Simone Simons – Vermillion
Release Date: 23rd August 2024
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Order/Stream
Genre: Symphonic Metal, Prog Rock, Electronica, Industrial Metal, Modern Metal.
FFO: EPICA, Nightwish, Ayreon, Xandria, Delain, Within Temptation.
Review By: Mark Waight
After leading the line for Symphonic Metal band EPICA for more than twenty years, Simone Simons is unbelievably only now about to release her debut solo album. The beautifully crafted debut Vermillion is a collaboration with Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) that uses all his expertise and guile to deliver something new, exciting and at times completely different from Ms Simons usual fayre.
Rather than just simply being a fusion of EPICA and Aryeon (which would have been a mighty fine undertaking in its own right) Vermillion also frequently steps away from this mantle by delivering something more modern, more industrial and at times devastatingly breathtaking.
Opening track Aeterna is a masterclass in symphonic metal, where Simone Simons vocals absolutely radiate out from deep within a shell of cinematic exuberance. You realise straight away that Vermillion is going to be an absolute pure joy for your ears, and something quite remarkable to boot. In Love We Rust is a proper slow burner where the focus is almost completely on Simone Simons vocal capabilities as they are put well and truly through their paces. This is an exceptionally emotional and moving song that along with the goosebump inducing mid-song guitar solo is sure to bring a tear or two for you to wipe away from your eyes.
The heavily riff laden Cradle To The Grave takes things up a notch or two by combining the brutal vocals of Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy) with the operatic vocals of Simone Simons to create a superb light vs dark edge to this banging, top-notch track. The super dreamy Fight Or Flight is a much slower affair altogether, with gentler pockets of strings being continually interlaced with the full-on hard hitting backbone wall of sound. All of this is then glued together by another stunning vocal performance.
The Weight Of My World gives us a sneak peek into what else might be to come as we are introduced to a more modern thread that is shrouded by mystery as it is skilfully woven into the fabric of the song. This theme continues with Vermillion Dreams, where more variations are slowly revealed to us. This atmospheric and synthesiser infused song gradually builds up in intensity throughout before a wickedly sharp conclusion.
The aptly named The Core initially has a familiar feel to it yet still manages to offer up something completely different. This is Modern Metal at its very best as several genres collide to form one head turning, cool as ice metal cocktail, with a fruity slice of Industrial, topped off with a Symphonic umbrella. Next up, the classically inspired Dystopia is everything you would expect from a Simone Simons and Arjen Lucassen tune and then some. This outstanding song really does pack a hefty punch and tick all the right boxes.
The shackles are well and truly off for R.E.D. as things open-up once more with engineering precision this time. This Industrial leaning earworm hits the sound waves hard and just carries you along on the crest of it. The finale, Dark Night Of The Soul is an epic tearjerker of a ballad, a thing of real beauty, full of sorrow and joy in equal proportions. I can think of no finer close to any album that I have listened to so far this year.
Vermillion is not only a must-have album for any fan of Symphonic Metal, but it should also appeal to a much wider audience too, with definite cross genre appeal. Simone Simons is undoubtedly one of the finest Metal vocalists in the world at this moment in time, and her voice has never sounded better than on Vermillion. This album has just about everything for purveyors of the female voice in Metal and comes very highly recommended. Make sure you check it out!
(4.5 / 5)
