Chosen by Monk
As we approach apace our favourite night of the year, when the boundaries between the worlds break down and lines separating reality and fantasy are blurred beyond recognition, our latest audio-visual treat summons our inner ghosts, lures us into a suitably haunted and haunting world where shadows dance and the afterlife whispers.
This latest stand alone single is a unique collaboration between the Dutch symphonic metallers and Europe’s second-most visited theme park, Netherlands’s magical De Efteling, who unveil their much-anticipated new attraction, ‘Danse Macabre’, on the most suitable date possible… yes, this very All Hallow’s Eve.
Ever since their childhoods, every member of Epica has loved this theme park and are regularly among the five million visitors who enjoy its thrills each year. Therefore, this collaboration was a true match made in the otherworld, as keyboard player, Coen Janssen, explained:
Every kid in the Netherlands knows how magical ‘de Efteling’ is, and working this closely with the most beautiful theme park in the world surely is a dream come true!
As a young boy, I immediately got captivated by the ‘Danse Macabre’ by Saint-Saëns as a soundtrack for their haunted house ‘Spookslot’. So when ‘de Efteling’ announced their new plans for the ghostly attraction “Danse Macabre” all pieces of the puzzle fell into place immediately: why not combine our symphonic side with the ’scary’ side of metal and do our version of this epic classical piece?!?
We are so happy that ‘de Efteling’ trusted our vision and gave their full support, providing us with the new ride’s storyline, so we could write lyrics fitting the fantastic narrative and even adding a new chapter!
The video was shot inside and in front of the new attraction – and, in line with its theme, the band even received their very own “Epica gravestone” that you can maybe spot if you look closely enough: