Conception's 'My Dark Symphony' - EP Review

Most years tend to bring with them a couple of musical surprises. I am talking about the albums that you did not expect at all - and their announcement comes as a complete surprise. 2017's best example was Styx's excellent comeback album The Mission, and 2018 has already delivered on that front with Fifth Angel's The Third Secret. The award for the most unexpected release of 2018 however has to go to My Dark Symphony, the new EP from the newly-resurrected Norwegian progressive metal act Conception. As a recording entity, Conception have been dormant since 1997 when they released their fourth album - the well-received Flow - but a couple of years later the band were over and frontman Roy Khan joined the American band Kamelot - a band with which he found considerable success. Guitarist Tore Østby also formed the band Ark with Jørn Lande, meaning that Conception's two driving forces were otherwise occupied and their original band was on ice. Conception briefly reunited in 2005 for a few festival appearances but this was only ever meant to be a short-lived venture, as by this point Khan was regularly touring the world with Kamelot and had become one of the genre's most-loved vocalists. It is no secret however that the band's fans have always wanted Conception to return, but the apparent retirement of Khan in 2011 and his complete withdrawal from the metal scene seemed to be the final nail in the coffin for any sort of reunion. Fans mourned but respected Khan's choice, but there were many of us who hoped that he decided to return to music at some point in the future - in whatever capacity that might be. I do not think that anyone realistically expected him to return to the metal world, which is why when it was announced earlier this year that Conception were re-uniting to record some new material, the fanbase's jaws collectively hit the floor! An EP and a single were announced, and a crowdfunding campaign was set up to fund their creation. The target goal was met almost instantly, and the anticipation of the first new Conception material in over 20 years started to build. The EP, titled My Dark Symphony, was finally released last month and was everything that I as a fan of Conception wanted and more. Soundwise, there are a lot of similarities between My Dark Symphony and the band's classic works, but there was also unsurprisingly a hint of latter day Kamelot to be found. In my mind, My Dark Symphony sounds like a mix of Conception's 1995 release In Your Multitude and Kamelot's moody 2010 album Poetry for the Poisoned - the last album that Khan was involved in before his retirement. Khan and Østby are joined here by the band's other two original members: bassist Ingar Amlien and drummer Arve Heimdal; with keyboard duties shared out between Khan, Østby, and Michael 'Miro' Rodenberg who has contributed to many of Kamelot's albums over the years.

The six-track EP opens with the atmospheric instrumental re:conception which helps to set the tone for the rest of the material. It lacks the depth of the songs to come but creates the same atmosphere with dense, swirling strings and frenetic percussion. Intro pieces of this nature are common in the progressive metal genre, and the EP really gets going when it segues into the mid-paced rocker Grand Again. It opens with a slow, precise guitar riff from Østby that leads into a groove-filled verse. Khan's vocals sound as good as ever and refreshed from his hiatus. The effects used in his voice are similar to those used on Poetry for the Poisoned, increasing the similarity between the two releases, but he still has all of his smouldering power. The song's chorus is evidence of this, as he effortlessly slides into his falsetto during parts of the delivery while Heimdal's intricate drum pattern creates a delicate backing. This is not the heaviest the band can be, but the song still packs a punch. The verses are guitar-driven, while the synths and atmospherics dominate the choruses. Not be outdone by the returning Khan, Østby lays down a fantastic guitar solo part way through the song too - demonstrating why he is one of the most underrated players in the scene. Into the Wild is one of the EP's highlights in my opinion. It is a real slow-burner, and builds up slowly around a Heimdal drum pattern that forms the basis of the verse. The somewhat tribal feel is a little strange, but it provides a different backing for Khan's low, emotional vocal delivery. Everything builds towards the song's chorus, which is packed with subtle melodies and hooks. Khan's vocals here will be very familiar to those who like Poetry for the Poisoned, as the style and use of melody is very similar to that which he employed throughout that album. Shimmering synths once again create a strong atmosphere during the chorus, and Østby's lengthy guitar solo is packed full of Eastern-tinged melodies that suit the tribal drumming featured elsewhere. Again the piece is perhaps less heavy than some may have wished for, but it still contains all the hallmarks of the Conception sound.

Quite Alright is probably the most instantly-memorable song here, as it features the most in-your-face melodies found on the EP and the most bombastic chorus. The verses slowly build up again, with Amlien and Heimdal creating a marching drum and bass pattern for everything else to feed off. Østby's riffing works around the pounding bassline, adding cutting metal riffs for colour, all while Khan croons atop everything with a vocal performance reminiscent of his best work. The chorus really soars, and features almost power metal-esque melodies that work well with the strident rhythms and floating synths. The modern Conception is certainly darker and moodier than the original one, but this chorus is probably the closest the EP comes to sounding like the melodic feast that is 1993's Parallel Minds. That being said, the song still fits perfectly on this new EP and features plenty of darkness of its own. The Moment is the closest thing on the EP to a ballad, and features delicate piano notes early on that are set against a slightly frantic drum beat that sounds a little busy for the overall vibe. I think this was deliberate however, and it works well to create a somewhat unsettling feeling as the mournful piano competes to be heard above a more rock-orientated rhythm. This beat carries through into the more expansive chorus, which features lots of synth work as well as big heavy guitar chords from Østby which helps to create a big wall of sound. The Poetry for the Poisoned comparisons are apt again here, showing that Khan's years fronting Kamelot have influenced this new music with his old band. Østby's guitar solo here is a joy too, filled with subtle bluesy licks that dance with playful abandon atop the same frantic drum pattern. The EP closes with its title track, a symphonic piece that is definitely the most ambitious thing here. It opens with gothic strings that create a dense atmosphere, before a doomy drum and bass combination kicks in just as Khan starts singing. His vocals are deep and operatic here, showcasing that magic that I and others have long been missing, but that takes nothing away from the rest of the band who also do their bit to ensure this closing number is something special. The pace never really picks up, making the piece a bit of a dirge at times, but it is packed so full of atmosphere and eeriness that the slow pace does not act as a deterrent. As with all of the five main tracks here, Østby contributes a guitar solo and the one here is probably the best of the bunch. Strangely, he seems content to take a bit more a backseat throughout this EP to let the atmospherics drive everything - but he makes it count when he launches into one of his solos. The Conception of old was much more guitar-driven, which makes this EP stand out somewhat compared to their back catalogue, but My Dark Symphony seems to suit the band where they are today. Overall, this EP is a strong comeback. I hope this reunion leads to more music in the future, and with a few live dates appearing at festivals throughout 2019, it seems that Conception are here to stay again - at least for now.

The EP was released on 23rd November 2018 via Conception Sound Factory. Below is the band's official sound clip for Grand Again.