Consign to Oblivion explained

Consign to Oblivion
Type:	Album
Artist:	Epica
Cover:	Epica_-_Consign_to_Oblivion.jpg
Released:	21 April 2005
Recorded:	July–October 2004
Studio:	Gate Studio, Wolfsburg, Germany
Genre:	Symphonic metal
Length:	52:35
Label:	Transmission
Producer:	Sascha Paeth, Olaf Reitmeier
Prev Title:	The Phantom Agony
Prev Year:	2003
Next Title:	The Divine Conspiracy
Next Year:	2007

Consign to Oblivion is the second studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, and was released in 2005. The song "Trois Vierges" features a guest appearance by then-Kamelot vocalist Roy Khan. The album's lyrics are inspired by the Maya civilization. The phrase "In lak' ech, hala ken” expresses the concept of unity of Mayan thought, after which the song "Another Me (In Lack' Ech)"^[1] was named. The CD was released with copy control on it. This CD started a new collection of songs, called "A New Age Dawns". This saga is continued on the album Design Your Universe.

Stylistically, the album is more focused towards orchestration than other Epica releases and features heavy use of a chorus. Additionally, Mark Jansen's death growls appear less frequently, occurring on only three songs, "Force of the Shore", "Mother of Light" and "Consign to Oblivion". But a bonus track, the Death cover "Crystal Mountain" includes grunts, and a grunt version of "Quietus" was released on the "Quietus (Silent Reverie)" single, making it five songs with grunts. A single with an acoustic version of the song "Solitary Ground" was extracted from the album The Score – An Epic Journey, released the same year.

The bonus cover of "Crystal Mountain" is one of the very few Epica songs to not feature Simone Simons in any capacity (although an "Orchestral version" featuring her vocals can be found on The Road to Paradiso, and the Quietus (Silent Reverie) single).

The album is the band's only release to date where Simone Simons' lyrical contributions outnumber those of Jansen.

Personnel

Credits for Consign to Oblivion adapted from liner notes.^[2]

Epica

• Simone Simons – lead vocals
• Mark Jansen – rhythm guitar, grunts, screams
• Ad Sluijter – lead guitar
• Yves Huts – bass
• Coen Janssen – synths
• Jeroen Simons – drums

Additional musician

• Roy Khan – vocals on "Trois Vierges"

Orchestra

• Benjamin Spillner – violin
• Andreas Pfaff – violin
• Tobias Rempe – violin
• Gregor Dierk – violin
• Swantje Tessman – viola
• Patrick Sepec – viola
• Astrid Müller – viola
• Jörn Kellermann – cello

Choir

• Melvin Edmonsen – bass
• Previn Moore – tenor
• Andre Matos – tenor
• Annie Goebel – alto
• Amanda Somerville – alto, vocal coach
• Bridget Fogle – soprano
• Linda Janssen-van Summeren – soprano

Production

• Sascha Paeth – production, engineering, mixing, acoustic guitar on "Dance of Fate"
• Olaf Reitmeier – production, engineering
• Miro – orchestral arrangements, engineering
• Mark Jansen – orchestral arrangements
• Coen Janssen – orchestral and choir arrangements
• Yves Huts – orchestral arrangements
• Philip Colodetti – engineering, mixing
• Hans van Vuuren – executive production, coordination, research
• Peter van 't Riet – mastering

Notes and References

1. Web site: Conesa. Alonso Monroy. 2020-01-21. The myth behind the Mayan "In lak'ech". 2020-06-23. Medium. en.
2. Consign to Oblivion. Epica. 2005. CD sleeve. Transmission Records. The Netherlands.