We are currently recording pianos and Isaac is recording the solos. Early next week we'll start recording the orchestral parts: the strings and brass. Drums, bass and rhythm guitars have been recorded already so we are on schedule!

No, but that doesn't mean that it won't happen for sure. We always look what's needed or missing on a song and if there's a certain voice missing we will contact the singer and ask if he or she can sing on that song.

Yes but I cannot go too much into detail about that yet. What I can say is that it's a continuation of the Quantum Enigma. Where that album ends the new one continues. Therefor I see both albums as brother and sister.

For the first time we record real brass on a studio album. This will enrich the sound. Also the pre-production process was more intense than before. We tried to lift everything up to a next level.

I've learned that it's extremely important to keep innovating yourself and your music without losing your basic elements. For example: we can still play songs from our first album in a setlist today and they don't sound out of place. But when you play the first album and right after you play the Quantum Enigma (album) than you hear the big evolution we've been going through. Also the new band members always have their space to add their ideas to Epica's music and this did enrich our sound as well.

The most important thing is to let your bandmates be who they are. Everybody has a unique character and you need to respect each other for that. This is the only way to make it possible to be on the road with each other for so long.

I'm very much excited as it's only the second time we come to Australia and the very first time to come to New Zealand. I personally fly in 2 days before the show to be able to see some things around Auckland. I love to travel but hate to fly. So when I arrive a few days before it gives me the opportunity to go out for sightseeing.

My visit to Rottnest close to Perth, that's a beautiful island with a unique animal that looks a bit like a beaver haha. I had a great time there. Rented a bike and cycled all over the island, stayed in a beautiful bay, swam in the sea, etcetera. I remember also the fantastic crowds we had at each of the shows. Very much into the music and welcoming us like old friends.

We have 2.5 hours of music we studied where we can chose from to make a setlist. As some guys are currently in the studio we have to pick from the pool of songs. Our setlist will always be a bit different from our previous setlist and as we never played in NZ before, any song we play will be the first time ever in NZ… For sure we will play songs from every album and sometimes we also put a choice for the crowd in the set.

No, we won't play any new tracks. First of all as we want to keep them secret for a little longer and when the album is done we can start focusing on integrating new songs in the setlist.

I like to meet people, ride my bike in unfamiliar places and play the shows and share the energy with the crowd. What I like least is flying in an airplane, not because I am afraid of it but because it's very boring.

We write wherever we can and whenever there's inspiration. At this moment we're fully focused on the new album so not yet writing any new songs for a future album.

Yes there will be even two editions. One in the Netherlands and one in Brazil, around the release of our new album. The first edition was a success so that made it possible to continue the festival.

We made a big selection of bands we would like to have on the festival and some others were touring around that time so we could present a strong line up. Sepultura we added last minute as it was offered to us and that was an offer we couldn't refuse. It was beyond our budget but it's a great band so we took the risk and I'm happy we did it. They played an awesome show.

It might sound pretentious but I don't mean it like that, there are so many that it's hard to chose but if I have to name a few. Our first south American tour where we got welcomed like the Beatles such massive fan response, awesome. L'Olympia in Paris sold out, one of the biggest and most famous venues of Europe. Paradiso NL sold out, when we had to rent the place ourselves as the local Promotors thought Epica wasn't the right act for Amsterdam. Retrospect DVD and show with orchestra. The Classical Conspiracy show in Hungary with a full orchestra.

I met during the years many musicians that I respect a lot. I've had only two idols when I was a kid and those were Jim Morrison and Slash. Jim I won't meet anymore and Slash I've never met yet. Slash would be the only musician in the world that I would ask to take a fan picture with, hahaha.

I would start a metal project with Rachmaninov, I'm sure his classical music would fit very well to metal.

Definitely, try to do what you like the most and don't listen to what others tell you to do. They are all wrong if it isn't exactly what you want to do yourself.

Thank you for your time and efforts as well! I hope to see you on the tour.