EPICA Unveil Live Music Video For "The Skeleton Key

“17 months without playing. 17 months without doing what we love most…” – while being struck by the same fate as every other band on this planet, EPICA seized the chance to create a massive concept for a streaming event that should go down in the books as one of the most ambitious shows in the era of the pandemic. With “Ωmega Alive,” EPICA played the show of your wildest dreams, brought to life by 75 artists and crew members – think Marvel meeting Cirque de Soleil in a Tim Burton universe!

Soon to be available on various audiovisual formats on December 3rd, “Ωmega Alive” is more than just a live performance from the Dutch symphonic metal titans, and contains spectacular pyro effects, rain on stage, dancers, choirs, and actors, as you can witness in the band’s second live video from the show. Watch “The Skeleton Key” off their latest studio opus Ωmega being performed live for the first time ever in the video below.

Download or stream the song here.
Pre-order the BluRay/DVD, 2CD, Earbooks or Boxset via this link.

Directed by Jens de Vos (Panda Productions) and graced by a magical artwork by Heilemania, the DVD, BluRay, CD, and vinyl contain 15 EPICA classics, fan-favorites, as well as first-ever live performances from tracks off the band’s latest chef-d’oeuvre “Ωmega”, such as “The Skeleton Key” or the insanely monumental “Kingdom of Heaven Part 3”.

Since forming in 2002, the band has amassed an incredible amount of success, their current album “Ωmega” entered the album Top 10 in Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland. EPICA has toured the globe, performing at venerable festivals including Wacken, Hellfest, Heaven & Hell Festival, Heavy MTL, and Download, while also staging shows in countries where many metal bands have not played including South Korea, South Africa, and Venezuela.

EPICA was formed by composer Mark Jansen after leaving After Forever in 2002, and the band quickly gained attention outside their home country, taking big steps towards becoming the leading symphonic metal superpower they have long proven to be. After their ambitious debut “The Phantom Agony” (2002) and the surprisingly eclectic sophomore work “Consign To Oblivion” (2005), the road took them to new heights via their first concept masterpiece “The Divine Conspiracy” (2007) and their global breakthrough “Design Your Universe” (2009). 2012’s opus “Requiem For The Indifferent”, 2014’s bedazzling “The Quantum Enigma,“ and their finest, most embellished effort yet, “The Holographic Principle” (2016), cemented their reputation as not only one of the hardest working metal bands in the business but also as one of the best. Period. With “Ωmega”, the final part of the metaphysical trilogy they began with “The Quantum Enigma”, they reclaim the throne without so much as the blink of an eye, amassing 3 million-plus streams during the first week of the album’s release.

“Ωmega“ is an album of unity, of friendship, of the close bond the members share. An album that naturally came together as a group effort. And no wonder: Mark Jansen, Simone Simons, and keyboard player Coen Janssen have been playing together since EPICA’s conception in 2002, with drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek joining as early as 2007, lead guitarist Isaac Delahaye following in 2009. In 2012, bass player Rob van der Loo marked the latest addition to their ranks. For eight years, three records and hundreds of gigs, this band has formed an indestructible unit.

In the middle of a world in turmoil, of a cataclysmic change in society, EPICA somehow managed to create their most spectacular album yet. An album that is seamlessly bringing together metal and orchestra, choir and oriental instruments to a perfect storm constantly emitting goosebumps. A record with specifically written suites for orchestra and choir, featuring a wide range of ethnic instruments recorded around the world by some of the best native musicians out there. In short: They outdid themselves. Once again. And still managed to keep the songs approachable and wickedly catchy.

Since forming in 2002, the band has amassed an incredible amount of success, their current album Ωmega entered the album Top 10 in Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland. EPICA has toured the globe, performing at venerable festivals including Wacken, Hellfest, Heaven & Hell Festival, Heavy MTL, and Download, while also staging shows in countries where many metal bands have not played including South Korea, South Africa, and Venezuela.