Simone Simons of Epica fame has teamed up with her musical partner and longtime collaborator Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) for her debut solo record Vermillion. Vermillion will be released on August 23 via Nuclear Blast Records, and you can check out the first single "Aeterna" below.
"'Aeterna' is the big, epic opener of the album and it comes with this amazing video too, directed by Patric Ullaeus," said Simons and Lucassen in a joint statement. "It definitely sounds the closest to Epica and Ayreon, blending powerful Latin lyrics with a touch of an oriental feel. We’ve tried to strike a balance between the mighty, bombastic sounds and the more atmospheric parts. Since it’s the first track people will hear from this album, it’s super important to us and we’re really excited for people to hear it!
"'Aeterna' takes the point of view of a star about to go supernova to explore how everything in the universe is interconnected, like a cosmic web made from stardust. It deals with our deep emotions, consciousness, and other mysteries of life that science still can’t fully explain. Essentially it’s a reflection on our place in the vast universe and the connections that bind us together, as we’re all, to quote Carl Sagan, 'made of starstuff.'"
