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| Divine Conspiracy | 
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| Artist: Epica
Label: Nuclear Blast Americ
Category: Music
List Price: $15.98
Buy New: $9.98
You Save: $6.00 (38%)
New (43) Used (10) Collectible (1) from $8.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  36 reviews
Sales Rank: 6981
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 11956
UPC: 727361195625
EAN: 0727361195625
ASIN: B000TGQDZQ
Release Date: August 28, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: EPICA - The Divine Conspiracy (ltd. ed. digi) | BRAND NEW
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| Customer Reviews:
 So long Gothic Metal Hello Symphonic black prog metal August 31, 2007
9 out of 14 found this review helpful
Epica took the best of TPA and the best of CtO. The Black Metal parts come in from Mark and drums. The Symphonic parts come from Simone and choir. The Prog parts well just listen to the songs.
Epica has really found there sound here and it's not simple Gothic metal oh no it's beyond what you would find in Gothic Metal bands. They took a big risk here with this CD and in my view it has paid off big time. They can no longer be place in the the same catagore as Within Temptation, Sirenia, and other bands like them. Gone are in of the ways to make them seem like Evanescence.
Just any exmpale of how different they are from those other bands listen to Death of a Dream. They asked Sander Gommans to help out with this song. He had Mark go right to the heart of Black and Death Metal. Sander using the Death grunts Mark using the Black metal screams. If not for Simone and the chior this would have be falt out Black/Death Metal. Yeah it's that heavy.
Then there is there 14 minute long song The Divine Conspiracy. It's very different for Epica because it changes so many times in the song and not something you would really ever see out side of Prog metal. The only other femme metal band that will have a song this long is Nightwish.
So if you want a band that is playing by there rules pick up Epica's Divine Conspiarcy.
Stunning Symphonic Metal Perfection August 30, 2007
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
The first time I heard this album, I was completely blown away. The second, third, and now tenth time I have heard this album, I'm still blown away. This is symphonic rock/metal taken to astronomical heights, complete with superbly composed music, incredible production quality, and what is now one of the most gorgeous, refined voices in the genre. Simone Simons sings like a siren on this CD, and your jaw will be dropped by how good she sounds. There are also grunts performed by Mark Jansen, which are entirely effective and add that special edge to the music. The chorus is spectacular, as is the orchestra, here utilized to perfection. The whole album clocks at a healthy 75 minutes, and not a second is wasted.
1. Indigo (5/5) The best introduction Epica has ever done. A haunting, strings-driven choral piece, it perfectly sets up the tone for the rest of the album.
2. The Obsessive Devotion (5/5) This one plain-old rocks. Grunts and guitars drive it for an adrenaline-packed seven minutes, and Simone is heard for the first time. And boy, does she sound good.
3. Menace Of Vanity (4/5) A little generic and a bit similar to the previous track, but it's still quite good.
4. Chasing the Dragon (6/5) I think this might be my favorite. It maintains a spellbinding beauty for all of its seven and a half minutes, and you never do want it to end. Simone has never sounded better than she does here, with a huge range of the utmost purity and sweetness in her voice. The climax here also rocks, just for the record.
5. Never Enough (4.5/5) The first single off of the album (and if you want to check out the video, make sure that you see the vastly superior extended version). Though it's probably the most commercial song here, it lacks not in quality or catchiness. A passionately sung, vengeful piece of music, it features some fantastic Arabic flourishes and a concluding note by Simone that packs more power than a steamroller.
6. La'fetach Chataz Rovetz (4.5/5) A rare instrumental piece, and quite a nice break. It is tranquil yet engaging, exotic yet very pleasing to hear.
7. Death of a Dream (5/5) A harrowing, ferociously beautiful song. And surprise surprise, Simone sounds incredible.
8. Living a Lie (5/5) Another great one, featuring Latin and Gregorian-sounding chanting to add to the effect.
9. Fools of Damnation (6/5) I don't think Epica songs get better than this song. It's incredible, with savage grunts, heavy Arabic influences, some wicked cool organ playing, and blindingly captivating singing.
10. Beyond Belief (4.5/5) Some particularly good singing and guitar here, though the voices in the middle are a tad out of place.
11. Safeguard To Paradise (5/5) A lovely ballad, almost dripping with the beauty of Simone pouring her heart out against the strings section.
12. Sancta Terra (5/5) More Arabic influences here, with exceptional harmonies between Simone and the choir (and the men in the choir sound especially good).
13. The Divine Conspiracy (5.5/5) The title song puts the "epic" in "Epica." Yes, it's 14 minutes, which might be a little daunting, but how could it claim to be epic if it wasn't? An orchestral intro and outro frame this masterpiece, which itself is everything you could ever hope for. I'll leave it at that.
