Conception - Flow

Conception's latest album, Flow, is my introduction to this excellent prog metal band. I have never heard anything from their first three releases so my review of Flow will be from a fresh perspective, one I hope will not offend seasoned Conception listeners. I will compare Flow to bands I am familiar with so if some of the comparisons seem a bit odd, well, I like to give people who have never heard this cd a mental picture of who (or what) they sound like. I will compare Conception with Pink Floyd, U2 and Dream Theater. And in case the U2 and/or Pink Floyd comparisons scare you off, let me reassure you: Flow is most definitely a metal album, the music is heavy and somewhat DT-like in many places. It is the vocals that are similar to U2 and it is the guitar solos which are reminiscent of Pink Floyd.

1.] "Gethsemane" - This song opens with a very cool Dream Theater-like intro and the vocals are excellent. Roy S. Khan, the lead vocalist, sounds like a cross between Bono (U2) and James LaBrie (Dream Theater), he has a very good voice. This mid tempo song not only has DT flavor to it but there is a bit of Pink Floyd present as well. Guitarist Tore Otsby has a style somewhat reminiscent of Floyd's David Gilmour, at least on this excellent song.
2.] "Angel (Come Walk With Me)" - Another good mid-placed song with a chugging guitar and everything. Tore Otsby's guitar work sounds more like Dream Theater's John Petrucci on this one.
3.] "A Virtual Lovestory" - Good song with strong bass and drums which gives it a nice heavy rhythm. It actually sounds a bit like some stuff off of Q2k, Queensryche's latest album. But, unlike anything off of Q2k (which is a truly dreadful cd), this tune is actually good, very good.
4.] "Flow" - Strong, up tempo track. Very U2-ish (at least vocally), the vocal melodies are extremely catchy. Excellent song.
5.] "Cry" - "Cry" is a slow tune at first, very similar in sound and style to U2. It picks up a little as the song continues, becoming heavier and more DT-like (from a musical standpoint, anyway). "Cry" closes with a guitar solo that reminds me of some of Joe Satriani's work, which is a big plus. This is a fine song.
6.] "Reach Out" - Another song heavy on the rhythm section, "Reach Out" has a very cool groove going for it. The guitar is nice and crunchy, too. Here is another song that reminds me a bit of Q2k but it is much better. Yes, I know, Flow came out long before Q2k did, it makes me wish Queensryche had listened to this cd before they recorded Q2k. If Queensryche was doing songs like this, even after altering their sound, maybe they would still have a substantial fan base...
7.] "Tell Me When I'm Gone" - A heavy, plodding bass solo opens this track which is soon joined by light keyboard work. Don't worry guitar fans, the guitar comes in and chugs away. Man, Conception really comes up with some great guitar parts, which makes this slow-paced, heavy tune really good. Chug, baby, chug!
8.] "Hold On" - Maybe its the keyboards but throughout this ballad it sounds as if a violin is being played. This is an excellent U2-type song which also includes some nice acoustic guitar work.
9.] "Cardinal Sin" - Heavy, aggressive song, sounds like a hybrid of some of DT's heavier stuff, industrial metal and U2. Weird combination? Sure, but it rocks hard and that's what counts. And, boy, this Ostby guy can sure play the guitar.
10.] "Would It Be the Same" - An excellent album ends with an excellent song. Dream Theater-ish in style, this song is heavy and powerful. Good vocal melodies and vocals make this one of the best songs on an album full of topnotch tunes.

I must say that this disc has really impressed me, especially the guitar work of Tore Otsby. His style reminds me at different times of John Petrucci, David Gilmour and Joe Satriani. Now that's one heckuva combination. Lead vocalist Roy S. Khan is also impressive, he's as good as LaBrie or Tate or any of prog's other great singers. Another thing to note is that Flow has an almost industrial metal touch to it and it is this bit of originality that separates Conception from the rest of the so-called prog metal bands in the world. This is progressive music, they aren't just another Dream Theater/Queensryche clone. Sure, the DT similarity is there but they've infused that DT sound with creativeness. Perhaps other would-be prog bands out there should take heed, don't be copycats, take those Dream Theater/Queensryche (or whomever) influences and inject it with your own style, that is the only way to separate yourself from the rest of the progressive metal pack.

Overall Rating: 9.1
by Joseph White
More Album Reviews