Epica - Kingdom Of Heaven (React/Review)

[@paulonogueira8380]

Best song of Epica for me.

[@MilesDashing]

I love the intro on this one (after the twinkly bit). It's like they make it as heavy as possible, then go "Oh, you thought THAT was heavy?" and make it even heavier, and then even heavier AGAIN. They do the same thing on Unleashed. Imagine being at a festival not knowing much about this band. You see that the lead singer is a pretty redhead in a stage dress and formulate an idea of what they are going to sound like. Then they hit you with something like THIS.

[@JuliBritsMota]

Finally, this song is a masterpiece.

[@Drathayus]

Everyone could always do with more Epica in their lives. Thanks for spreading the good word. 👍

[@MilesDashing]

That's true! Epica is like an antidepressant for me. Especially Simone's voice. There's no one else like her out there!

[@jaapblaauw3735]

Well, part 2 is called The Quantum Enigma - Kingdom of Heaven part II. This is the official title as noted on the album sleeve. Part II is not divived in sections, but the song is nearly 12 minutes long. Wait until the very end with this one.. I recommend a lyric video because live footage of this song is cell phone quality and rather poor. Here is a link from a lyric video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3_JYqmlh6aKjpI Kingdom of Heaven III- The Antediluvian Universe is divided in 6 parts and is over 13 minutes long.

[@Immortall1408]

I quite like the lyric video with artworks as far as KoH 3 is concerned.

[@watchtheskies]

Hi Mat and Chels, here are the best sounding links to part 2 and Part 3 Epica - The Quantum Enigma (Lyrics) kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqmUe6aPfJ2VbdU Epica - Kingdom of Heaven Part 3 - The Antediluvian Universe (+ lyrics) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZW1gKmlnadln80

[@watchtheskies]

Oh cool, you discovered one of Epica's prog metal masterpieces, this is going to be good :)

[@jaapblaauw3735]

And after the three Kingdoms it's time The Holographic Principle! 😉

[@watchtheskies]

@@jaapblaauw3735 Absolutely :)

[@cancelled_user]

I also can't wait for their reaction to Ascension :)

[@aegars]

currently my most listened Epica song

[@KreshDraven6]

One of their best songs, I just love how in this 14 minutes epic we have some many sub genres in just one song

[@Hamish_Whitehaven]

Omega Alive version is great in sound

[@deminybs]

Ummm okay KZbin.....just seen the kingdom of heaven pt.2 was up then realized I never seen this one!!! lol owell I'm here now 🤟😘🥰🎶

[@Brenno_860]

Nice, you guys should definetely react to part II and III as well, part III is my favorite epica song, absolute masterpiece.

[@Immortall1408]

they will react to these

[@2112666123]

A 13 minute epic song WOW THE CHANGES THE RIFFS

[@TomTomson81]

The song totally overwhelms me. 😁

[@jaapblaauw3735]

All three parts are awesome, part 3 is my favourite one!

[@richardtomlin8704]

Well, that happened and subtle it wasn't. Epica is growing on me every time I listen to them. That was really something.

[@damianvc31]

I can tell you it did the same for me. I liked from the beginning but now I absolutely love them. This song was similar, first time I couldn't grasp how good it was but by the 3rd or 4th listen it become a masterpiece and now it's probably my favourite. I checked out all the discography and can say they have no really weak points, exception being only a couple of filler tracks specially in Requiem for the Indifferent album, usually described as their worst one. But everything else is pure gold.

[@MrSh0110]

Same here. After exploring Epica’s catalog back and forth for some time, I can say - Good bands have 1 to 5 unforgettable songs. Great bands have about 20. Epica has more than 60, including 15-20 top-notch masterpieces.

[@rolsen1304]

@@damianvc31 Epica is like that, their sound is so big, so complex, I listen daily to them while working and still find new details and layers in songs I have heard a hundred times by now. They might be to great for the present era, like many artists that are way ahead of their peers.

[@rolsen1304]

Goddamn masterpiece! Amazing!

[@MilesDashing]

What you need to know is that Kingdom of Heaven Part 1 is ALSO Part 5 of A New Age Dawns. Well, maybe you didn't NEED to know that. But it is hilarious.

[@maribus7]

Please react to Kingdom of heaven PART III 🏰✨ I promise you will not be disappointed 🤘🏻

[@jaapblaauw3735]

In the community Matt and Chels said they will react to all 3 parts..not all 3 in one day I suppose, because that will take them over 35 minutes..😉

[@maribus7]

@@jaapblaauw3735 Oh, that's great! And of course, reacting to all 3 songs at the same time would be crazy, haha

[@Immortall1408]

@@maribus7 It would be too much to go through all three of them at one go. It is still funny to see people watching and listening to this for the first time. I would not know what to reallly focus on. And then to make some comments on it. :-D

[@bobsuisse2]

Part 3 is epic 😉

[@Immortall1408]

This really long song from the Design Your Universe album that came out in 2009. And you have already reacted to Design Your Universe from Retrospect, I believe. I think the person who made this video did a great job with synchronizing the official studio with live video footage from the Mexican venue. They also remixed and remastered this song for 10th years anniversary of this album´s release. It sounds a bit different. I would like to point that there is a superband in which all of Epica´s members participated (except for Coen - the keyboardist) at some point in the past. Mark and Arien are still in it. It is called MaYaN and it was founded as an outlet for musical ideas that were sort of outside of Epica´s general sound. There are similarities, of course. I would start with either "MaYaN - The Power Process (official video)" or "MaYaN - Saints Don´t Die (official video)". There are 3 vocalists in the first one and it is a bit straightforward as far as composition is concerned. In the other one you have 5 vocalists and it is not as straightforward. I wanted to suggest a song by Vintersea, but I noticed to my surprise that you reacted to "Fiery Tongue" only two days ago. :-)

[@damianvc31]

Nice! In my opinion this is their best song, at least among the long epic ones. Unfortunately they haven't played it in the Retrospect show so it's not recorded professionally for a DVD, but that will hopefully be fixed when they release the version they played at the Omega Alive stream. But anyway the video you picked is the only decent one right now so it's fine. As the continuation of the series they released the part 2 in The Quantum Enigma and the part 3 (and final one) in the latest record Omega, both are amazing as well.

