Roy Sætre \"Khan\" Khantatat - Vocals (1991-) (ex-Kamelot, guest in : Crest of Darkness)
Tore Østby - Guitars (Ark, D.C. Cooper)
Ingar Amlien - Bass (1990-) (Crest of Darkness, Satyricon, Ars Macabra)
Arve Heimdal - Drums (1990-) (Crest of Darkness)
Trond Nagell-Dahl - keyboards (1994-1995, 1996-)
Former/past member(s):
Vocals:
Dag Østby (1989-1991)
Bass:
Freddy Samsonstuen (1989-1990)
Drums:
Werner Skogli (1989-1990)
Keyboards:
Staffan William-Olsson (Session 1991)
Hans Christian Gjestvang (Session 1991, 1992-1994)
Halvor Holter (1994)
Lars Christian Narum (Live 1996)
Conception are better known as Roy Khan's(ex-Kamelot) first Norwegian band. Their potential to grow into one of the greatest prog/power bands ever was certainly there. It's too bad that they were relegated to nothing more then a footnote on another band's page. This album proves that much.
This album is easily one of the catchiest and powerful prog/power albums ever released. The key word to this album. Smooth. Everything blends together so seamlessly and smoothly that it is amazing. Whether it is the vocals, guitars, drums, bass, or keys, no one plays a singularly starring roll in this production but rather all compliment each other perfectly to create a smoothly transitioning, generally mid-paced album that can easily be listened to in it's entirety while maintaining the listener's interest throughout all the songs without any huge surprises thrown in. That is the golden element of this album. When I think about \"Flow\" words like brilliance, quality, superiority and value instantly come to my mind. \"Flow\" finds \"Conception\" moving away from their earlier power/prog style, most evident in their second album, \"Parallel Minds\". Hence, \"Conception's\" fourth full-length attempt does not go beyond the \"strict\" progressive metal boundaries.
The vocals are grandiose. They are easily the one element which transcends the entire album in the realm of brilliance. Khan is splendid on this album, putting so much emotion into the vocals, as he is very much regarded for doing in all his works, except in a far more interesting and gruffer/distorted sound, as opposed to his high flying Kamelot power metal styled vocals. Although Khan does not go to extreme heights as in previous recordings, the melodic lines of the vocals are still magnificent and the listener will definitely get carried away by them.
The guitars stay on melodic lines throughout the record with two main exceptions in tracks \"A Virtual Lovestory\" and \"Would It Be the Same\", where a \"Pantera\" feeling can be found in certain riffs. Also, the solos greatly contribute to this astonishing feeling that surrounds the entire album and speak straight to the listener's heart with their pleasant melodies and beautiful harmonies. The mixed bag of guitar styles is really what makes the album what it is. They are all well executed and spot on, they are all powerfully played and add to the atmosphere surrounding the music. They never detract from the listening experience. The sheer variation from song to song in terms of guitar playing is one of the most interesting aspects of this album.
The rhythm section is excellent. The bass has more than simply a presence in the album since on some occasions it sounds louder in the mix than the guitar. The drums stick to easily followed patterns but they sound damn good in combination to the low end frequency.The keyboards finally, are noticeable as they play a key role in some of the songs here. They do manage to add another harmonious layer to the already fantastic compositions.
The keys and effects on this album is abundant as one can expect of a prog/power album but they are well placed and used tastefully and do not detract from the music in any particular places except at the beginning of a couple songs where there is a spoken word intro. The drums are once more competent, doing what they need to, complimenting the music easily and smoothly. It does not matter whether it is the start-stop music as found on some songs, or one of the quicker numbers. There is nothing that sticks out like a sore thumb, they are well placed in the mix and are an integral part of the smooth flow of the album.
Let's put this band into classical immortality and the pantheon of great bands being way ahead of their era, smashing any prog formalities.
