(updated 29 December 2013) With more than half a million albums sold and multiple triumphant tours across Europe, North America, South and Central America, Asia and Australia, Epica has more than earned its reputation as one of Holland's most popular musical exports. In the band's ten years, they have released five studio albums all reviewed at Musical Discoveries (see links left), numerous singles with bonus tracks, and have delighted audiences worldwide. A decade of Epica's achievements is celebrated on Retrospect (Nuclear Blast (USA) NB 3117-0, 20132), a 2xDVD plus 3xCD box set released this month. The band's live show captured in this set was filmed with ten high-definition cameras and edited, mixed and mastered by Jochem Jacobs Split Second Sounds.

The box set is destined to take the band to the next level. Epica–Simone Simons (vocals), Mark Jansen (guitars, grunts, screams), Coen Janssen (synths, piano), Ariën van Weesenbeek (drums), Isaac Delahaye (guitars), and Rob van der Loo(bass)–have never sounded so deserving of their name. The live recording was captured during the band's very special sold-out tenth anniversary performance in front of thousands of ecstatic fans at Klokgebouw in Eindhoven, the Netherlands in March 2013.The seventy-piece Extended Reményi Ede Chamber Orchestra and The Miskolc National Theatre Choir accompany Epica in the three-hour concert. Video is professionally produced and presented up-close and in-your-face, with a level of energy, musicianship, and dynamism about which most bands can only dream.

In addition to the live recordings of the band's biggest hits from across their entire catalog, the box set also features the live debut of the previously-unreleased "Retrospect" and fan-favorite "Twin Flames’, covers of classics of Vivaldi, Pergolesi, and Oscar-winning film composer John Williams, two guest collaborations with the venerable Floor Jansen (recently named lead vocalist of Nightwish), and a very special performance of their breakthrough single, "Quietus," with founding members Jeroen Simons, Ad Sluijter, and Yves Huts. Retrospect includes the entire concert, as well as exclusive interviews with band members and behind-the-scenes footage from the day of the show.

Epica's Retrospect is an absolutely stunning collection. The long running DVDs have captured an outstanding and extremely long performance by Simone Simons and the symphonic metal band. The label's inclusion of interviews and additional footage completely rounds out the package. As enthusiasts will have read online, Simone is expecting her first child, so it is reasonable to expect at least a brief hiatus in the band's live performances and perhaps recorded output. This stunning collection of video and audio tracks recorded and performed flawlessly and produced with tremendous care and skill has certainly served to tide our editorial staff over.

Retrospect is offered in a deluxe limited North American edition run of only 3,000 copies in prima book style with fabulous artwork throughout, including five custom cardboard sleeves for each of the discs and a 32-page full color booklet that is packed with lovely photos, band quotes and full credits.Our sincerest thanks go to Nuclear Blast for our own promo copy. We offer our best wishes for continued success to Epica!