Dr. DTVT's 50 Underappriciated bands v. Better than the Loch Ness Monster

[Dr. DTVT]

27.  Epica / Mayan - The Divine Conspiracy, Design Your Universe / Quarterpast



Genre: Symphonic Metal (Epica is female fronted, Mayan male fronted)
For Fans of: Nightwish with a more metal feel - others omitted as to not spoil the rest of the list.
What makes them special:  Epic sounding metal band that mixes some harsh vocals with soaring vocals and a very symphonic sound.

These bands are lumped together because they are both the brain child of Mark Jansen (so is After Forever, but I haven't gotten around to checking them out yet).  Both bands have a symphonic, epic sound (who woulda thunk with a name like "Epica") that is has its roots in heavy metal and opera.  Epica features Simone Simons on vocals, and as a band Epica has taken on such topics as religion (not a pro stance if that matters to you), relationships, and on their new album (not included here only because I am not familiar enough with it at this point) 21st Century problems.  The sole Mayan album is more political and has a very cynical slant towards politics.  Both bands are enjoyable, although Mayan does use significantly more harsh vocals than Epica if that isn't your thing.  One interesting thing about Mark is that he actually had started multi song suites on After Forever and finished them on Epica.

Tracks to try:  The Obsessive Devotion, Menace of Vanity, Never Enough*, Resign To Surrender ～A New Age Dawns -Part IV, Martyr of the Free Word, Design Your Universe ～A New Age Dawns -Part VI, Symphony of Aggression, Mainstray Of Society ～In The Eyes Of The Law: Corruption, Drown the Demon

[Nick]

I've found some of the bands on this list to be rather well known, this being the most recent.

On topic my only real contribution can sadly be... holy fuck she's hot.

[adace]

I'm a huge Epica fan. Nice pick 

[Dr. DTVT]

Yes she is.  It says "Underappriciated", not unknown.  The lack of Epica talk in the Epica thread was the imputus of including Epica with Mayan.  That, and so we had a reason to talk about Simone Simons.

[Nick]

I would go celibate for a month to have 24 hours with that woman.

[obscure]

Epica!!!... I've been a fan for quite a lot of years now.. seen them many times live...  and damn...  they deliver on stage.... Simone is friggishly beautiful... and damn ... those charming headbangs .. stage outfits...  and so on... she could convert me in a heart beat... having said that.. I prefer Floor (Jansen) 

Simone is not the only member that I'd die for... I dig Mark's vocals... and pretty much in love with Yves Huts... he's awesome on stage.. seriously I can't decide whom to look at when they're playing....

now all these aside... me thinks Epica are not where they could potentially be... (YET) they are very talented musicians and all...  but they lack good songs

also

Mayan 

[lonestar]

Just gave the song Solitary Ground a quick listen, I'm in love.

[obscure]

Watch Cry For The Moon video and you're so screwed!

You can even see the amazing Amanda Sommerville backing her...
/chef's life

[Dark Castle]

Mayan!  My friend showed me them and I really liked them, nice to see them getting some love 

[obscure]

oh my Yves left the band 

I'm leaving the band because I have another career opportunity that is not combinable with the schedule of a world-touring band. I've tried to live these two different lives simultaneously for as long as I could, but in the end I just had to make a choice, one of the most difficult ones in my life.

I look back to these 10 years in EPICA satisfied and enriched with life experience. As a founding member, I'm proud of what we've achieved so far and I'm sure the future has a lot more great things in store for the band.

I would like to thank the band, crew, fans and everybody else involved for the good times and I wish my successor good luck."

source

[lonestar]

Watch Cry For The Moon video and you're so screwed!

You can even see the amazing Amanda Sommerville backing her...
/chef's life

I'd hit it like an epileptic on a drumkit.

[obscure]

 

now altogether 

[lonestar]

All together, you mean the redhead, the blond, and me.  Um, yes please.

[obscure]

bahahahahaha.... no that's not what I meant... but damn.. that would work 

[JRundquist]

DAMN I am late on this thread. Nearly half way through. THis is a hell of alist so far man. I'm really digging the appreciatation for the under the radar bands you've listed so far, and will continue to list.

50. Pinnacle
47. Eumeria
44. Eternity X
43. Vonassi
42. Worlds
41. The Tangent
36. Ice Age
35. Mystery
34. Wuthering Heights
30. Cloudscape

I am currently 13/23, which is very impressive, because I always go out of my way to find under appreciated bands. Kudos sir! 

[wolfking]

I would go celibate for at least 3 months to have 24 hours with that woman.

Saying that, I'm not really a fan of Epica at all.

[jingle.boy]

Based on your subtitle, I wasn't expecting Mark Jansen.  None-the-less, I've given Eoica a few tries, but find the male voice too generic. I love Simone, but wasn't inspired enough to dig into them based on the male vocals.  Much prefer Nightwish, and another m/f tandem I won't mention since they may be forthcoming.

I'm sure I'll get around to checking some/more things out by them at some point.

[yorost]

(so is After Forever, but I haven't gotten around to checking them out yet). 

I'm surprised and expected them on this list.  Invisible Circles really made the rounds here.  Floor even commented in Atlanta how that album unexpectedly took off on them in North America.  Eponymous album is stronger, a great album for them to go out on.

