In Your Multitude

It always fascinates me how fast a band is able to progress for the best and how little it takes before a band heads into the wrong direction. Such was the case with Conception, who after two records would reach their absolute peak. In Your Multitude represents some of the finest progressive metal out there and it baffles me how the band dumbed down by the time they released the follow up record Flow.

Despite being the band’s most progressive effort, In Your Multitude is as vibrant as their earlier material and one could argue that their tendency to keep their songs short and often devoid of any puzzling structures had something do with it. I’d even argue that In Your Multitude would be a good gateway record for those new to progressive metal; it’s got those progressive tendencies, yet it never falls into the traps one can find within the style. ‘’Some Wounds’’ wouldn’t be as effective if it were expanded, but since it quickly changes from a chugging verse into a storming chorus where the band goes for the attack, it does wonders. ‘’Solar Serpent’’ still contains some of that ear-worm catchiness you could find on Parallel Minds, where a head bobbing verse of a bass riff lead to an explosive sky-wailing chorus and even at its most progressive In Your Multitude shows no signs of decline. ‘’A Million Gods’’ is without a doubt the most progressive track on the album, but still as fantastic as most of the material here. It's rather elaborated, yet it resonates around a memorable chorus and its runtime allows the keys / leads interplay to appear perfectly well given the context of the track.

Of course Conception always had a sentimental side and In Your Multitude highlights that aspect once more (after all there’s a deep thinking man on the cover art work and not some kind of robot!). The introspective ‘’Sanctuary’’ is the shortest song on the record, but not less powerful; Roy Khan stays in his mid-range here while his companion Ostby lays down some of his famous flamenco-styled licks with morose results. So forget all your self-help books about emotional intelligence and study this piece of art instead…it would benefit you a lot better I bet! Ending the album with a ballad is a bit of an add choice, but I would only complain about it if In Your Multitude wouldn’t end on such a high, if somber note. From the regretful cries of the chorus to the quiet ending that recalls the acceptance of an unfortunate fate – the title track highlights how far Khan has come since The Last Sunset.

Obviously it’s not just Roy Khan who’s responsible for the greatness of In Your Multitude. Guitarist Tore Ostby has really bettered himself here, too and knows how to create magic without playing overly fast or bloating up compositions with too many unnecessary licks. ‘’Under a Mourning Star’’ might sound alarming due to its chugging features, yet Ostby knows when to unexpectedly unleash a riff that has a bit more oomph to it, whereas ‘’Retrospect’’ represents a more unorthodox rhythmic attack with superb results. Having sacrificed speed for groove also allows the bass of Ingar Amlien bass to come through more frequently, as his lines lead the verses of ‘’A Million Gods’’ and ‘’Solar Serpent’’ forward while Ostby takes a step back during those segments.

Although I’d love to praise In Your Multitude for what it does well, there's one serious stinker on this album and no matter how hard I try, I just can’t get myself to like it. ‘’Guilt’’ is slower paced than the rest here and with dwelling groove riffs resonating around a surprisingly weary vocal performance, the result just isn’t very good. You could say that this track foreshadows the direction Conception would take with Flow; it’s certainly odd to find such a track on this record since it sounds very much out of place. Nonetheless In Your Multitude is pretty damn fantastic and If progressive metal is your thing and you’re not familiar with this album yet, you’ve got some serious homework to do.

This review was originally written for antichristmagazine.com

One of the indicators of a really good record is its ability to keep your attention but still feels like it breezes by. Conception's third album, In Your Multitude, does just that. Among tight songwriting are fantastic instrumental performances and Roy Khan's glorious vocals pouring emotion over clever and deep lyrics. There is nothing I don't like about this album. The album is produced incredibly well, where everything has its room to breathe and everything can be heard without sounding like a complete wall of noise and retaining the energy and fullness of each instrument.

All of the instruments contribute thoroughly on this album. It's hard to believe that Conception could keep up the momentum they produced with their previous album, Parallel Minds, yet they do just that on In Your Multitude. The guitar is soulful and dynamic throughout the album, never outshining any of the other instruments so much as to tune them out. "Missionary Man" and "Guilt" are among the heaviest songs Conception has written. The solos on this album are simply incredible. They range from soulful and almost spiritual on "In Your Multitude" to fast and intense without breaching into noodle territory on "A Million Gods". Even the bass gets plenty of room to shine on tracks like "Solar Serpent" with its amazing and kinetic bass/drum combo around :30. This is probably one of my favorite bass riffs from any album. Roy Khan's vocals melt so well into the rest of the music, able to channel his voice into the spectrum of human emotion. His voice really shines on "Sanctuary", and he reaches to the top of his vocal range on "Solar Serpent" and "Retrospect". The drums are always interesting and, while not doing anything too particularly special, they follow the music very well and add on to the momentum and energy of the album.

It's somewhat mind boggling to think that this band doesn't speak English as a first language. The lyrics on this album are very introspective and are conveyed well by Khan's voice. For example, this passage from "Sanctuary": it's so easy to hide in the dark/the song you know so well/encourages to flee the answer to your tears/lingers in colours you can't see/each word a whisper/the more they say you'll find/it's so easy to hide in the dark. Conception shows a much darker side of power/prog, which is another aspect which sets them apart from other bands of the genre.

