Posted: Sep 16, 08 5:41am

I'm always looking for new and interesting bands, and I especially like artists who are a little more complex than what you normally hear on the radio. A few years ago I found this great band from the Netherlands called Epica. They have the "traditional" rock band line-up (guitars, bass, drums, keyboards), but they add to that an orchestra and a choir. But what really makes them stand out is their lead vocalist, Simone Simons. Wow...what a voice...and what a stunningly beautiful woman. Their name accurately reflects the epic sound of their music. They have released three CDs so far, in addition to the soundtrack for a Dutch television documentary film (that CD is almost purely classical, showing just how brilliant they are as composers). Here's a sample of their work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkDJ0ZBWsGI

At the time of this recording, Simone was all of 19 years old. Amazing.