The Phantom Agony is the first full-length studio album by Dutch

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 symphonic metal

Symphonic metal

Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...

 band Epica

Epica (band)

Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. They are known for their symphonic sound and the use of female vocals and male growls performed by Simone Simons and Mark Jansen, respectively. All six members write...

. It was released in 2003 by the Dutch label Transmission Records. It is the first album recorded by guitarist Mark Jansen

Mark Jansen

Mark Jansen, , is a heavy metal musician.As guitarist, Jansen founded After Forever with Sander Gommans, and was one of the main songwriters since their debut album Prison of Desire. He left After Forever in 2002, and after his departure the band took a new musical direction...

 after his departure from the band After Forever

After Forever

After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...

. On this album, Mark Jansen continues with the collection of songs that make up "The Embrace That Smothers

The Embrace That Smothers

The Embrace That Smothers is the collective title for a series of songs written largely by composer Mark Jansen and with help from Floor Jansen, Sander Gommans, Simone Simons, Ad Sluijter, Coen Janssen, and Yves Huts. The songs are performed by After Forever and Epica and spread out over three...

". The first three parts can be found on Prison of Desire

Prison of Desire

Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers" collection of songs by Mark Jansen...

(2000), After Forever's debut album, and the following three parts can be found on The Divine Conspiracy

The Divine Conspiracy

The Divine Conspiracy is the third full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica as well as their first concept album. It was released on September 7, 2007 through Nuclear Blast in Europe...

(2007), Epica's third album. These songs deal with the dangers of organized religion

Religion

Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...

.

Themes

This album's lyrics are mostly based on events that happened during the writing of the album.

• "Cry for the Moon" is based on the abuse of children by Catholic priests. It has been released as a single
  Cry for the Moon
  "Cry for the Moon" is a symphonic metal song by Epica. It can be found on their debut album, The Phantom Agony.-Track listing:# "Cry for the Moon" - 3:33# "Cry for the Moon" - 6:44# "Run for a Fall" - 4:29...
  
   in 2004
  2004 in music
  See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
  
  .
• "Feint" was written after the murder of Pim Fortuyn
  Pim Fortuyn
  Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn, known as Pim Fortuyn was a Dutch politician, civil servant, sociologist, author and professor who formed his own party, Pim Fortuyn List ....
  
  .
• "Façade of Reality" is based on the September 11, 2001 attacks
  September 11, 2001 attacks
  The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
  
  . It features two fragments from a speech by Tony Blair
  Tony Blair
  Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
  
  .
• "Run for a Fall" expresses Mark's frustrations towards his former band After Forever
  After Forever
  After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
  
  .
• "Seif al Din" is about Islamic fundamentalism
  Islamic fundamentalism
  Islamic fundamentalism is a term used to describe religious ideologies seen as advocating a return to the "fundamentals" of Islam: the Quran and the Sunnah. Definitions of the term vary. According to Christine L...
  
  .

Personnel

Band members

• Simone Simons
  Simone Simons
  Simone Johanna Maria Simons is a Dutch coloratura mezzo-soprano singer who is the lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Epica.-Biography:...
  
   - mezzo-soprano
• Mark Jansen
  Mark Jansen
  Mark Jansen, , is a heavy metal musician.As guitarist, Jansen founded After Forever with Sander Gommans, and was one of the main songwriters since their debut album Prison of Desire. He left After Forever in 2002, and after his departure the band took a new musical direction...
  
   - guitars, grunts, screams, orchestral arrangements
• Ad Sluijter
  Ad Sluijter
  Ad Sluijter is a Dutch guitarist who is mostly known for his work with the Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. He also contributed to other bands like Delain.- Links :* the of his current band, Hangover Hero...
  
   - guitars
• Coen Janssen - synths & piano, orchestral and choir arrangements
• Yves Huts - bass guitar
• Jeroen Simons - drums

Additional musicians

• Olaf Reitmeier - acoustic guitars on "Feint" and "Run for a Fall", engineer
• Annette Berryman - flute on "Run for a Fall"

Epica Orchestra:

• Thomas Glöckner - violin
• Andreas Pfaff - violin
• Tobias Rempe - violin
• Marie-Theres Stumpf - viola
• David Schlage - viola
• Jörn Kellermann - cello
• Cordula Rhode - cello
• Andrè Neygenfind - contrabass

Epica Choir:

• Melvin Edmonsen - bass
• Previn Moore - tenor
• Bridget Fogle - alto
• Cinzia Rizzo - alto
• Annie Goeble - soprano
• Amanda Somerville
  Amanda Somerville
  Amanda Somerville is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach.- Personal life :Somerville was born in Flushing, Michigan, and attended Flushing Senior High School and the University of Michigan in Flint, Michigan...
  
   - soprano, vocal coach

Production

• Sascha Paeth
  Sascha Paeth
  Sascha Paeth is a German guitarist, bassist, musical producer, and mixer known for working with heavy metal bands such as Avantasia, Edguy, Angra, Shaaman, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot, After Forever, Epica, et al...
  
   - producer, engineer, mixing
• Robert Hunecke-Rizzo
  Robert Hunecke-Rizzo
  Robert Hunecke-Rizzo is a German bass player, guitarist and drummer, known for his work with Heavens Gate, Luca Turilli, and Kamelot.He helped to found the supergroup Aina, who released their metal opera Days of Rising Doom in 2003. He was the music composer and played most of the instruments...
  
  - orchestral arrangements
• Hans van Vuuren - executive producer, coordination and research
• Peter van 't Riet - mastering