After the monumentally massive splendour of The Phantom Agony (2003), Epica is now releasing the majestic successor Consign to Oblivion. On this album, for the greater part inspired by the Mayan culture, the group round mezzo-soprano Simone Simons and guitarist Mark Jansen break new ground. One thing, however, has not disappeared: the scintillating allure and rapture of the Epica sound. New is the enhanced accessibility and variety of the compositions (ranging from unadulterated gothic-metal to ballads). Mark Jansen: