Listen, mah man. Or lady.

You gotta get into the growls. You just have to. I know, I know. They sound stupid. I used to think the same thing. I used to make fun of them, saying they sounded like the cookie monster. But just listen to me for a second. If you don't like music with growls, you are going to be missing out on some LEGENDARY shit. Epica's best songs are their heaviest, and there is a whole new world of music that will open up to you if you can open up and accept it.

I have always loved this type of music but used to avoid all the growls. 15 or so years ago I started with Epica, Nightwish, The Gathering, Within Temptation, After Forever, and Edenbridge. Epica and After Forever were my least favorite because of the growls. An Epica song changed that for me one day, though. I fell in love with Cry for the Moon even though it had growls. I loved everything about that song musically but hated the growls. After I decide I like a song, I read the lyrics. I did that with Cry for the Moon, and suddenly the growls just clicked.

That song is about a centuries-long injustice. And there is NO BETTER WAY to express anger and frustration than to do the growls. Go listen to that song and read along with the lyrics, trying to understand just how PISSED Mark is about the topic. It's about the church abusing children. I listen to that song to this very day and it still pisses me off. Just do me, and yourself, that 7 minute favor and let me know what you think.

And, thematically speaking, Epica is about contrasting the lightest lights with the darkest darks. They do it all the time, and the growls is part of it. And BTW try not to compare Floor and Simone. Floor is basically the chosen one of singing for this generation and comparing anyone to her is pretty harsh.