ALBUM REVIEW: Vermillion – Simone Simons

Solo records by artists whose day jobs are in rude health, as EPICA are, are showcases, for better or worse. SIMONE SIMONS is one of the greatest singers working today, and together with her band, she has played a major part in defining and popularising the symphonic metal genre. On Vermillion, the first record released under her own name, she has a chance to indulge her more personal influences and expand what we know of her as an artist. 

There is a significant caveat: Arjen Lucassen of AYREON fame’s fingerprints are all over Vermillion. The notes accompanying the record’s release give as much time to his songwriting process as Simons’ delight at the album’s completion. Lucassen worked hard to create material Simons liked and enjoyed the pressure of making something for someone other than himself. For her part, Simons was honest and clear when she didn’t like what he came up with, firmly in the project’s driver seat

There are only a handful of solo records that don’t involve some amount of collaboration somewhere in the creative process, but Lucassen’s role feels too significant to downplay. He speaks of the duo wanting a balance between heavy and atmospheric music, some industrial, some progressive. Together, they set out to make a record with variety, giving Simons the space to try different vibes on for size. 

Which is why Vermillion is ultimately a record of two halves. When the pair play it safe, Simons’ talent far outstrips the canvas she’s working with. A song like In Love We Rust is a little basic compared to what her fans are used to, and in the hands of EPICA, would surely have had some added spice. Simons, though, sounds on the form of her life. 

Opener Aeterna brings the fire, but with its Eastern influences and twiddly-widdly guitar work, it is overly familiar. With echoes of her main outfit ringing throughout, all the way to its progressively rhythmic climax, it is undeniably a worthy addition to Simons’ oeuvre, but not one that pushes any boundaries. 

But then there’s Cradle To The Grave, featuring ARCH ENEMY’s Alissa White-Gluz, on which Vermillion begins to stand out from the pack. It has a nasty chug of a riff driving it along over a throbbing synth bassline, and it feels like a new string to Simons’ bow. Along with White-Gluz’s trademark ferocity, its combination of influences are both arresting and novel, giving the song its own identity among Simons’ work. 

Similarly, Fight Or Flight has a touch of ANATHEMA’s sorrow, which is a perfect companion to Simons’ impassioned delivery. Dystopia is slow and mighty, it creeps along with a sinister aura and words of our impending digital doom. These cuts set Vermillion apart in style and quality, and feel entirely Simons’ own. 

As a showcase, Vermillion is a success, but Simons has little to prove as a vocalist. EPICA records are long and layered with complex instrumentation, requiring a certain amount of unpacking from listeners. This does not; it is immediate and accessible, and it is entirely subjective whether such a change is welcome. There is plenty here to tide fans over until the next EPICA record, and Vermillion will land most effectively with those who can’t get enough of Simons’ generational talents. 

Rating: 7/10

Vermillion is set for release on August 23rd via Nuclear Blast Records.

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