According to Metalfan.nl, Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers EPICA will release a double live CD, titled "The Classical Conspiracy", on May 8 through Nuclear Blast Records. The album was recorded in Miskolc, Hungary, on June 14 2008 during the Miskolc International Opera Festival. The band performed a 45-minute set of metal adaptations of classical songs and movie soundtracks, accompanied by the orchestra and choir as well as symphonic versions of its own songs (including a few orchestral songs from singles and "The Score", which had never been played live before).

"The Classical Conspiracy" track listing:

CD 1 - Classical Set:

01. Palladium
02. Dies Irae
03. Ombra Mai Fu
04. Adagio
05. Spiderman Medley
06. Presto
07. Montagues & Capulets
08. The Imperial March
09. Stabat Mater Dolorosa
10. Unholy Trinity
11. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
12. Pirates Of The Caribbean
13. Indigo
14. The Last Crusade
15. Sensorium
16. Quietus
17. Chasing The Dragon
18. Feint

CD 2 - Epica Set:

01. Never Enough
02. Beyond Belief
03. Cry For The Moon
04. Safeguard To Paradise
05. Blank Infinity
06. Living A Lie
07. The Phantom Agony
08. Sancta Terra
09. Illusive Consensus
10. Consign To Oblivion

Check out the cover artwork below.

Fan-filmed video footage from the Miskolc concert is also available.

EPICA entered Gate Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany on Monday, March 2 with producer Sascha Paeth to begin recording the follow-up to 2007's "The Divine Conspiracy", tentatively due before the end of the year via Nuclear Blast Records.

Vocalist Simone Simons previously stated about EPICA's new material, "It is so exciting! I love the new songs and can't wait to play them live."

"The Divine Conspiracy" was EPICA's first full-length concept album. According to the band, "This concept deals with the theory that, as a test, God created all kinds of different religions and released those upon humanity to see if they would be able to find the true nature of them, realizing that in all religions it is actually the same. But there's more to it; it also concludes the 'Embrace That Smothers' concept that could already be found on [2003's] 'The Phantom Agony'."

Nuclear Blast Records released a limited deluxe CD edition in Europe of "The Divine Conspiracy", featuring the bonus tracks "Higher High" and "Replica" (FEAR FACTORY cover), video clips and a "making-of" enhanced section.