adg211288 The Classical Conspiracy by Epica is a very special album to me. The main reason is that it is a live album and I don’t generally like live albums as a rule. Those that sit in my collection tend to have been gifts, or brought when I was younger and just had to have everything the bands I liked had put out. Until this album came along, I don’t believe I had actually bought a live album by any band in at least two years, perhaps even three. I prefer to get the accompanying DVD if anything. But here we have a live album with no DVD version. Here we have a 2CD package only, and it is a live album that quickly found its way into my collection. Here’s why.

The music on The Classical Conspiracy is broken up into two sets. The Classical Set and the Epica set. It’s really the Classical set that drew me to buying the album. With the exception of two tracks, opener Palladium and Unholy Trinity, both composed by Epica’s own Yves Huts, the set is made of pieces of classical music, usually with metal arrangements played with them, Epica’s own material being notable exceptions along with the vocal pieces Ombra Mai Fu and Stabat Mater Dolorosa, which are the only parts of the set that Epica vocalist Simone Simons is present. The pieces are mostly quite old, with the oldest being Presto (1725), and the most recent, Pirates of the Caribbean (2003), although sadly this track is only one the European release. That is a shame because it is a highlight of the release.

Let’s talk about that track then. In a way it is technically a bonus for the European release, but it truly is the highlight of the album. The score for the Pirates of the Caribbean film was epic in its own right, but to throw metal with it just works is extremely good ways. Epic doesn’t begin to describe it really. The concert is played with an accompanying 40-piece orchestra and a 30-piece choir, which means that the traditional metal instruments don’t have to be there all the time and can pick the right moment to come in and when they do the results are fantastic.

Despite the downer of the best track not being on all versions there is rarely a moment in the Classical set that disappoints. If there is a weak moment, it is the two previously mentioned vocal pieces that they included. Not because of the fact they are vocal pieces, since Simone Simons really can pull this sort of thing off, but in comparison they’re a real change in pace and sometimes I feel like skipping them to get to the next instrument piece.

Other highlights from this set include The Imperial March (from Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back), Dies Irae (from Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem), Montagues and Capulets (from Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet) and In the Hall of the Mountain King (from Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt). Epica’s own Unholy Trinity (which originally appeared on their classical album, The Score) is also as nice addition to this set. Like its studio version it’s not metal, but fits in well with the covers.

The Epica set isn’t bad either. On its own I wouldn’t have brought this album, I just have it for the Classical set, but Epica show themselves to be a very competent live act here. They’ve made some good choices in the songs they played, with favourites of mine such as Chasing the Dragon, The Last Crusade, Quietus and Living a Lie included. There isn’t really much that can be said about this set, except that it’s solid and well performed by all band members. Mark Jansen’s growl comes out much harsher on some songs than on their studio versions which somehow works better at times than the original songs. Simone is flawless throughout. I’d really like to say more about this set, after all it is the Epica set where the Classical set is almost all covers but in truth, it’s the Classical set I’m recommending you buy this for, otherwise The Classical Conspiracy falls into the sort of territory I’d call a die-hard fans only purchase. After all, most live albums aren’t new material and often can be a hit or miss with fans. But this one is a definitely hit, and that is because Epica haven’t put out a typical generic live album, they’ve done something really special.

(Review originally written for Heavy Metal Haven)