Epica Family Tree
Metal Family Tree
This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.
We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.
Epica has become one of the best symphonic metal bands by pushing the limits of the genera. At any given time the band can sound like it’s playing a number of genres and have brought the progressive elements to the genre to a new level setting the bar high for symphonic bands. At the heart of the band is Mark Jensen. Most of their catalog is written by Mark with other members contributing. Here we will see where members of Epica get their inspirations.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Back was a baroque period composer who actually predates classical music. Coen named him as a favorite.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart is one of the most famous and well known classical composers. Simone said growing up her dad would play a lot of classical music and over the years she’s learned to appreciate it and is a fan of Mozart
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff was a late Romantic conductor/composer/pianist. Simone said that Mark loves his work
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin was a Romantic era composer and pianist who’s piano compositions are still practiced today by many pianists. Simone said that Coen Janssen loves his work.
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone is modern Italian composer probably best known for his work with westerns. Mark Listed him has one of his favorites
If you don’t know Clannad you might know Enya who was part of the band. They are an Irish family band playing everything from celtic folk, folk rock, smooth jazz, and new-age music. Original guitarist said their album Lore was one of his favorite albums.
Ofra Haza was a singer/songwriter from Israel. A lot of her music is synth and atmospheric pop. She is among Simone’s favorite singers.
Anthrax is the only California band to be in the big 4 of thrash metal. They were listed as an influence by Mark.
Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer is one of the most well known film score composers. He was named as and influence in an early interview by original guitarist Ad Sluijter. Mark and Simone both said the Gladiator sound track was one of their favorites.
The Fathers of Thrash Metal, Metallica are easily one of the most sited influences for all bands after them. Coen named the black album as one of the most influential albums on him.
One of the most well known modern composers, Danny Elfman is maybe best known for his film scores to many Tim Burton movies. He is a favorite composer of Mark and Yves.
Megadeth and father of thrash metal Dave Mustaine are in the big 4 of thrash for a reason. Megadeth are easily the thrash band with some of the most technically proficient musicians and are and influence on Mark.
Death were the band that kicked off the death metal movement and ventured into progressive metal; they were and influence on Mark
Guns N Roses was a band Mark saw as a kid and and are still a big influence on him. Guns N Roses began doing my symphonic pieces on the Use Your Illusions albums with songs like November Rain although the majority of their stuff is symphonic. Mark said Appetite for Destruction is his favorite album. Isaac also said he loves all their old albums and that Use Your Illusion was is first album.
Carcass who started off playing grindcore and evolved into death metal eventually moved to melodic death metal and were a pioneers of melodic death. Mark and Ad named them as an influence.
Samael is was an early black metal band that later changed to industrial. Both Coen and Simone are fans.
Old school deathers Gorefest is a big influence on Mark. I named Erase as a favorite album.
Dream Theater is by far the most iconic an well known progressive metal band. Original guitarist Ad and long time keyboardist both listed Scenes From a Memory as one of their favorite albums. Isaac is also a big fan of their early stuff. Mark named their Images and Words album as a favorite.
Iced Earth brings thrashy riffs and heaviness to power metal. Mark named them as a favorite band.
Meshuggah started as a goove band but are probably more well known for starting the djent style. Original guitarist Ad named their Destroy Erase Improve album as one of his favorites.
The Gathering started as a Death/Doom band but by the third album added clean female lead vocals. The album Mandylion can be seen as precursor to the female lead symphonic bands. Mark named it as a favorite album and Coen listed them as and influence.
The band that kicked off the groove metal movement Pantera. Isaac named them as an early influence. (Normally I list bands in order by earliest significant release. In this case I thought it was more appropriate to put Pantera in a slot coinciding with their shift to groove metal.)
The band that changed so much they need to logos, Amorphis. They began as a death/doom band but have changed over the years becoming more of a gothic band. Coen and Yves said they are a favorite band of theirs..
Dimmu Borgir are probably the prominent symphonic black metal band. Both Yves and Simone named them as a favorite band.
Rage Against the Machine are an early pioneer of rap metal/hard rock. There were named as an early influence of Isaac.
Singer/song writer and classically trained pianist Tori Amos is a favorite of Simone
Orphaned Land has changed their sound a bit over the years but at the core there has always been a middle eastern folk element. Mark stated he was a big fan of middle eastern music and Orphaned Land.
Orphanage was a Gothic/melodic death band. Both Coen and Yves named them as a favorite band.
The groove/nu metal band created by ex-Violence guitarist Rob Flynn. Isaac said they was an early influence on him. Mark also listed the Burn my Eyes album as a favorite. Yves named them as a favorite band.
Andrea Bocelli is an Italian opera singer and a favorite of Simone
Kamelot started out playing power metal but over the years progressed into more of a symphonic/progressive band. They were a band named as an influence by Mark and Ad was also a big fan. Epica is also the name of Kamelot’s 2003 symphonic power metal album which Epica took their name from. Simon is a big fan of Roy Khan an particularly the album Black Halo. Coen also named Oliver Palotai (who is also married to Simone) as a favorite musician,.
