The Divine Conspiracy
Encyclopedia
The Divine Conspiracy is the third full-length studio album by Dutch
symphonic metal
band Epica
as well as their first concept album
. It was released on September 7, 2007 through Nuclear Blast
in Europe. The concept that guides the songs is that God created many different religions for humanity to figure out and overcome them so as to discover that, in nature and essence, they were all in fact the same one (hence the name, "The Divine Conspiracy"). Aside from the concept of such a conspiracy, The Divine Conspiracy finalizes The Embrace That Smothers
, which began in After Forever
's Prison of Desire
(Prologue and parts I-III) and continued in Epica
's The Phantom Agony
(parts IV-VI). In short, The Embrace That Smothers is a collection of 10 songs (Prologue and parts I-IX), which talks about the dangers of organized religion.
In The Divine Conspiracy, Mark Jansen
gives some room for new themes in the lyrics, moving away from The Embrace That Smothers
. For example, "Beyond Belief" centers around the dispute between science and religion, but at the same time it does not attack either side. The following track, "Safeguard to Paradise" deals with the methods of convincing suicide bombers, a sharp contrast to the slow and soft music.
Following the departure of drummer Jeroen Simons in 2006, the album features a session appearance by God Dethroned
drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek
, who later became a full-time member of the band. The album also features a guest performance of After Forever
's guitarist and singer Sander Gommans
, who contributed grunt vocals for the song "Death of a Dream." The European digipak
version of the album contains a cover of Fear Factory
's "Replica".
"La‘petach Chatat Rovetz" ("לפתח חטאת רובץ") is an expression in Hebrew. It means that sin lurks and awaits for a chance to strike and affect.
The album was the first to reach the Top 10 Dutch charts, reaching the No.9. The following album, Design Your Universe
, reached No.8, being the highest position that an Epica's album ever reached.
Epica Choir
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
symphonic metal
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
band Epica
Epica (band)
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. They are known for their symphonic sound and the use of female vocals and male growls performed by Simone Simons and Mark Jansen, respectively. All six members write...
as well as their first concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
. It was released on September 7, 2007 through Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
in Europe. The concept that guides the songs is that God created many different religions for humanity to figure out and overcome them so as to discover that, in nature and essence, they were all in fact the same one (hence the name, "The Divine Conspiracy"). Aside from the concept of such a conspiracy, The Divine Conspiracy finalizes The Embrace That Smothers
The Embrace That Smothers
The Embrace That Smothers is the collective title for a series of songs written largely by composer Mark Jansen and with help from Floor Jansen, Sander Gommans, Simone Simons, Ad Sluijter, Coen Janssen, and Yves Huts. The songs are performed by After Forever and Epica and spread out over three...
, which began in After Forever
After Forever
After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
's Prison of Desire
Prison of Desire
Prison of Desire is the debut album by Dutch symphonic metal band After Forever. It was released in 2000 in Europe. The album contains the first four installments of "The Embrace That Smothers" collection of songs by Mark Jansen...
(Prologue and parts I-III) and continued in Epica
Epica (band)
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen subsequent to his departure from After Forever. They are known for their symphonic sound and the use of female vocals and male growls performed by Simone Simons and Mark Jansen, respectively. All six members write...
's The Phantom Agony
The Phantom Agony
The Phantom Agony is the first full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. It was released in 2003 by the Dutch label Transmission Records. It is the first album recorded by guitarist Mark Jansen after his departure from the band After Forever. On this album, Mark Jansen continues...
(parts IV-VI). In short, The Embrace That Smothers is a collection of 10 songs (Prologue and parts I-IX), which talks about the dangers of organized religion.
In The Divine Conspiracy, Mark Jansen
Mark Jansen
Mark Jansen, , is a heavy metal musician.As guitarist, Jansen founded After Forever with Sander Gommans, and was one of the main songwriters since their debut album Prison of Desire. He left After Forever in 2002, and after his departure the band took a new musical direction...
gives some room for new themes in the lyrics, moving away from The Embrace That Smothers
The Embrace That Smothers
The Embrace That Smothers is the collective title for a series of songs written largely by composer Mark Jansen and with help from Floor Jansen, Sander Gommans, Simone Simons, Ad Sluijter, Coen Janssen, and Yves Huts. The songs are performed by After Forever and Epica and spread out over three...
. For example, "Beyond Belief" centers around the dispute between science and religion, but at the same time it does not attack either side. The following track, "Safeguard to Paradise" deals with the methods of convincing suicide bombers, a sharp contrast to the slow and soft music.
