchestral Version) - 4:37

Feint


Track listing

  1. "Feint" - 4:18
  2. "Feint (Piano Version)" - 4:53
  3. "Triumph of Defeat" - 3:56
  4. "Seif al Din" - 5:46

Cry for the Moon

"Cry for the Moon" is a symphonic metal song by Epica. It was the third single released from their debut album, The Phantom Agony.

Track listing

  1. "Cry for the Moon" (Single Version) - 3:33
  2. "Cry for the Moon" - 6:44
  3. "Run for a Fall" (Single Version) - 4:29
  4. "Run for a Fall" - 6:31

References

  1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Epica The Phantom Agony review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  2. Popke, Michael; Pierce, Ken (28 April 2004). "Epica: The Phantom Agony". Sea of Tranquility.org. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  3. Elliot, Russell W. (2 March 2004). "Epica / The Phantom Agony". Musical Discoveries.com. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  4. des Dragones, Elric (16 July 2010). "Chronique de The Phantom Agony" (in French). Metal Ship.org. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  5. Barten, Michiel. "Epica - The Phantom Agony". Lords of Metal.nl. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  6. "Epica - The Phantom Agony". Metal Reviews.com. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  7. "Epica (Nld) - The Phantom Agony". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  8. "Epica - The Phantom Agony (Expanded Edition)". Epica.nl. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  9. "Epica - The Phantom Agony (Expanded Edition)". discogs.com. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  10. The Phantom Agony (CD sleeve). Epica. The Netherlands: Transmission Records. 2003.
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