Simone Simons – Vermillion

Whenever an iconic musician from a huge band decides to make a solo project, I get a certain degree of anxiety about whether it will just be a diluted version of the main act. Epica are titans of symphonic metal, and I pretty much love everything they’ve done. So a part of me was worried that a solo release under the name Simone Simons, would just be a diluted take on that symphonic metal sound they’ve developed over the decades. However, all these fears shattered when I learned that the main composer behind this release would be none other than the legendary Arjen Anthony Lucassen. And the more I look at it, the more it seems to me like this is actually not a solo album, but a coming together of two titans of Dutch symphonic and progressive music. Simone is the name and the face of the album, the lead vocalist, and the lyricist. But after hearing this album, I think Arjen wrote most of the music, if not all of it. After a few listens, I think “Vermillion” can best be described as an Ayreon/Epica cocktail, and I’ll get into all the details about that.

The album is built on a groundwork of groovy prog rock/metal with a strong synth and electronic elements, an immersive atmosphere and some beautiful string section topping up the mix. In short, it has all the constituent elements of an Ayreon album. Well, by that I mean all the elements apart from the cast of 1000 singers and the grandiose story that’s part of an even more grandiose lore universe developed over decades but we won’t get into that here. What I feel like this album was able to do, from the Ayreon fan’s perspective, is strip away all the storytelling, speculations, easter-eggs and theatrics that an Arjen Lucassen release is usually drenched in, and bring the full focus back to the music. It really feels refreshing to enjoy the Ayreon sound without getting caught up in narratives and interconnected stories. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ayreon’s lore. It’s one of my favourite storytelling universes. But hearing just the music, without any lore, is a refreshing experience that I wasn’t ready for. Instrumentally, “Vermillion” sits somewhere between the heavier Ayreon sounds (as can be heard on “The Source” album) and the more electronic, atmospheric albums (like “Universal Migrator part 1”). The album seems to be alternating between softer and more energetic songs for the entire duration, resulting in half groovy bangers and half reflective ballads. To avoid listing all the titles, I’ll just say that the odd tracks are the heavy ones and the even tracks are the soft ones.

Simone Simons – Aeterna

What’s most satisfying to me is that this album is not repetitive. Each song has something unique that sets it apart. ‘Aeterna’ feels like a strange mix of spacey and oriental sounds. ‘In Love We Rust’ feels like a reflective mantra, with a repetitive entrancing chorus. ‘Weight of My World’ is the most typical fast-paced prog rock song. ‘R.E.D.’ is the most mechanical, rhythmic and ominous song. ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ is a raw ballad, with just string sections, piano and vocals. And so on. This means that the listener can stay engaged and be surprised throughout the full duration of the record, without losing interest.

Vocally, I don’t suppose there’s much that needs to be said with regards to Simone’s abilities. She’s a legend of symphonic metal. So I’ll just sum up her performance by saying that whether it’s operatic parts, energetic parts or soft and tender moments, she nails everything with ease and elegance. What is very interesting vocally though, is the layering, and the way her parts are integrated in the songs. Sometimes, the verses are stripped down to an electronic beat, maybe with some strings or a bass line chipping in, which leaves the full focus on the vocal lines (‘In Love we Rust’, ‘Fight or Flight’), but when the full band kicks in, the vocals are also elevated in scale by adding multiple layers, and even choirs (‘Aeterna’, ‘The Core’), which makes the full soundscape bigger. The guitar lines will sometimes also follow along with the vocal line to further accentuate it (‘R.E.D. bridge’). A lot of the atmosphere and immersive effect of the music is also created by pushing the vocals in the forefront or further in the background depending on what the song calls for. On top of this, 3 songs diversify the vocal palette with guest singers. Alissa White-Gluz provides both clean singing and screams on ‘Cradle to the Grave’, making the song a dynamic duet of varying energies. And Epica’s Mark Jansen also shows up on ‘The Core’ and ‘R.E.D.’ to punch through what I think are the most impactful moments on the album.

Simone Simons – Cradle to the Grave (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)

Lyrically, I also love what’s going on here. It matches both Ayreon’s and Epica’s aesthetics with focus on reflection, dystopian elements and some pretty clear hints at the rise of machinery and A.I. (‘Dystopia’, ‘R.E.D.’), without necessarily feeling like it’s a copy of either. In a way, I almost feel like the internal, psychological parts of the lyrics and the exploration of dark feelings is actually set against the dystopian background of our modern world, with ominous threats seeming to loom in every corner, and endless distractions crossing our paths, that make peace and balance increasingly difficult to find. I also feel like the inner search aesthetic in this album works better than Epica’s somewhat imperative tone to the lyrics, inspiring as they may be. But what I love the most is how the album closes with a return to the soul, like accepting and letting go of what’s to come.

Simone Simons – R.E.D. (feat. Mark Jansen)

“Vermillion” is an unexpected surprise, and a very welcome addition to the endlessly growing culture of symphonic and progressive metal that the Dutch are so good at. It provides a unique listening experience that offers a lot of familiarity for fans of these artists, or of the broader genre, but enough novelty to feel refreshing and keep things interesting. I strongly recommend you check it out.

Track List:

1. Aeterna (06:02)
2. In Love We Rust (04:46)
3. Cradle to the Grave (03:59)
4. Fight or Flight (05:24)
5. Weight of My World (04:21)
6. Vermillion Dreams (04:36)
7. The Core (03:56)
8. Dystopia (04:44)
9. R.E.D. (04:04)
10. Dark Night of the Soul (04:12)