FLOW

"Flow" is the 4th full-length studio album by Norwegian power/progressive metal act Conception. The album was released through Noise Records in April 1997. It´s the successor to "In Your Multitude" from 1995. Like the case was on the predecessor, "Flow" features session musician Trond Nagell-dahl on keyboards. "Flow" would be the last release in Conception´s original run as they disbanded in 1998. Some members went on to form Ark, while lead vocalist Roy Khan joined Kamelot.

"Flow" is a slightly less progressive and more simple release than the direct predecessors, but the songwriting is still decent and at times of a good quality. Conception are a well playing band and lead vocalist Roy Khan is a high class singer with a strong voice and a commanding delivery. Stylistically the music is somewhat reminiscent of the late 90s/early 00s Queensrÿche releases (you know...the albums that people never talk about when discussing the otherwise brillant band). It´s mid-tempo polished heavy/power metal featuring relatively simple and rather dull riffs and rhythms, and only occasionally memorable vocal parts. It´s not bad quality music, but it´s something that´s almost worse...it´s music which leaves me indifferent.

"Flow" features a well sounding although maybe a bit too sterile and clean production job. Everything sounds professional, polished, and clear, but a little more grit and heaviness to the production, could maybe have provided some of the unremarkable compositions with a push in the right direction. That wasn´t to be though, and "Flow" therefore ends up a pretty unremarkable release in the discography of Conception. Still a 3 star (60%) rating isn´t all wrong, there are after all a lot of quality elements featured on the album.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)