Crafting the Conspiracy are epic and punishing in “The Cosmic Key pt. II” (review)

Death metal hasn’t slowed down in any capacity over the years; it seems like the genre just keeps getting better and better, with new contenders entering the fray on a frequent basis. One such band is Crafting the Conspiracy, who have been gaining traction the past five years. They’re gearing up to release part II of The Cosmic Key this Friday, so let’s take a look at the new EP:

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNLpq5TrZ-c

Crafting the Conspiracy is undeniably grandiose in presentation. Between the menacing album artwork to the blistering riffs to the epic lyricism, it’s clear that this act is dedicated to their concept. The talent is there, too; the double-bass/strumming is breakneck and the diversity in growls and highs are on display, front and center, in each track off The Cosmic Key pt. II.

There’s some well-placed features on this EP, as well: Michael Alvarez (Flub) and Jamie Hanks (I Declare War) are on track 2, while Christina Rotondo (content creator) accompanies track 4. The former two are as brutal as can be, while Rotondo is graceful and really gets to shine in “Equilibrium(Earthbound II).”

The “Cosmic Key” trilogy of tracks that close out this EP are a nice, cohesive unit that hearken back to fragmented death metal proceedings like The Faceless’ “Autotheist Movement”s or a Between the Buried and Me procession. It’s not just a nonstop auditory assault; Crafting the Conspiracy shines when they take it back a notch in more slow, deliberate sections, showing they can create sound song structure.

The Cosmic Key pt. II is another example of crushing heavy music not showing any signs of slowing down. They don’t re-invent the wheel, but, thanks to their exemplary execution and dedication to their craft, Crafting the Conspiracy are worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as melodic death metal greats like The Black Dahlia Murder, Children of Bodom, and the rest.

Rating: 8.5/10

A press copy of The Cosmic Key pt. II was provided courtesy of SSN Agency.