King Diamond "Conspiracy"

Conspiracy is a name of a concept album by King Diamond, being the second part of a story that begun on the album "Them". It was released in 1989. The song "Cremation" appears in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend.

Conspiracy was the last album to feature original drummer Mikkey Dee (however, he was only a studio musician at that time).

After the events of Them, an adult King returns to the House of Amon to reclaim his rightful place as heir to the house. ("At The Graves") He makes a deal with "Them", the unseen demonic antagonists from the previous album, to return control of the house to Them in exchange for the chance to see his now-dead sister Missy again, as he believes she can help answer some of his questions. ("Sleepless Nights") He attends sessions with a therapist named Dr. Landau, who he despises, distrusts, and lies to; Landau suggests letting King's mother visit the House of Amon, and King reluctantly agrees. ("Lies") That night, Missy appears to him in a vision ("A Visit From The Dead") and warns him through a dream where he sees Landau marrying his mother. ("The Wedding Dream") The next day, King's mother indeed arrives accompanied by Dr. Landau; despite King's protestations about the deal with "Them", they enter the house, and King is ambushed and sedated by his mother and the doctor. ("Amon Belongs To Them") They then go to the local demented priest Sammael, and convince him that King is possessed by Satan and must be disposed of ("Victimized"); they put King in a coffin and burn him ("Let It Be Done"), and the album closes with King's promise to haunt them forever from beyond the grave. ("Cremation")

Track listing

All tracks are written by King Diamond, except where indicated.

1. "At the Graves" 8:56
2. "Sleepless Nights" Diamond, Andy LaRocque 5:05
3. "Lies" 4:22
4. "A Visit from the Dead" Diamond, LaRocque 6:12
5. "The Wedding Dream" 6:01
6. "'Amon' Belongs to 'Them'" Diamond, LaRocque 3:52
7. "Something Weird" (instrumental) LaRocque 2:07
8. "Victimized" Diamond, LaRocque 5:21
9. "Let It Be Done" 1:13
10. "Cremation" (instrumental) 4:12

"The Wedding Dream" contains the elements of "Bridal Chorus" by Richard Wagner in the introduction.

Trivia:

- The album peaked at #111 on the Billboard 200.

- Continues and concludes the story started on Them.

- The Wedding Dream includes melody from the Bridal Chorus from Richard Wagner's Lohengrin (opera) from 1850.

- Despite having just left the band, drummer Mikkey Dee is credited as a session musician.

Music video:

- Sleepless Nights, features Snowy Shaw on drums.

Reissued by Roadrunner Records on January 27th 2004 as a part of Roadrunner's Two from the Vault series remastered along with Them on 2 CD's, CD 2 has the same bonus tracks as the 1997 reissue.

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed at Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, CA.

Mastered at Masterdisk, NY.