There really shouldn't be any need to point this out, but Conspiracy is up there with my favorite
King Diamond albums. The heinous front cover aside, Conspiracy is a classic that has a handful of the best songs the King has ever written. There is a vigor to the music that gets the blood pumping. The band feels sparkling and it really comes out in the music through a bunch of cool details.
My biggest complaint with "Them" was the thin drum sound. Here it has been rectified by giving the drums a deep powerful oomph. The production is much much better when compared to "Them" and it suits the music.
Continuing the story of "Them" must have caused the King some headaches and in the end this second part does not match "Them" in terms of horror, surprise or suspense. It gets the job done and that's it. Musically things are a bit more melodic, catchy and friendly, though I feel a bit weird describing KD in that way but Conspiracy feels more polished than "Them".
Setting a sinister tone,
At the graves opens the album in a dream-like trance. As King's voice floats into the sound from far away this freak circus dream comes to life. Soon after the song rises to take a most powerful metallic turn with King's voice going completely over the top. The chorus is complete brilliance, from the way King's voice rips through the air as he sings
"spiriiiiiits" to the killer guitar detail it is an ecstatic moment. Also, it is hard not to get a wide smile as
"Finally we have returned" happens.
At the graves is a 9 minute metallic feast and one of the most exciting beginnings to an album ever.
Sleepless nights opens hard with a monster riff right in your face. Short acoustic passages work superbly with the ultra heavy sections and give the whole song a special intensity. The guitar solo is inventive and ear catching. This goes for all the guitar work on the album. The last part of the song incorporates some memorable passages and these small surprises give the song extra atmosphere and impact.
The instrumental beginning to
Lies leads very well to the verse section where
King Diamond switches between ultra high pitch and his lower registers with ease. Small touches like the way the word
"Nightmares" is enhanced adds intensity. That along with the atmospheric passage right before the second guitar solo are small but important mood enhancers. Keyboard is used extensively in several songs on the album and adds further to the atmosphere.
A visit from the dead is a half ballad, half aggressive metal spectre-beast. The latter part is the most successful. The bridge section is especially heavy and impressive, perfectly gliding in and out of the sound. A highlight along with the memorable
"I will send you a dream"...
The Wedding Dream manages to bring a wedding march into the mix in a most non-heinous way. It works splendid and actually adds an extra heavy note to the music. King's vocal work in the bridge section has always reminded me of something I have heard before but I have never managed to make the connection.
The song does stand a bit still and contains some momentarily silly lyrics but it is still a successful and unique song. The ending captures a special foreboding atmosphere.
"Amon" Belongs to "Them" is a highlight of the album. Even if the song feels slightly fractured the amazing chorus makes up for it. The song has a very special chorus that utilizes a grand guitar melody and several ranges of King's voice to create a very chilling passage.
From here on the end the album looses a bit of impact. A couple of instrumentals and spoken interludes provide atmosphere but it feels as if some creative spark is missing and I would have wished it possible to come up with a more creative ending to this opus.
In the end
King Diamond's Conspiracy is a classic album from one of Denmark's very finest Heavy Metal exports. The Songs are haunting, The Sound is wicked, The Strength of
King Diamond's voice ties everything together.
This is metal with the Devil.
Not to be missed.
Written by
Steen Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Show all reviews by SteenRatingsSteen: 8/10Members: 8/10 - Average of 2 ratings.
Member ratings
 | notrap
Rating: 8/10
Slightly better than the previous effort, Conspiracy contains some of King's best material... · Read more · |
 | savafan4ever
Rating: 8/10
all in all the best diamond album to date loved merciful fate but like diamond on his own ... · Read more · |
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