From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Divine Conspiracy
The Divine Conspiracy
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Sputnikmusic [2]
About.com [3]
Metal Storm [4]
Music Emissions [5]
Ultimate Guitar Archive [6]
Sea of Tranquility [7]
Musical Discoveries [8]
prose.
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.
The Divine Conspiracy Singles from The Divine Conspiracy
1. "Never Enough"
Released: August 10, 2007
2. "Chasing the Dragon"
Released: July 27, 2008
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 dis-
cover that, in nature and essence, they were all in fact
the same one (hence the name, "The Divine Conspira-
cy")[citation needed]. Aside from the concept of such a con-
Studio album by Epica spiracy, The Divine Conspiracy finalizes The Embrace That
Smothers, which began in After Forever’s Prison of Desire
Released August 22, 2007 (Japan)
August 28, 2007 (USA) (Prologue and parts I-III) and continued in Epica’s The
September 7, 2007 (Europe) Phantom Agony (parts IV-VI). In short, The Embrace That
September 10, 2007 (UK) Smothers is a collection of 10 songs (Prologue and parts I-
IX), which talks about the dangers of organized religion.
Recorded The Gate Studio, Wolfsburg, Germany,
November 2006 and February 2007 In The Divine Conspiracy, Mark Jansen gives some room
for new themes in the lyrics, moving away from The Em-
Genre Symphonic metal brace That Smothers. For example, "Beyond Belief" cen-
Length 75:36 ters around the dispute between science and religion,
but at the same time it does not attack either side. The
Label Nuclear Blast
following track, "Safeguard to Paradise" deals with the
Producer Sascha Paeth & Epica methods of convincing suicide bombers, a sharp contrast
to the slow and soft music.
Epica chronology
Following the departure of drummer Jeroen Simons
The Road to The Divine The Classical in 2006, the album features a session appearance by God
Paradiso Conspiracy Conspiracy Dethroned drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek, who later
(2006) (2007) (2009) became a full-time member of the band. The album also
features a guest performance of After Forever’s guitarist
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Divine Conspiracy
and singer Sander Gommans, who contributed grunt vo- Smothers, jter, S.
cals for the song "Death of a Dream." The European digi- Part IX)" Simons
pak version of the album contains a cover of Fear Facto-
10. "Beyond M. Jansen, M. 5:25
ry’s "Replica".
Belief" A. Sluijter Jansen,
"La‘petach Chatat Rovetz" (" )"לפתח חטאת רובץis an ex-
A. Slui-
pression in Hebrew. It means that sin lurks and awaits for
jter, S.
a chance to strike and affect.
Simons
The album was the first to reach the Top 10 Dutch
charts, reaching the No.9. The following album, Design 11. "Safeguard M. Jansen Y. Huts, 3:46
Your Universe, reached No.8, being the highest position to Paradise" M.
that an Epica’s album ever reached.[9] Jansen,
C.
Janssen
Track listing 12. "Sancta S. Simons M. 4:57
No. Title Lyrics Music Notes Length Terra" Jansen,
A. Slui-
1. "Indigo Mark Coen 2:05
jter, S.
(Prologue)" Jansen Janssen,
Simons
M.
Jansen 13. "The Divine M. Jansen M. 13:56
Conspiracy" Jansen,
2. "The Obses- M. Jansen, M. 7:13
A. Slui-
sive Devo- Ad Sluijter Jansen
jter, C.
tion"
Janssen
3. "Menace of M. Jansen M. 4:13
14. "Higher S. Si- ??? bonus 5:27
Vanity" Jansen
High" mons[10] track
4. "Chasing Simone Si- M. 7:40
15. "Replica" Burton C. Dino Fear 4:10
the mons, M. Jansen,
Bell Cazares, Factory
Dragon" Jansen A. Slui-
Raymond cover,
jter, Yves
Herrera bonus
Huts, S.
track
Simons
16. "Safeguard M. Jansen Y. Huts, bonus 3:50
5. "Never S. Simons, Y. Huts 4:47
to Paradise M. track
Enough" A. Sluijter
(Piano Ver- Jansen,
6. "La‘petach instrumental M. 1:46 sion)" C.
