Vocalist Simone Simons and guitarist Isaac Delahaye of Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA will be conducting a YouTube live fan chat from New York City next Tuesday, April 8th at 12:15 PM, PST / 3:15 PM, EST / 9:15 CEST.

Fans can submit their questions in advance via Twitter using #AskEpica or via the Epica Facebook page here.

Vintage Vinyl Records in Fords, New Jersey will be hosting Simone and Isaac for an in-store acoustic performance and signing session on Monday, April 7th at 7 PM.

The acoustic set will include selections from The Quantum Enigma, Epica’s upcoming sixth studio album due out in North America on May 6th. Fans who pre-order it from Vintage Vinyl in-person or online at VVinyl.com will receive a wristband for the event. Read event details are here.

Epica have released a lyric video for ‘The Essence Of Silence,’ a track off The Quantum Enigma, due out in Europe on May 2nd, in the UK on May 5th, and on May 6th in North America via Nuclear Blast.

'The Essence Of Silence' is now available via iTunes and Amazon (using the widget at the bottom of the page).

A release show for The Quantum Enigma has been announced for April 30th in Tilburg, The Netherlands at Poppodium. INSOMNIUM are on the bill as special guests.

Tickets and special bundles are available at this location.

Where the 2013 Retrospect performance reflected on a decade as one of the leading bands in the symphonic metal scene, The Quantum Enigma marks the beginning of a new Epica: modern, heavy, and without compromises.

"More than any of our previous albums, this album is a group effort. The only goal we had in mind: creating the album that could lift EPICA up to the next level."

Together with upcoming producer Joost van den Broek, the sextet worked on The Quantum Enigma at the Sandlane Recording Facilities in the Netherlands. The album has been mixed by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, HATESHPERE). "Every detail finds its way into a perfectly balanced mix, and makes EPICA sound raw and overwhelming.”

The album will be released in five different configurations:

- regular Jewel Case
- 2CD Digipack
- 3CD Earbook
- double Vinyl
- Digital Download

Tracklisting:

'Originem'

'The Second Stone'

'The Essence Of Silence'

'Victims Of Contingency'

'Sense Without Sanity (The Impervious Code)'

'Unchain Utopia'

'The Fifth Guardian' (Interlude)

'Chemical Insomnia'

'Reverence (Living In The Heart)'

'Omen (The Ghoulish Malady)'

'Canvas Of Life'

'Natural Corruption'

'The Quantum Enigma (Kingdom Of Heaven Part II)'

Digipack additional track: 'In All Conscience'

Earbook additional track: 'Dreamscape'

Vinyl additional track: 'Memento'

iTunes additional track: 'Banish Your Illusion'

Disc 2 (Digipack and Earbook only):

'Canvas Of Life' (acoustic version)

'In All Conscience' (acoustic version)

'Dreamscape' (acoustic version)

'Natural Corruption' (acoustic version)

Disc 3 (Earbook Only):

'Originem' (instrumental)

'The Second Stone' (instrumental)

'The Essence Of Silence' (instrumental)

'Victims Of Contingency' (instrumental)

'Sense Without Sanity' (instrumental)

'Unchain Utopia' (instrumental)

'The Fifth Guardian' (instrumental)

'Chemical Insomnia' (instrumental)

'Reverence' (instrumental)

'Omen' (instrumental)

'Canvas Of Life' (instrumental)

'Natural Corruption' (instrumental)

'The Quantum Enigma' (instrumental)

Epica have launched the second episode of their studio documentary, which gives a behind the scenes look at the recording process of The Quantum Enigma. It also previews the first music from the upcoming album. Watch both parts below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Check out Epica live on the following dates:

April

30 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013

May

4 - Istanbul, Turkey- Headbanger’s Weekend

June

14 - Nickelsdorf, Austria - Novarock

July

10 - Vizovice, Czech Republic - Masters of Rock
12 - Wegorzewo, Poland - Seven Festival

August

8 - Vagos, Portugal - Vagos Open Air