[Dr. DTVT]

I'm still rather new to Epica myself, only knowing of them for the past year or so.

[Nick]

I would go celibate for at least 3 months to have 24 hours with that woman.

Saying that, I'm not really a fan of Epica at all.

Me neither. Also, Simon gives an awesome performance on the Kamelot DVD for those who haven't seen it.

[obscure]

   

thanks Nick!

[obscure]

I'm still rather new to Epica myself, only knowing of them for the past year or so.

ReVamp?

[Elite]

Epica are pretty cool, nice pick there!

[kirksnosehair]

I would go celibate for a month to have 24 hours with that woman.

I'd crawl naked over 10 miles of broken glass just to hear her take a leak in a tin cup over a shitty cell phone connection 

[obscure]

Whoa 
she'd love that 

[kirksnosehair]

I might have been exaggerating a tiny bit there 

[wolfking]

Yeag, the track The Haunting was a great duet between Simone and Khan.

[TAC]

I was just on Amazon. Cloudscape hasn't released an album since 2008 (Global Drama)? Is that right? Are they still together?

[wolfking]

I was just on Amazon. Cloudscape hasn't released an album since 2008 (Global Drama)? Is that right? Are they still together?

Yes, they are working on a new album and it's suppose to come out this year.

[Dr. DTVT]

26. Kevin Gilbert / Toy Matinee - Thud, The Shaming of the True / Toy Matinee



Genre: Cross-over prog with some pop sensibilities
For fans of:  The Dear Hunter, mid-80s Peter Gabriel
What makes this special:  Kevin is one of the most talented songwriters ever.

You've probably heard a few songs Kevin Gilbert wrote even if you didn't know who he was before this moment.  Ever hear of Sheryl Crow?  Thought so.  What's her best selling album?  The one Kevin helped write.  While Kevin obviously had a flair for writing songs that would be accessible to a wide audience, he also had his own things going on as well.  Toy Matinee was one of his first successful projects, and much less progressive than his work under his own name.  Toy Matinee features a mix fun, bittersweet, and sad songs that showcase Kevin's ability to write memorable, radio friendly songs.  The albums released under his name are noticeably more progressive.  Thud is a very powerful album that Kevin seemingly reached deep into the recesses of his soul to write.  The biting sarcasm of "Joytown" and the loneliness of "Tea for One" come across very clearly to the listener, and as I have stated many times here at DTF, "Song for a Dead Friend" is the saddest song I've ever heard and I can't listen to it without breaking down because it's so personal, and I've been in the same position myself.  For The Shaming of the True, Kevin went the other direction, making this a concept album about the fictitious musician Johnny Virgil, no doubt drawing upon his experience.  The album features a mix of songs about soul-searching, struggling with fame, and the music business using hilarious biting commentary and sarcasm, all the while showcasing Kevin's ability to tell a story through song and have it get across to the listener.  Sadly, Kevin died way to young, appearently of autoerotic asphyxiation.  Fortunately, a lot of his work that was partially complete was completed posthumously by his estate and long time collaborator Nick D'Virgilio.

Tracks to try: Joytown, Tea for One, Shadow Self, Imagemaker, Water Under the Bridge, Certifiable #1 Smash*, Last Plane Out, Turn It On Salvador, Things She Said

[Dr. DTVT]

Recap:

50. Pinnacle
49. Zero Hour
48. Turisas
47. Eumeria
46. It Bites
45. Kaddisfly
44. Eternity X
43. Vonassi
42. Worlds
41. The Tangent
40. Circle II Circle
39. Intronaut
38. Grayceon
37. Haggard
36. Ice Age
35. Mystery
34. Wuthering Heights
33. The ANABASIS
32. Scar Symmetry
31. Pagan's Mind
30. Cloudscape
29. Ben Folds Five / Ben Folds
28. Pendragon
27. Epica / Mayan
26. Kevin Gilbert / Toy Matinee

What's your halftime score?  Also, I'm hoping the crickets on my last choice means you are checking him out since you don't know of him.

I'll be taking the next two weeks off so I can focus on preparing for my Ph.D. defense.  That should give you time to check out what I've already presented.

[Elite]

8/25

I already have checked out Zero Hour, Eumeria & Ice Age and plan to dig in to some of the other stuff when I have some more time

[Nick]

Recap:

50. Pinnacle
49. Zero Hour
46. It Bites
45. Kaddisfly
43. Vonassi
42. Worlds
41. The Tangent
40. Circle II Circle
35. Mystery
34. Wuthering Heights
33. The ANABA SIS
31. Pagan's Mind
30. Cloudscape
28. Pendragon

With the exception of Vonassi (which I've ordered but not yet received), those are the ones I'd say I'm reasonably familiar with, though I only own something from 10 of those 14.

[obscure]

10/25

I'm benefiting greatly.. thanks 

[yorost]

I think 19/25, counting the bands I have previously formed opinions on based on their music.  Then again, maybe a band like Pendragon shouldn't count, since I was wholly unaware of their last two albums due to ignoring them any time I saw them.   From those it's maybe split 50/50 on ones I enjoy and own and ones I've been turned off by from individual songs and decided not to buy(or regretted buying).