Opeth have become a very big band especially among progressive metal fans. They started as progressive death metal but have ventured more toward progressive rock. Mark and Simone both said they were a favorite progressive metal band.
Ayreon is a progressive metal/rock band. Mark names them as a favorite.
Lisa Gerrard
Lisa is a singer who was first famous with the band Dead Can Dance. As a solo artist she has performed for many film scores including many with Hanz Zimmer. She is a favorite of Simone.
Nightwish was the first band and probably most well known of the symphonic metal movement. Mark listed them as an influence and Coen named them of a band he likes to listen to. Simone stated she began studying classical singing after hearing a Nightwish album. Both Mark and Simone list Oceanborn as a favorite album.
Tristania is a female lead gothic band. Coen named them as an influence.
Soilwork started as a melodic death metal band but since have changed their sound bringing in more clean vocals. Isaac said they are one of his newer influences. Coen names their Stabbing the Drama album as a favorite as well as the band being a favorite band.
Lacuna Coil is one of the most prominent female fronted Gothic bands. Simone and Coen are both huge fans.
Muse isn’t a band most would expect here. Mark said they have strong compositions and if you strip out the heavy guitar and drums what they do isn’t so different from Epica. Simone names them as one of her favorite bands and names their album Absolution as a favorite
Lamb of God has become the biggest and arguably the best groove metal band over their career so far. Isaac mentioned them as a n influence.
Insomnium is a melodic band that seems to be well loved by many but less known as others. Coen said he really likes listening to them.
The Arcane Order are a melodic death band with some black metal elements. Issac said they had a great album but didn’t say what one. Its one of the newer things he is listening to.
Simone’s favorite bands that I didn’t include above: REM, Moonspell, Rammstein, Within Temptation, Lacrimosa, Leaves’ Eyes, System of a Down, Dargaard, Anastacia, Apocalytica, Moby, Björk, Tiamat, Dimmu Borgir, and Faith no More.
Isaac Delahaye the second and long time guitarist often states he is influenced by thrash and melodic death but doesn’t give examples. I’ve also gotten the idea that he may not differentiate between thrash and groove bands. This means that when he says thrash he might be including bands listed like Lamb of God, Machine Head, and Pantera. On one interview when asked what he listens to he said everything from James Blunt, Nickleback, Soil, Soilwork, Dimmu Borgir, acoustic stuff, fusion, Ditto, to Immortal.
Coen Janssen named favorite bands not listed above, System of a Down, Rammstein, and Audioslave.
Ad Sluijter named Depeche Mode’s Ultra as one of his favorite albums but I don’t think it really influenced Epica’s sound since he’s the guitar player and Depeche Mode rarley uses guitar. He also named Scar Symmetry who are a contemporary of Epica.
Ariën van Weesenbeek, current drummer who has been with the band since 2007 has had writing credits and has helped bring a heavier sound to Epica. I haven’t found his specific influences.
Yves Huts was Epicas original and bass player for 8 years and contributed to writing. Other bands that are not listed above that Yves considered favorites include Covenant, Mortifer, Dagorlad, and Sirrah
Current bassist Rob van der Loo has only a couple writing credits but names influences as, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Cream Metallica, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and Faith No More.
First drummer Jeroen Simons has no writing credits. I don’t know his specific influences but they seem to be eclectic and current drummer Arien said that Jeroen had a jazz approach, whatever he means by that.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS33HIbHuCg
https://echoesanddust.com/2016/09/interview-mark-jansen-and-simone-simons-of-epica/
https://forbassplayersonly.com/rob-van-der-loo/
http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/musicians/arien_van_weesenbeek_2.htm
https://blastmagazine.com/2016/02/15/epicas-simone-simons-the-blast-interview/
https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2017/08/16/qa-epicas-isaac-delahaye/
https://www.metalpaths.com/interviews/2016/10/04/interview-epica-coen-janssen/
http://www.metalist.co.il/InterviewPrivate.asp?id=78&lang=eng
https://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=2344
https://distortedsoundmag.com/epica-talk-influences/
https://thegreatsouthernbrainfart.com/?p=5059
https://alternative-zine.com/interviews/en/22
https://www.therockpit.net/2016/interview-mark-jansen-epica/
https://web.archive.org/web/20060422002048/http://www.epica.nl/index.php?id=45§ion=band
https://web.archive.org/web/20041020225556/http://www.epica.nl/index.php?id=42§ion=band
https://web.archive.org/web/20070819174613/http://www.epica.nl/?page=band&show=members&sub=1
https://web.archive.org/web/20070819194411/http://www.epica.nl/?page=band&show=members&sub=3
https://web.archive.org/web/20070818142809/http://www.epica.nl/?page=band&show=members&sub=6
https://web.archive.org/web/20070818210135/http://www.epica.nl/?page=band&show=members&sub=5
https://web.archive.org/web/20070819194444/http://www.epica.nl/?page=band&show=members&sub=2