Design Your Universe

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) TBA 2012
Singles from Design Your Universe
"Unleashed" Released: September 25, 2009 "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.

History

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]

The video for "Unleashed" premiered on the band's MySpace site on September 25, 2009.

Reception

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

This album continues the saga A New Age Dawns, which started on Consign to Oblivion. 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]

Design Your Universe World Tour

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.^[10]

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

Charts

Country	Peak position
Top 30 Alternative (Netherlands)[11]	1
Netherlands[12]	8
US (Heatseekers)[13]	12
Switzerland[14]	27
France[15]	31
Germany[16]	37
Austria[17]	70

Reception

Reception from critics has been positive, and several critics awarded the album their highest available scores. Among fans, reception has been overwhelmingly positive, and on iTunes, Design Your Universe retains a 5-star rating.

Credits

Band line-up

• Simone Simons – mezzo-soprano vocals
• Mark Jansen – rhythm guitar, grunts, screams
• Isaac Delahaye – lead guitar
• Yves Huts – bass guitar
• Coen Janssen – synthesizer, piano
• Ariën van Weesenbeek – drums, grunts, spoken word

Guest musicians

• Tony Kakko – Clean male vocals (on "White Waters")
• Amanda Somerville – Soprano vocals (on "Unleashed (Duet Version)")

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. ^ Dutch Alternative Top 30 dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved on 2009-10-26.
12. ^ Epica - Design Your Universe (Album) dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved on 2009-10-23.
13. ^ http://www.billboard.com/search/?keyword=epica&x=0&y=0#/artist/epica/chart-history/577990
14. ^ Swiss Charts - Albums Top 100 swisscharts.com. Retrieved on 2009-10-29.
15. ^ Epica - Design Your Universe (Album) dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved on 2009-10-23.
16. ^ [1] musicline.de. Retrieved on 2009-12-18.
17. ^ Epica - Design Your Universe (Album) austriancharts.at. Retrieved on 2009-10-29.