Conception - In Your Multitude

"NORWAY'S FINEST EXPORT."

Conception's incredible album Flow blew me away, so naturally the next step was getting the rest of their catalogue. Compared to Flow, In Your Multitude is heavier sonically but lighter in terms of song diversity, and I don't like it as much overall, but insofar as metal band is concerned, you rarely find music this good.

The band draws from a variety of influences. However, this is not balls-to-the-wall prog metal...it's metal with a progressive flavor. Guitarist Tore Ostby's technique is heavy, fast and clean, although the agressive riffs sometimes take a backseat to more florid pieces. If you'd only heard Flow before this, the opener "Under a Mourning Star" will knock you on your ass. It's so heavy! Other songs run the aural gamut, from beautiful acoustic and classical guitar solos to vicious, fast searing guitar riffs, to slow, heavy grinds. The drummer? Topnotch...he's true percussionist. The bassist is very tight; sometimes the songs leave him to establish the rhythm and he fares very well. The most notable aspect of Conception is their vocalist Roy S. Khan. In a world where most European metal singers plague their music with overbearing accents and terrible pronunciation, Khan stands head and shoulders above his peers. His accent is prominent, but it never compromises his pronunciation...it actually complements his sound. His unique sound is decidedly refreshing, and his emotional power -- combined with his excellent lyrics -- are superlative. Oh yeah, those lyrics...they're good, really good. The band examines interesting themes, like the lugubrious "Santuary" or the insightful "A Million Gods." Good stuff...it proves that "metal" and "intelligence" can exist in the same sentence.

Get all of Conception's CDs...they f'ing RULE. The band's catalogue also includes The Last Sunset, which is their eclectic debut. If you like these guys its worth picking up. As well as their second album, Parallel Minds. Problem is I think all these albums are out of print. Too bad. Good luck getting your hands on this awesome music.