Roadrunner Records - 1989
9.5/10
Reaching the turn of the decade, King Diamond would make a somewhat bold move in giving us a "part two" to the former record. While it may seem I'm tough on that one, it was ultimately a strong path paved for walking so that its counterpart could run. Thus, Conspiracy brings forth a similar vibe that cleans up the very subtle issues I took on "Them". The theatric elements feel placed with more purpose, the atmosphere is roughened up, and the already strong songwriting amps the hooks to a great degree.
Intensity is something that makes itself clear quite quickly, which fits the vibe of a now old King returning to face his (literal) demons. The band has somewhat made a reputation of crawling in with some bells and whistles, building up with suspense, and then kicking things off. Conspiracy sees a completely different approach, with our famous "At The Graves" and "Sleepless Nights" duo working as one of the greatest one-two punch openers of all time. Extremely fast riffing, technical prowess with dramatic shifts in tone, and thick layers that still retain a raw feeling paint such an incredible and horrific picture. I mean really, it's like someone throwing the intensity of "Abigail" right to your face at the beginning in "At The Graves." And the catchiness that manages to weave its way into "Sleepless Nights?" Forget it! Those acoustic guitars swing into galloping chops with a memorable chorus so nicely.
Yet, I've talked nothing beyond the first two tracks. The exact same surgical-precision carefully crafts noticeably intricate passages together with effects not only added in the right spots, but taking the forefront with full sincerity when necessary. The second half of the album consists mainly of shorter tunes weaved together in such a fluid matter. "Let It Be Done" is the only track that merely exists as a bridge, but it stabilizes the drastic mood shift wonderfully between the equally somber and terrifying "Victimized" and "Cremation," an absolutely perfect sendoff. The former crafts the climax with loads of horror-drenched emotion and suspense, rigging up chants and a harpsichord to aid the intricate leads, while the latter is like a simpler cool-off that marches us to the grave; I simply cannot love the slow unraveling of guitar and keyboard layers here enough. Moreover, ""Amon" Belongs To "Them"" invokes similar feelings of defeat with whinier leads and hopeless howls from King. The dash of toppings in this one add so much, helping with our descent into the guitar wails and synth melodies of "Something Weird."
King Diamond elaborates on a lot of this within the longer tracks, even outside of the epic opener. "A Visit From The Dead" is such a unique one, almost working like a dark ballad that utilizes beautiful acoustics to its advantage, tricking us into a false sense of security; even its heavier part seems somber compared to what's to come. "The Wedding Dream" follows that up with its sinister organ-meets-drum pummels breaking wonderfully into a steady gallop, before the second half of the track invokes those familiar feelings of insanity. If there's a single song that feels like it could have been cut, it may be "Lies," but its a necessary one for the sake of the story, and still isn't even remotely bad.
In hindsight, it's almost fun to look at Conspiracy as the story itself, and view its predecessor as a prequel that dove into the lore that brought us where we are. Up to this point, King's solo discography is pretty untouchable, but the idea presented here feels more full, more concise, and more complete. We're met with so many emotions, so much terror, so many intricate tricks and fuming craftsmanship that couldn't have been pieced together better if they tried.
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