All in all, Conception has produced a power/prog masterpiece with In Your Multitude. This is an essential for fans of power/prog and is a great checkout for fans of melodic metal, or anyone who simply enjoys deep, emotive music. 10/10

Standout Tracks: Under a Mourning Star, Missionary Man, Sanctuary, A Million Gods, In your Multitude

It's hard to talk about such a deep, magical and special album like this. "In Your Multitude" is nothing less than an incredible journey through the core of the soul, dealing with all the emotions and feelings of the human mind, from a very special point of view. I guess the album cover reveals quite a lot this: the African native man in a wild landscape represents in a way the inner questions of human race about religion and other deep subjects. It's well know that natives use to be very spiritual people, and their lives are closely related to nature. This fits perfectly with Khan's great lyrics and the album's atmosphere.

Musically, "In Your Multitude" develops the melodic metal of Conception in a similar approach to their previous release "Parallel Minds", reaching the top of the genre. It's their most progressive and versatile album. The music is carried by Tore Ostby's powerful guitar riffs, still with a thrashy edge, supported by the heavy drums of Arve Heimdal and Ingar Amlien's hypnotic bass lines. Above them is where Roy Khan shines with his wonderfully dark, intrincate and mysterious vocal melodies. Those used to his singing style in Kamelot might find his voice a little bit weird as first, since melodies are way more complex here. However, once the listener gets used to them, they're the key to open the magical word of this album. Some ocassional keyboards help to create intriguing soundscapes that add even more mysticism. Think of Crimson Glory's atmosphere, especially on their mid-tempo tracks (e.g.: "In Dark Places") and you'll get a close idea of what you'll find here. In fact, echoes of Crimson Glory and Queensryche can be heard through the whole album, though Conception's approach is even more atmospheric, fascinating and challenging.

Tore Ostby deserves an special mention. His guitar playing is absolutely outstanding. Strongly influenced by Al Di Meola, he even experiments with some Spanish Flamenco influences in the impressive instrumental part of the progressive epic "A Million Gods" and the ethereal ballad "Sanctuary". All his solos are worth mentioning thanks to his beautiful guitar tone and an exceptional sense for melody and rhythm. Riffs vary from very heavy, almost thrash sound on the opening track "Under a Mounrning Star" to intrincate and progressive at moments. Tore is also the main songwriter of the band.

Even being quite a heavy album, "In Your Multitude" is all about atmosphere. The album is dark and deeply evocative. The calmer passages on "Some Wounds", "Missionary Man" and the whole title track are among the most emotional pieces of music I've ever heard, sounding at times as a metal version of Pink Floyd. They had in the mid 90's the same kind of atmosphere and emotion that younger bands like Riverside are being critically acclaimed for.

"In Your Multitude" is not an easy listening experience at first. It needs a few listens to catch its magic, even if some of the melodies are pretty catchy, as the choruses from "Under a Mourning Star" and "Some Wounds". Most of these choruses contain exceptionally beautiful vocal harmonies; the best example of this might be "Carnal Comprehension".

This is one of those one-in-a-million albums that not only feauture a great group of musicians and a good production, but also an incredible collection of magical compositions that touch the deepest feelings and emotions of the listener. Highly recommended for every fan of melodic, progressive metal and emotional music. Oh yes, I admit this is my all-times favourite album.

“Conception” started their career as a power metal band. Record after record the band slowly incorporated progressive elements to their music. “In Your Multitude”, the third full-length release for the band displays a solid mixture of the two genres with the progressive side being highlighted extensively.

Musically, the band wonderfully balances between the two genres and very successfully blends them. Melodies are a significant component of any progressive band and this is the case for “Conception” as well. Still, the band does not only build beautiful melodies; it manages to mix them superbly with heavy riffs that clearly relate to its power metal side. The arrangements are exceptional and therefore the changes from the softer side to the stronger one are done effectively.

The ability to successfully compose songs with diverse and complex patterns showcases a band which consists of technically proficient members. The guitars both rhythm and lead are awesome. The riffs are heavy and surely have a US power metal feeling to them especially in “Under a Mourning Star” and “Missionary Man”. The solo work is phenomenal and hence adds a harmonious layer around the material. It is just beautiful and fans of progressive metal will enjoy it to the fullest for sure.

The rhythm section supports the work done by the guitars in an excellent way. The drum patterns are written in accordance to the compositions and hence match the music perfectly. The bass frequency is present and especially in songs like “Some Wounds” and “Carnal Comprehension” it leads the music perfectly.

Above all however and surely the number one driver in this record is Roy Kahn’s vocals. Not only do they perfectly match the music, they are also full of emotion. This emotional performance of the vocalist can be felt by the listener throughout the album.

The two longest compositions of the album, “A Million Gods” and “In Your Multitude” are the two clearly progressive songs on the album. I think that they are fantastic compositions, with the magnificent solos on one hand and Roy Kahn’s majestic performance on the other easily being the two elements that uplift them to the sphere of musical excellence.

One thing that I definitely love about progressive bands is that their albums always sound phenomenal or at least most of the times. This is the case here as well. The production of the record is great and the mix simply wonderful, making all instruments audible.

Overall, I think that the album makes for an intriguing listen. It is filled with quality material and a solid production and therefore has all the required elements to make it a quality listen like the one that progressive metal fans look for.