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The Phantom Agony
Metal · 2003 · 9 tracks

The Phantom Agony

Epica

Operatic soprano vocals soar over technical death metal riffs and cinematic choirs. A philosophical debut that defined the 2000s Dutch symphonic metal sound.

June 5, 2003 · Avalon

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A high-drama intellectual struggle between operatic light and growled darkness.

Tracklist · 9 Tracks
01
Adyta (The Neverending Embrace)
1:27
02
Sensorium
4:48
03
Cry for the Moon (The Embrace That Smothers, Part IV)
6:45
04
Feint
4:19
05
Illusive Consensus
5:00
06
Façade of Reality (The Embrace That Smothers, Part V)
8:12
07
Run for a Fall
6:32
08
Seif al Din (The Embrace That Smothers, Part VI)
5:48
09
The Phantom Agony
9:00
Moments Worth Listening For
The sudden transition from the ethereal Latin choir in Adyta to the crushing guitar riff of Sensorium.
The haunting 'humming' melody in Cry for the Moon that anchors the song's mid-tempo groove.
The inclusion of news samples regarding 9/11 in Façade of Reality, grounding the symphonic drama in harsh reality.
Reviews
AllMusic
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Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does The Phantom Agony sound next to the rest of Epica's catalogue?

Spirituality+1.7σ

The writing leans notably further into spirituality than the rest of the catalogue.

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