Chatat Jansen, Janssen
Rovetz (The Y. Huts
Final Em-
brace)" Personnel
7. "Death of a S. Simons, M. 6:03
Dream (The A. Sluijter Jansen, Band members
Embrace Y. Huts, • Simone Simons - mezzo-soprano
That A. Slui- • Mark Jansen - rhythm guitars, grunts, orchestral
Smothers, jter arrangements
Part VII)" • Ad Sluijter - lead guitars, engineer, editor
8. "Living a S. Simons, M. 4:56 • Coen Janssen - piano, synths, choir arrangements,
Lie (The M. Jansen Jansen, baritone vocals on "Beyond Belief"
Embrace Y. Huts, • Yves Huts - bass guitar, orchestral arrangements
That A. Slui-
Smothers, jter Additional musicians
Part VIII)" • Ariën Van Weesenbeek - drums
9. "Fools of M. Jansen M. 8:42 • Sander Gommans - death grunts on "Death of a
Damnation Jansen, Dream ~ The Embrace That Smothers part VII"
(The Em- A. Slui-
brace That
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Divine Conspiracy
Country Peak
position
Netherlands[11] 9
Greece 15
France[12] 35
Belgium[13] 40
Switzerland[14] 29
Germany[15] 41
• Olaf Reitmeier - acoustic guitars on "Chasing the [4] "Epica - The Divine Conspiracy review". Metal
Dragon", baritone vocals on "Beyond Belief", Storm. 21 December 2007.
engineer, editor http://www.metalstorm.net/pub/
• Amanda Somerville - spoken words in "The review.php?review_id=4959. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
Obsessive Devotion", backing vocals, vocal lines [5] Sellers, Kevin (21 October 2007). "Epica - The
arrangements and production, vocal coaching, Divine Conspiracy". Music Emissions webzine.
engineer http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/
• Gjalt Lucassen - priest in "Living a Lie ~ The Embrace index.php?album_id=7574. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
That Smothers part VIII" [6] "The Divine Conspiracy review". Ultimate Guitar
• Jaff Wade - spoken words in "Fools of Damnation ~ Archive. 12 November 2007.
The Embrace That Smothers part IX" http://www.metalstorm.net/pub/
Epica Choir review.php?review_id=4959. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
• Linda van Summeren - soprano [7] Pardo, Pete (12 November 2007). "Epica: The Divine
• Bridget Foggle - soprano Conspiracy". Sea of Tranquility.org.
• Amanda Somerville - alto http://www.seaoftranquility.org/
• Cinzia Rizzo - alto reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=5644. Retrieved
• Previn Moore - tenor 2011-08-18.
• Melvin Edmondsen - bass [8] Hall, Jim (2008). "Epica The Divine Conspiracy".
Musical Discoveries.com.
Production http://www.seaoftranquility.org/
• Sascha Paeth - producer, engineer, mixing, reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=5644. Retrieved
mastering, vocal arrangements, backing vocals 2011-08-18.
• Simon Oberender - engineer, editor [9] "Zoeken naar: epica" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts.nl.
• Miro Rodenberg - orchestral arrangements Media Control Charts. http://www.dutchcharts.nl/
search.asp?search=epica&cat=a. Retrieved
2011-08-18.
Charts [10] http://twitter.com/#!/SimoneSimons/status/
105991185742565377
References [11] "Epica - The Divine Conspiracy (album)" (in Dutch).
Dutch Charts.nl. Media Control Charts.
[1] Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Epica The Divine Conspiracy http://dutchcharts.nl/
review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. showitem.asp?interpret=Epica&titel=The+Divine+Conspiracy&cat=
http://www.allmusic.com/album/divine- Retrieved 2011-08-18.
conspiracy-r1183427/review. Retrieved [12] "Epica - The Divine Conspiracy (album)" (in
2011-08-18. French). Lescharts.com. Media Control Charts.
[2] "Epica The Divine Conspiracy". Sputnikmusic. 4 http://lescharts.com/
September 2007. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/ showitem.asp?interpret=Epica&titel=The+Divine+Conspiracy&cat=
review/13414/Epica-The-Divine-Conspiracy/. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
Retrieved 2011-08-18. [13] "Epica - The Divine Conspiracy (album)" (in Dutch).
[3] Bowar, Chad. "Epica - The Divine Conspiracy". Ultratop.be. Media Control Charts.
About.com. http://heavymetal.about.com/od/ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/
cdreviews/fr/epicadivine.htm. Retrieved showitem.asp?interpret=Epica&titel=The+Divine+Conspiracy&cat=
2011-08-18. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Divine Conspiracy
[14] "Epica - The Divine Conspiracy" (in German). [15] "Epica, The Divine Conspiracy" (in German).
Hitparade.ch. Media Control Charts. Charts.de. Media Control Charts.
http://hitparade.ch/ http://www.charts.de/
album.asp?artist=Epica&title=The+Divine+Conspiracy&cat=a&coun
showitem.asp?interpret=Epica&titel=The+Divine+Conspiracy&cat=a.
Retrieved 2011-08-18. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Divine_Conspiracy&oldid=455566103"
Categories:
• Epica albums
• 2007 albums
• Concept albums
• Nuclear Blast Records albums
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