The Divine Conspiracy

The Divine Conspiracy is Epica's third album, on which they bundled orchestra, choir and heavy riffs into a grand narrative to expand their expressive range. Containing parts seven through nine of the suite "The Embrace That Smothers," it here completes the long narrative that began on the debut. Their first album on Nuclear Blast, it is also the last to feature guitarist Ad Sluijter. Stepping into a heavier direction than the previous two albums, Simone Simons's singing also gradually broadened from an operatic approach. Death-metal-derived elements are also pushed further to the fore. The title epic, over 13 minutes, is an ambitious suite spanning multiple developments. From the drive of the opener "The Obsessive Devotion" to the single "Never Enough" and "Fools of Damnation," which weaves in Middle Eastern melodies, varied songs line up. Grand construction, boldly using orchestra and choir, runs throughout. A powerful record that further widened the band's scale and ambition. Under Sascha Paeth's production, it crystallized into a meticulously crafted large-scale work.