ALBUM REVIEW: CONCEPTION Bring You “My Dark Symphony”

Norwegian’s Conception are better known as Roy Khan’s(ex-Kamelot) first band. Their potential to grow into one of the world’s greatest metal bands ever was there from the start.

Their last album ‘Flow’ is like a Best Of of all the best bits and most momentous moments in metal – the flash of 80s Thrash, the grit of 90s Grunge with grooved out hunks of Industrial metal thrown in, all sewn together with the maestro meanderings and gloomy ponderings of 70s Prog and Doom. Easily the conception of one of the most powerful rock albums ever released.

It’s fairly safe to say this latest six-tracker taster over 20 years later isn’t attempting to follow that lead (and who can blame them). It’s probably why they named the EP’s cinematic pepping-up intro piece ‘Re:Conception’.

Opener ‘Grand Again’ is an off-beat on-form “Flow”-ydian affair constructed to caress fans of old back into the fold, guitars more scooped than a dozen bulldozers, Khan’s scuzzed-up vocals already soaring and braced to break sound barriers, this is like Muse on a Power Metal trip. ‘Into The Wild’ is contemporary coast-along prog rock that sounds like Bono singing for Blind Guardian (a wild thought indeed), ‘Quite Alright’ is chock full of radio-friendly riffola and more hooks than a fishing trawler while ‘The Moment’ sounds like Freddie Mercury and Sisters of Mercy bashed out a ballad more anthemic than both combined. The EP’s title track does its name justice and serves up a justified six minutes of dramatic vocal delivery and all the symphonic sonics of an epic movie soundtrack.

Granite-heavy gravestone-smooth grooves, searing solos, soaring symphonics, endless drum tumbling and flawless vocals. It’s a minor miracle that the band have been resurrected and with the original lineup, a lot of folks missed on these guys first time round, this is a welcome second coming.

Review by Harley Gough