Review Summary: Making a strong case as one of King Diamond’s greatest albums and capping off a hot streak of eighties metal quality
I wouldn’t go as far as to call Conspiracy a prog metal album in the traditional sense, but it is one of King Diamond’s more progressively structured ventures. The band’s penchants for ornate musicianship, tricky rhythms, and spooky storytelling are encouraged by a forty-seven minute runtime, longer than any other classic-era installment. The band dynamic also leans in on those elegant elements, Mikkey Dee’s drums not hitting quite as hard as before (not to mention him being credited as a session member on his last hurrah) while the keyboards and lead guitars are highlighted nicely. It could be seen as a bid for accessibility while also seems to reach back to the more elaborate Mercyful Fate compositions.
“At The Graves” is the most dramatic demonstration of this methodology as its near nine-minute layout is a huge contrast from the minute-plus preludes that usually kick these things off. While it starts off in familiar horror show fashion with lamenting vocals and icy twinkling keyboards that dip into almost carnival-like melodies, it explodes with howling choruses, back and forth verses that show King’s prowess in conveying multiple characters, and climactic instrumental sections with extra crunchy guitars. As iconic as something like “The Candle” or “Funeral” may be, this might be the greatest opener under the King Diamond banner.
Subsequent songs don’t quite reach the same lengths but maintain that grandiosity. “Sleepless Nights” and “A Visit From The Dead” have the sorts of clean/heavy transitions that feel like classic metal equivalents to what Opeth codify down the line, the former utilizing them to play into its catchy melodies for single appeal while the latter’s move from an almost saccharine clean guitar/vocal intro to darker riffs plays up the narrative’s impending twists. “The Wedding Dream” achieves similar with organs periodically playing the Bridal Chorus as a prelude to the gritty riffs and snarled vocals.
More straightforward tracks also do a good job of rounding things out. “Lies” might be my least favorite track for some goofy phrasings that set it to a more Them adjacent tone but the chorus is pretty fun and the creepy ending offers good momentum. I also enjoy the catchy chorus and plot movement on “Amon Belongs to Them” as well as the extra fiery wails and sinister plotting on “Victimized,” though part of me wonders if they could’ve been switched around on the track listing for a little more story flow.
Speaking of which, I must admit that Conspiracy’s storyline can feel a little tenuous as a sequel to Them. The plot beats work well enough but the time slip between the two albums’s narratives can make the characters’ motivations seem muddled and invite themselves to too many questions. How did Dr. Landau and King’s mother hook up? Why does he want Amon so badly? Are they aware of THEM? Does Grandma play into this? Did they ever repaint that front door? The songs are excellent enough for me to not dwell on it but it reinforces my belief that Them and Conspiracy aren’t two halves of the same story so much as a trilogy that has its second part missing.
Fortunately, the closing “Cremation” offers perfect closure on both musical and narrative levels. It’s a mostly instrumental track driven by appropriately crackling guitar shredding beset by sinister chords and counteracting synths weaving about in disorienting fashion. The atmosphere is so on point, especially with the anxious synths and whispering voices on “Let It Be Done” preceding it as well as the track itself ending with an echoing taunt that promises an even more biting threat.
Conspiracy makes a strong case as one of the best King Diamond albums. While it doesn’t have the iconic reputation of Abigail or Them’s memetic character, its more progressive tendencies help it stand out and the songs strike an excellent balance of scope and memorability. It feels like a culmination of King Diamond’s development up to this point and splendidly caps off his hot streak of quality through the eighties, even if a couple of the releases that followed it up would prove to be just as excellent. Consider it essential listening.
