There’s something about the colour red that just screams attention. And clearly, Simone Simons is aware of this fact too. A marketing campaign for her third single “R.E.D” saw her social media accounts become awash with the hue (and little else) – a stunt so clever it even prompted some fans to initially believe they were experiencing a glitch on the platform. However, if the goal was to make her followers see red, the music on her debut solo album, “Vermillion”, which came out on August 23rd, 2024 via Nuclear Blast records, is guaranteed to trigger the opposite emotional effect. For despite the approach of some of her peers in the symphonic metal industry, this solo offering does not stray far from the artist’s established roots – and certainly never delves into the realm of mainstream pop.
That statement should be enough to convince you to hear the album. But more so, Simons has a storied career in this business for a reason, and her mere attachment to a particular project is often enough on its own to elevate it. The same words could also be used in the case of Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One), who acts as the other major piece of this album’s puzzle. These two megastars have produced music together countless times before, and that existing chemistry and familiarity is easily audible on “Vermillion” as well.
The key difference this time is that Simons is positioned in the creative driving seat as well. And she proves herself to be as equally adept as her progressive counterpart, as she crafts the exceptional lyrics of each of the songs on the album, in cooperation with Lori Linstruth (Stream of Passion, Guilt Machine). But her primary gift to listeners is still her otherworldly singing abilities, which have only got better with time. This preternatural quality allows for a perfect symbiosis with the sci-fi splendour of opening track, “Aeterna“, an epic introduction to the album that explores a supernova event from the perspective of a star, while touching on the interconnectedness of all things in our universe. Fans of both Epica and Ayreon will undoubtedly feel right at home with this one. Additionally, it would be remiss not to at least mention the spectacularly directed music video by Patric Ullaeus (see below).
If the opening number represented a conflict between the styles of their respective bands, then the next song, “In Love We Rust”, might trace Ayreon emerging as the declared victor. This electronic ballad sounds right out of Arjen’s songbook, and would not feel out of place in one of his space-operas. The only star you need worry yourself about in this track though is Simons herself, who outshines even the brightest of suns with her burning vocals. While “Cradle To The Grave” raises the temperature even more, enlisting Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy, ex-The Agonist) for both growling duty and those distinctive cleans; also sounding particularly gruff during the harsher transitions in the composition. As if aware of the need to cool things down afterwards, Simons takes listeners on a calmer voyage with “Fight or Flight“. At least musically, as the lyrics still paint a somewhat different perspective.
Fight or flight, I’m cast in stone
Simone Simons – Fight or Flight
My heart is racing, I’m blood and bone
Fight or flight, rise up or fall
Embrace the danger, or lose, lose it all
The multilingual and deeply introspective “The Weight of My World” is up next on the list, and its mass is certainly felt as it comes stomping out of the speakers with its “hammer and tongs” industrial metal beat (a la Rammstein). But beneath this confident veneer lies plenty of insecurity, with Simons perhaps providing her biggest hint yet of the pressure of expectation and striking out on your own: “Time rolls on, and years go by // Will I ever dare to spread my wings and fly“. It’s hard not to comprehend these thoughts. You could argue after all that this album has been decades in the making. The fact we are now all bearing witness to it, means this question has already been answered of course. And Simons not only proves that she can fly on “Vermillion“, but that she can rise and soar to new heights. Perhaps on cue, her vocals take flight again, building to an epic crescendo on “Vermillion Dreams“. The final tracks on the album are no less exhilarating. As Simons is reunited with Epica bandmate Mark Jansen, who provides his signature growls throughout the turbulent tempo of “The Core“, and the air-punching chorus lines of the hit-single “R.E.D.“.
Wedged between these two juggernaut tracks is the more modest, synth-laden “Dystopia“, which seemingly sounds the alarm bell of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), and its willingness to take over from humans as world leaders fail and our society declines. Bringing this release to a close is “Dark Night of the Soul“, the only song that has been wholly written by Simone Simons. As such, it feels like the most personal track, with only some strings and a simple piano accompaniment serving as the backdrop to her enchanting voice. It’s a fitting end to the proceedings, but it also highlights perhaps the biggest problem with this album, in that it does not fully encapsulate her own identity. There is still much DNA belonging to another artist, and while I cannot argue with the final product, it does not feel like a “solo” project in the truest sense. Hopefully next time she will bring more of herself to bear, without needing quite as much outside support.
Verdict: While the packaging and presentation of “Vermillion” might stir up some feelings of danger and excitement, Simone Simons actually plays it relatively safe in her first solo affair – leaning heavily on the input of Arjen Lucassen. Yet the release provides precisely what fans would be expecting from a collaboration between these two legendary musical figures, and does not betray the goodwill of either fanbase, and for those reasons alone it should be considered a monumental victory.