If you want to buy this CD just because Simone is au naturel on the cover, go right ahead. But I promise that you will be in for much more of a treat than just that.
 Still trying to like this album.... October 3, 2007
8 out of 12 found this review helpful
Wow...I hate to be the only naysayer in the group, but....
Production-wise, I found this album to be top-notch. The orchestrations were done very well. However, I found the majority of the songs on this album to be....well....forgettable. None of the songs really stood out to me like they did on Epica's "Consigned To Oblivion" album.
As for Simone Simons' beautiful voice...the more I hear it, the more I become convinced that she's in the wrong band. The songwriting just doesn't utilize Ms. Simons' amazing vocals enough, in my opinion. It's almost as if the band is competing with itself. While I appreciate growly vocals as much as the next sweaty headbanger, they just turned me off on this album.
All in all, I just did not find this album as memorable and accessible as their previous offering. I hope their next is better.
Why? WHY? WHY!!!? November 18, 2007
7 out of 13 found this review helpful
Does anyone actually LIKE death growls? Is this some sort of male domination thing? I mean, Epica has one of the most beautiful voices in all of rock to front them, and anyone with any sense would give the microphone to her and let her rip! Death growls always sound the same.
Figure it out, Epica! Geez.
 Very Unique December 4, 2007
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
Ok, I admit it, Epica (or at least some Epica) takes a lot of patience to get used to. I absolutely hated Epica upon my first encounter with "The Phantom Agony." I was turned off this album by the same thing (too many overpowering male grunts and growlings) but some really good riffs in which Simone sings caught my attention long enough for me to give the album several listens. Needless to say, I'm now a very avid Epica fan.
Yes, I still do fault Epica for too much male grunting (especially in "The Obsessive Devotion" which could otherwise be an absolutely amazing song), thus the 4/5 instead of 5/5 which they are certainly capable of achieving but I think that a patient listener can definitely learn to ignore some of it and really find the gems in this album. Epica is definitely heading towards being one of the divas of symphonic metal/rock (along with Nightwish, and Within Temptation) and it's certainly one of the heavier female-fronted ones.
Simone Simons, of course, is about 80% of what makes Epica good. She's not just gorgeous but she has a very strong and beautiful voice. I would compare it most closely to Tarja's, the ex-Nightwish singer, because Simone has a classical-type voice but she has far more subtlety than Tarja.
Run through of the songs:
1. Indigo - 3.5/5 Intro song. Good intro - very slow, lots of chorus.
2. The Obsessive Devotion - 3.5/5 Simone's opening vocals and so incredibly hauntingly chilling that I was entranced by this song at once. It is ruined by practically five straight minutes of male grunts after that.
3. Menace of Vanity - 3/5 One of the heaviest songs. Lots of male grunts. I'm not a huge fan of this one.
4. Chasing the Dragon - 2.5/5 An incredibly boring ballad. Epica's not very good with ballads, in general.
5. Never Enough - 5/5 Epica takes their own style and mixes it with a slightly more mainstream sound (think new Nightwish) and the result is amazing. Simone shines in this one.
6. La-Fetach Chataz Rovetz (The Final Embrace) - 4/5 A slower interlude song that, nonetheless, has a beautiful melody.
7. Death of a Dream (the Embrace that Smothers part VII) - 3.5/5 Again, there's a great female riff in the midst of grunts and death choruses. Which they would have played upon it more.
8. Living a Lie (the Embrace that Smothers part VIII) - 4/5 Ok, it's both heavy and sort of slow but I like it. Simone dominates it enough.
9. Fools of Damnation (the Embrace that Smothers part IX) - 5/5 Yes, it has grunts but I tend to ignore them because this song is just so good. Has an Indian sound to the beginning.
10. Beyond Belief - 5/5 Full of choir bits and it's heavy enough without resorting to growling and grunting. Slow verse that moves into a fast-paced chorus.
11. Safeguard to Paradise - 4/5 It's actually a fairly decent ballad. No, it doesn't compare to "Solitary Ground" from Consign to Oblivion but it's fun to listen to.
12. Sancta Terra - 6/5 Without doubt, my favorite song on the album. It's catchy, haunting, unique, and Simone absolutely shines.
13. The Divine Conspiracy - 4.5/5 There's no doubt that it's too long at nearly 14 minutes but it's a great song full of two catchy heavy choir riffs. You just have to get about two minutes into it to get it's wealth and towards the end it just starts to get boringly long.
Epica certainly has room to improve but for now, they certainly shine with their own style.
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