[@Immortall1408]

It is not extremely shaky. Just a bit.

[@rolsen1304]

They played part 1 and part 3 in the Omega Alive show last month, AND IT WAS FRIKKING AMAZING!

[@damianvc31]

@@rolsen1304 that whole act almost brought tears to my eyes

[@aminf.9618]

Try "kingdom of heaven part III" from their latest album

[@sheepinwolvesclothing1135]

I know I'm late to the party, first off love the reaction and especially the thought process at the end, people tend to stop the video right after the jam so kudos. 2, wish there eas a longer opinion, maybe some insight? Lol And 3, there is a song called A Change Of Seasons by Dream Theatre that is also a chapter song over 20 minutes long and it be great if you guys reacted to it! Again I know I'm late to the party and my comments never make it to the author lol but here's to wishful thinking. Cheers guys. 🍻

[@gerardocastillocastro4019]

Did you see at the end of the video Consign to Oblivion live Zenith? That right there is one my all time favorite cause the live version is better than the studio. I love Epica so much

[@christophschmedes5975]

14 and a half min Mind Blow

[@dimsum774]

Great reaction, as allways, on epica. This was a masterpiece. Can not wait to see them life at hellfest France in 2022. Ps: did you see the lineup? 🤯 greetings Dimi from Belgium.

[@MilesDashing]

I first heard this song when it came out in 2009, but didn't much like it. It felt like about three or four different songs and the transitions between them weren't great. Recently I saw this video (made by a fan, btw), and the lyrics, section titles, and even footnote-like explanations really pulled it together for me and now I love it! Death metal with footnotes. That's what we need more of.

[@foolofdamnation]

please please please do NOT give up on pt. III if you feel (like many) that pt. II doesn't live up to the expectations created by pt. I pt. III is actually the first and only song ever that made me cry for no other reason than its sheer brilliantness

[@jaapblaauw3735]

Part 3 is also my favourite from the trilogy but part 2 did easily live up to it's expectation as far as I'm concerned. Part II is a pleasure for the ears as well. Not that heavy perhaps but it also showcases what Epica is all about. But each to his/ her own of course.

[@foolofdamnation]

@@jaapblaauw3735 thanks Jaap! I stand corrected: pt. II did actually live up to the expectations; I should have said that many feel pt. II didn't surpass pt. I

[@jaapblaauw3735]

@@foolofdamnation It did btw surpass pt 1 to my ears but I know I'm in the minority in this one.😉

[@damianvc31]

I think Part II is the simplest of the 3, still a good song it's only that I and III are too amazing

[@Immortall1408]

@@damianvc31 My take on the Part II is that while it has some intricate orchestration accompanied by other instruments and it is very melodic (and I like that rhyme - seek -peek), but it does not really possess the dynamic between heavier and harsher parts and more mellow ones and so it may not be as engaging as the other two.

[@rudyyeye7812]

You are now obligated to react to the rest of the trilogy of Kingdom of Heaven :)

[@cancelled_user]

They said they're going to do all 3

[@wannabedane4046]

Lyrics in Epica's songs always have a meaning - although, not always obvious. You have to dig and research a bit. Prepare for Part II and Part III - this one is on Omega, and took a long time to write for Mark. Basically, he was stocked for a long time. But, then both his grand mother and Isaacs's (lead guitarist) grand mother died. Isaac came to Mark and said he had some ideas for the song, and did Mark care to hear them? Then, they had to cut down a bit, and the song ended up being 13:25 min.

[@marcokruijsheer9947]

Lekker hoor love epica

[@MilesDashing]

When Simone kicks in with the opera vocals at 6:30, it shows you why they need someone with the power of an opera singer to match and cut through the heaviness of the music. There aren't very many singers with the ability to do that, and most of them don't want to do metal, because why would you spend years learning to sing opera and then not do opera? I feel like if she were not quite so pretty her talent would be appreciated more. I've known a couple of women who are so beautiful that it overshadows everything else about them, and it's not great. Probably better than not being pretty at all, but still not great.

[@cranboogie]

FINALLY!!! 🌀🌀🌀🧘🧘🧘✊✊✊

[@danigar]

Nice! As much as I like this video (imo better than the lyric one) the quality still isn't the best, I wish you could react to Part I and III from the recent Omega live, but well there's good lyrics videos for parts II and III out there

[@cancelled_user]

Yeah, I could tell Mat liked this one a bit more than Chels :)

[@marcokruijsheer9947]

No love ❤❤

[@MountainMetal]

I don't think this was written by athiests. ...or vegans. 🤗

[@ralphdarc3094]

Oh dear ! Those keyboards sound terrible , the rest of it ? meh . me no like

[@cancelled_user]

Wut...

[@fahrezirafid8]

Listen to album version