Blazing lights, epic guitar and keyboard solos, and spine-tingling high notes, accompanied by an audience that seems to have stepped through a ring of time—if a tour could be captured in a single sentence, this would come close. The Arcane Dimensions Tour made one of its stops in Prague at Fórum Karlín, and anyone expecting anything less than an epic evening from performers at the top of their field was quickly proven wrong.
The symphonic metal mastery of the Netherlands’ Epica, Sweden’s melodic metal powerhouse Amaranthe, and the intimate yet powerful presence of Charlotte Wessels made for a lineup that felt almost too good to be true. You could call it a match made in heaven — or simply box office gold. With two bands fully capable of headlining in their own right, Epica and Amaranthe once again proved that years of consistently high-quality music and performances worthy of a theatrical production truly pay off.
At first glance, the evening began like any other concert night. And yet, stepping into Fórum Karlín felt strangely like walking through a portal in time. Epica has built an exceptionally loyal fanbase over decades of hard work, and there is no doubt about that. Those once-young girls with long black hair, corsets, floor-length black skirts, and lace gloves delicately wrapped around their hands were there once again — only slightly older, perhaps wiser, but still carrying the same spark in their eyes as they watched their favourite band take the stage.
Charlotte Wessels, the Dutch singer-songwriter and former Delain frontwoman, opened the evening by showing just how confidently she has grown into her solo path with her latest release, The Obsession. Despite some minor sound issues —
most noticeably the slightly unbalanced drums — her set began with the nostalgic and dreamy “Chasing Sunsets”, one of the singles from the new record. Her poetic and emotionally rich aesthetic works remarkably well alongside heavier themes such as fear or inner chaos. Yet there was no chaos on stage: Wessels delivered an emotional and captivating performance that felt completely true to her own brand.
After Charlotte’s ethereal performance, the stage transformed completely with Amaranthe, offering a different kind of epic. Their powerful voices filled Fórum Karlín to the very rafters, moving effortlessly from Elize Ryd’s delicate yet powerful tone, to the clean, melodic male vocals of Nils Molin, and down to Mikael Sehlin’s deep guttural growls. The band’s last album, The Catalyst, felt fully realized in this live setting — a tightly coordinated display of energy and precision. And it wasn’t just the band giving energy; the crowd returned it in full, making the room vibrate with every note. Prague seemed determined to show that it could be even louder than Budapest.
Closing their set with one of their standout tracks, “Drop Dead Cynical”, Amaranthe delivered their signature mix of melodic metal, heavy riffs, and pop-infused hooks, keeping the audience hooked right until the evening’s final headliner: Epica. And this was the moment everyone had been waiting for. Epica is known for their theatre-like performances, dramatic, carefully crafted lighting, and music that feels like a balm to the ears — and on this night, they left nothing behind. From the very start, they asked the crowd to put their phones away and simply immerse themselves in the evening, and it was easy to see why.
Simone Simons appeared in the center of the stage, draped in black lace, as the first notes of “Apparition” filled the air with an atmospheric, almost haunting mood. Her voice moved effortlessly between ethereal softness and full-bodied power, perfectly serving the storytelling in every song. After “Never Enough”, a single from one of their key early albums, The Divine Conspiracy, three beautiful sirens came to the stage to tell the story of sisters and blood ties in “Sirens – Of Blood and Water”. Their harmonies were enchanting, sending shivers through the audience and showing exactly why these three acts — Epica, Amaranthe, and Charlotte Wessels — complement each other so well. Each performer brought a distinct voice and presence to the evening, combining into an unmistakably beautiful, immersive experience.
During several songs, we got to witness the keyboard mastery of Coen Janssen, who even tried a few times to get the audience moving into a mosh pit. Aside from a small three-person attempt, it didn’t really take off — not for lack of energy, but simply because the fanbase, though large and devoted, has definitely grown older. It was another reminder that stepping into this concert felt a little like stepping through a portal in time.
Still, that didn’t stop anyone from having an absolute blast from start to finish, with the band making every fan feel like part of one big family. With “Beyond the Matrix”, we transcended limits, were carried into a higher state of being, and waved goodbye to the band — and one of the final stops of The Arcane Dimensions Tour. It was a night truly worth remembering, with symphonic high notes echoing in our ears long after the final chord. So until next time — and here’s hoping for an even more epic(a) setup, if that’s even possible.
Review by Zuzana Tomkova, photos by Ivana Niwy Kovacova
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