SIMONE SIMONS

Epica's vocalist on working with Arjen Lucassen on her solo debut and exploring the symbolism of the colour red.

- Phil Weller

She’s been fronting the symphonic metal band Epica for over two decades, but for Simone Simons, there has been a long, lingering desire to branch out with a solo album. A record 15 years in the making, Vermillion sees her operatic vocals stretch further beyond the realms of Epica’s canon, with a stark industrial clangour, sweeping silverscreen chorals and progressive sideplots that showcase Simons in a bold new light. She’s teamed up with Ayreon’s multi-instrumentalist mastermind Arjen Lucassen to actualise her dream, providing a “full circle” moment for the singer, who “fell in love” with his music aged 16. “Who would have thought back then that little Simone would sing on an album like that one day?” she says.

They have proved a winning pairing across numerous collaborations, but these two “crazy, in a good way, Dutchies” have never sounded quite like this before. Each of Vermillion’s tracks spins its own contemplative tale based on the colour’s symbolism and the emotions and fortunes it can convey. The vocalist sits down with Prog to discuss the album’s origins and ambitions.

Vermillion has been a long time coming. Why release it now?

It was just a question of not having the time and not having the right person to work with. I’ve been almost constantly on the road or writing with Epica for the last 10 years and I’m also a mother, so there aren’t enough hours in the day. Some holes in mine and Arjen’s calendars opened up and we started working on the album last spring. We have a couple of bands that we both love, like Muse and Rammstein, so there was a good connection from the beginning. It came together very smoothly.