Epica: The Divine Conspiracy

I know what you're going to ask. Why is this review coming out at the end of 2008 when the album was released more than a year ago?

I'll tell you why.

Because it seems that very few people here are fans of a band like Epica, or bands in the same genre. That's a pity, Epica being one of the best gothic metal bands of today.

At first playing under the name Sahara Dust, Epica changed it's name and, since it's formation in 2003, has released three successful albums, the latest of which I will review below.

I first learned of Epica sometime in the spring of 2008, just after I first got into the genre of gothic metal. I must say I fell in love instantly.

Epica has a style quite different from that of its predecessors in the genre, but at the same time takes a lot of influence from them. Using the signature professional orchestras and choirs to achieve the desired effect of being absolutely epic (hence the name, one may argue), Epica delivers their best album yet: The Divine Conspiracy.

On this album, we see the band improve upon their previous release, Consigned to Oblivion. Lead singer Simone Simmons (a gorgeous red-head who has won my eternal affection) sings better than we have ever heard before. No longer does she sing in a mainly classical, operatic style, but this time experiments with different styles of singing and uses her voice in different ways.

After a short intro track, the album opens with a song called "The Obsessive Devotion". Here, Simone sings her enchanting tunes, backed by the death grunts of band member Mark Jansen. It is a good balance between the two, a classic Beauty and the Beast style. In the backgroung, the chorus and orchestras give an epic performance, as do the other band members with their respective instruments.

The next track, Menace of Vanity is more or less the same, beggining with the orchestra and death grunts by Mark Jansen followed by Simone leading the chorus in singing:

We don't care what you say
We'll never join the games you play
We won't bleed for all your sins
We never followed your way now so
We don't care anymore
How you’ll perform your last encore

So, after the first two tracks, we hear the enchanting melody of "Chasing the Dragon". The song begins slow with Simone singing in a different style from the previous two tracks. The song remains this way, soft and slow, for the majority of it's duration. At the end however, the tempo increases, Jansen jumps in with his grunting, and the song ends with an uptempo beat, leaving you wanting more.

And more comes. The next song, "Never Enough", is a more radio friendly song. It's not the typical Epica track, being more along the lines of commercial gothic metal, but it's a great song nevertheless. Just the right amount of heaviness, and just the right amount of everything else makes this song one of my favorite Epica songs. It's also quite catchy, and the only track off this album with an accompanying music video.

After "Never Enough", the album takes a turn in a different direction. While the lyrics of the first four songs focused on a love gone wrong, the lyrics of these next few focus on human flaws and how they will affect our futre, a cocept created by Mark Jansen stretching back to Epica's debut album and even way back into the days of his playing with the popular gothic metal band After Forever.

On these tracks, "Death of a Dream", "Living a Lie", "Fools of Damnation", and "Beyond Belief", we see the typical Epica we've come to love as the band takes the step backwards (not in a bad way) toward the styles we've seen on their previous albums. However, the quality of these songs far outstrips those on previous albums, and are overall better songs than their predecessors on "The Phantom Agony" and "Consigned to Oblivion".

The third part of this album beings with a soft ballad called "Safeguard to Paradise". Simone's voice is as beautiful as ever on this track and, although a bit boring compared to the rest of the album, it is a good song. It's followed by "Sancta Terra", an energetic peice about the security of the sacred ground inside one's mind.

The album ends with the 14 minute monster of a song (in a good way), the title track "The Divine Conspiracy". It's an absolutely Epic piece that successfully sums up the entire album.

Overall, Epica has come out with an excellent album, complete with amazing singing, epic orchestras, and haunting latin chanting. The band does an excelent job of playing, composing, and everything else that's involved in making an album. The production quality is great, and this album has quickly become one of my all time favorites. I recommend it to anyone wishing to indulge in this masterpiece, old or new to Epica or even the genre of gothic metal. Granted, "The Divine Conspiracy" may not be everyone's sweet, tasty, desert, but hopefully most of you can enjoy a delicious bite.

"Never Enough" music video

Epica official site