Following the departure of drummer Jeroen Simons in 2006, the album features a session appearance by God Dethroned
God Dethroned
-Biography:God Dethroned was formed in 1991 by singer and guitar player Henri Sattler, with Hans Leegstra and Ard de Weerd. Sattler and Leegstra had previously been in Dysentery; Leegstra, quickly after the band formed, left the music scene altogether. They recorded a demo, Christ Hunt, in 1991,...
drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek
Ariën Van Weesenbeek
Ariën van Weesenbeek is the drummer for the Dutch death metal band God Dethroned.Ariën started as a 3 year old smashing furniture with spoons and forks before discovering his dad's drum kit....
, who later became a full-time member of the band. The album also features a guest performance of After Forever
After Forever
After Forever was a Dutch symphonic metal band with strong progressive metal influences. The band relied on the use of both soprano vocals and death grunts. In February 2009, it was announced that After Forever had disbanded.-Biography:...
's guitarist and singer Sander Gommans
Sander Gommans
Sander Gommans is a Dutch musician. He founded the symphonic metal band Apocalypse with Mark Jansen in 1995, which later changed its name to After Forever. He played guitar and did the grunting parts in the band...
, who contributed grunt vocals for the song "Death of a Dream." The European digipak
Digipak
Digipak is a patented style of CD, DVD or BD packaging, and is a registered trademark of AGI World Ltd., an Atlas Holdings company.-Features:...
version of the album contains a cover of Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
's "Replica".
"La‘petach Chatat Rovetz" ("לפתח חטאת רובץ") is an expression in Hebrew. It means that sin lurks and awaits for a chance to strike and affect.
The album was the first to reach the Top 10 Dutch charts, reaching the No.9. The following album, Design Your Universe
Design Your Universe
Design Your Universe is the fourth full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. It was released on October 16, 2009.-Pre-release and production:The band entered Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany on March 2, 2009....
, reached No.8, being the highest position that an Epica's album ever reached.
Band members
- Simone SimonsSimone SimonsSimone Johanna Maria Simons is a Dutch coloratura mezzo-soprano singer who is the lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Epica.-Biography:...
- mezzo-soprano - Mark JansenMark JansenMark Jansen, , is a heavy metal musician.As guitarist, Jansen founded After Forever with Sander Gommans, and was one of the main songwriters since their debut album Prison of Desire. He left After Forever in 2002, and after his departure the band took a new musical direction...
- rhythm guitars, grunts, orchestral arrangements - Ad SluijterAd SluijterAd Sluijter is a Dutch guitarist who is mostly known for his work with the Dutch symphonic metal band Epica. He also contributed to other bands like Delain.- Links :* the of his current band, Hangover Hero...
- lead guitars, engineer, editor - Coen Janssen - piano, synths, choir arrangements, baritone vocals on "Beyond Belief"
- Yves Huts - bass guitar, orchestral arrangements
Additional musicians
- Ariën Van WeesenbeekAriën Van WeesenbeekAriën van Weesenbeek is the drummer for the Dutch death metal band God Dethroned.Ariën started as a 3 year old smashing furniture with spoons and forks before discovering his dad's drum kit....
- drums - Sander GommansSander GommansSander Gommans is a Dutch musician. He founded the symphonic metal band Apocalypse with Mark Jansen in 1995, which later changed its name to After Forever. He played guitar and did the grunting parts in the band...
- death grunts on "Death of a Dream ~ The Embrace That Smothers part VII" - Olaf Reitmeier - acoustic guitars on "Chasing the Dragon", baritone vocals on "Beyond Belief", engineer, editor
- Amanda SomervilleAmanda SomervilleAmanda Somerville is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach.- Personal life :Somerville was born in Flushing, Michigan, and attended Flushing Senior High School and the University of Michigan in Flint, Michigan...
- spoken words in "The Obsessive Devotion", backing vocals, vocal lines arrangements and production, vocal coaching, engineer - Gjalt Lucassen - priest in "Living a Lie ~ The Embrace That Smothers part VIII"
- Jaff Wade - spoken words in "Fools of Damnation ~ The Embrace That Smothers part IX"
Epica Choir
- Linda van Summeren - soprano
- Bridget Foggle - soprano
- Amanda Somerville - alto
- Cinzia Rizzo - alto
- Previn Moore - tenor
- Melvin Edmondsen - bass
Production
- Sascha PaethSascha PaethSascha Paeth is a German guitarist, bassist, musical producer, and mixer known for working with heavy metal bands such as Avantasia, Edguy, Angra, Shaaman, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot, After Forever, Epica, et al...
- producer, engineer, mixing, mastering, vocal arrangements, backing vocals - Simon Oberender - engineer, editor
- Miro RodenbergMichael RodenbergMichael Rodenberg, nickname Miro, is a German keyboardist and musical producer known for working with power metal bands such as Angra, Shaaman, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot, Heavens Gate, et al...
- orchestral arrangements
Charts
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | 9 |
| Greece | 15 |
| France | 35 |
| Belgium | 40 |
| Switzerland | 29 |
| Germany | 41 |