Design Your Universe

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Design Your Universe
Studio album by Epica
Released October 16, 2009
Genre Symphonic metal, progressive metal, gothic metal
Length 74:50
Label Nuclear Blast
Producer Sascha Paeth
Epica chronology
The Classical Conspiracy
(2009)		 Design Your Universe
(2009)		 Requiem for the Indifferent
(2012)
Singles from Design Your Universe
  1. "Unleashed"
    Released: September 25, 2009
  2. "Martyr of the Free Word"
    Released: October 30, 2009

Design Your Universe is the fourth full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica.[1] It was released on October 16, 2009.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Pre-release and production

The band entered Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany on March 2, 2009.

The band's previous album, The Divine Conspiracy, was dealing with the idea that God created many religions and that it was to man to understand that they are all the same, and this album will be dealing with the power of thoughts and imaginations, as Mark Jansen stated:

“ The album title, Design Your Universe, deals with new breakthroughs in quantum physics. It proves that we are all connected to each other on subatomic level. Also, it shows that we can create or at least influence matter with our thoughts… a very interesting fact. Because it changes everything for us, our whole worldview collapses once you accept these facts and integrate them in your lives. So this had to become the new album title. ”


Tony Kakko (front man; Sonata Arctica) said in an interview with "lagrosseradio":[2]

“ A small scoop - I'll sing on the next album of Epica. I'll do a duet with Simone. ”

Kakko is featured on the song "White Waters".

The song "Resign to Surrender" was published on the band's label website on September 23, 2009.[3] and the video for "Unleashed" premiered on the band's MySpace site on September 25, 2009. This album continues the saga A New Age Dawns, which started on Consign to Oblivion.

[edit] Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
About.com 4/5 stars[4]
Allmusic 3.5/5 stars[5]
Lords of Metal (90/100)[6]
Metal Invader 5/5 stars[7]
PapelMag (favorable)[8]

Reception from critics has been positive from both critics and fans. The album debuted at #8 in the Dutch charts, being the highest position an Epica album has reached. The album remained on the chart for five weeks, and re-entered in #94 for one week due to the band's performance at the 2010 Pinkpop Festival[9]

[edit] Design Your Universe World Tour

Epica performing at Norway Rock Festival in 2010.

After the release of Design Your Universe, Epica set out on a World Tour to support the album. They did a CD release party in Paradiso, Amsterdam. They performed at some summer festival concerts in the summer of 2010 and returned to the United States and Canada late fall 2010. Several dates in Europe, specially in the Netherlands, were sold out. The band also did a South American Tour, passing over Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Uruguay and played in many of the most important rock and metal festivals in Europe, as Wacken Open Air, Pinkpop and Masters of Rock, leading the band to perform to great major audiences.[10][11]

[edit] Track listing

No. Title Lyrics Music Notes Length
1. "Samadhi (Prelude)"   Mark Jansen Jansen   1:27
2. "Resign to Surrender (A New Age Dawns, Part IV)"   Jansen Jansen, Jack Driessen, Simone Simons, Isaac Delahaye Featured on JamLegend. 6:19
3. "Unleashed"   Simons Coen Janssen, Jansen, Delahaye The first single. 5:48
4. "Martyr of the Free Word"   Jansen Ariën van Weesenbeek, Janssen, Jansen, Delahaye The second single. 5:03
5. "Our Destiny"   Simons Jansen, van Weesenbeek, Yves Huts, Simons, Delahaye   6:00
6. "Kingdom of Heaven (A New Age Dawns, Part V)"   Jansen Jansen, Delahaye   13:35
7. "The Price of Freedom (Interlude)"   Instrumental Janssen   1:14
8. "Burn to a Cinder"   Simons Janssen, Jansen, Delahaye, Simons   5:41
9. "Tides of Time"   Simons Janssen   5:34
10. "Deconstruct"   Simons Huts, Jansen   4:14
11. "Semblance of Liberty"   Jansen Jansen, Delahaye   5:42
12. "White Waters"   Simons Jansen, Simons, Delahaye Feat. Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica on vocals. 4:44
13. "Design Your Universe (A New Age Dawns, Part VI)"   Jansen Jansen, Delahaye, Janssen   9:29
14. "Incentive"   Jansen Jansen, Delahaye Bonus track 4:14
15. "Unleashed (duet version)"   Simons Janssen, Jansen, Delahaye iTunes bonus track, featuring Amanda Somerville on vocals. 5:50
16. "Nothing's Wrong"   Heideroosjes Heideroosjes Japanese Edition Only. 3:24

[edit] Charts

Country Peak
position
Top 30 Alternative (Netherlands)[12] 1
Netherlands[13] 8
US (Heatseekers)[14] 12
Switzerland[15] 27
France[13] 31
Germany[16] 37
Austria[17] 70

[edit] Credits

[edit] Band line-up

[edit] Guest musicians

[edit] References

  1. ^ Blabbermouth.net
  2. ^ Interview Tony Kakko, singer of Sonata Arctica] lagrosseradio.com. 2009-08-15. Retrieved on 2009-08-17.
  3. ^ Nuclear Blast's website
  4. ^ Bowar, Chad. Design Your Universe review about.com. Retrieved on 2010-08-18.
  5. ^ Freeman, Phil. Design Your Universe review allmusic.com. Retrieved on 2009-12-1.
  6. ^ Design Your Universe review lordsofmetal.nl. Retrieved on 2009-10-17.
  7. ^ Design Your Universe review metal-invader.com. 2009-09-18. Retrieved on 2009-10-17.
  8. ^ Design Your Universe review papelmag.com. Retrieved on 2009-10-17.
  9. ^ Epica - Design Your Universe (Album) dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved on 2011-05-11.
  10. ^ Epica Announces North American Tour with Scar Symmetry, Mutiny Within and Blackguard metalunderground.com. 2010-05-09. Retrieved on 2010-05-15.
  11. ^ "Epica Online". Epica.nl. 2006-01-21. http://epica.nl/?page=gigs&show=past. Retrieved 2012-02-13. 
  12. ^ Dutch Alternative Top 30 dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved on 2009-10-26.
  13. ^ a b Epica - Design Your Universe (Album) dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved on 2009-10-23.
  14. ^ http://www.billboard.com/search/?keyword=epica&x=0&y=0#/artist/epica/chart-history/577990
  15. ^ Swiss Charts - Albums Top 100 swisscharts.com. Retrieved on 2009-10-29.
  16. ^ [1] musicline.de. Retrieved on 2009-12-18.
  17. ^ Epica - Design Your Universe (Album) austriancharts.at. Retrieved on 2009-10-29.
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