The Phantom Agony

Infobox Album | Name = The Phantom Agony
Type = Album
Artist = Epica


Released = 2003
Recorded = 2003
Genre = Symphonic metal
Length = 53:56
Label = Transmission
Producer =
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|2.5|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:yia9qj3woj6a link]
* Lords of Metal rating-10|9 [http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/showreview.php?id=2451&lang=en link]
* Metal Observer (#1) rating-10|10 [http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=6642 link]
* Metal Observer (#2) rating-10|7.5 [http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=2675 link]
* Metal Reviews rating-10|9 [http://www.metalreviews.com/reviews/detail.php3?id=1691 link]
* Metal Review [http://www.metalreview.com/985/Epica-The-Phantom-Agony.aspx link]
Last album = "Cry for the Moon"
(2003)
This album = "The Phantom Agony"
(2003)
Next album = "Consign to Oblivion"
(2005)

"The Phantom Agony" is the first full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica.

Track listing

#"Adyta (The Neverending Embrace)" – 1:26
#"Sensorium" – 4:48
#"Cry for the Moon (The Embrace That Smothers, Part IV)" – 6:44
#"Feint" – 4:19
#"Illusive Consensus" – 5:00
#"Façade of Reality (The Embrace That Smothers, Part V)" – 8:12
#"Run for a Fall" – 6:32
#"Seif al Din (The Embrace That Smothers, Part VI)" – 5:47
#"The Phantom Agony" – 9:01
#"The Phantom Agony (single version)" – 4:34

The Embrace That Smothers

On this album, Mark Jansen continues with the collection of songs that make up "The Embrace That Smothers". The first three parts of this can be found on "Prison of Desire" (2000), the After Forever 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.

Theme

This album's lyrics are mostly based on current events during the writing of the album
*"Cry for the Moon" is based on the abuse of children by Catholic priests. It has been released as a single in 2004.
*"Feint" was written after the murder of Pim Fortuyn.
*"Façade of Reality" is based on the September 11, 2001 attacks. It features two fragments from a speech by Tony Blair.
*"Run for a Fall" expresses Mark's frustrations towards his former band After Forever.
*"Seif Al Din" is about Islamic fundamentalism.