Search - Conception :: Last Sunset

Early European Progressive Metal

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 07/03/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"When you think of the originators of the progressive metal scene, it's usually the holy trinity of American bands Fates Warning, Queensryche, and Dream Theater that come to mind. America wasn't the only place where heavy metal bands were experimenting with progressive song structures and virtuoso instrumental work though. Finland's Stratovarius, Brazil's Angra and Norway's Conception were all part of that early wave of influential progressive metal bands.



Conception, which featured hotshot guitarist Tore Ostby (later of Ark) and vocalist Roy Khan (now with Kamelot) debuted in 1991 with the self-financed album The Last Sunset. The album's overall sound is similar to Queensryche and Alder-era Fates Warning. It's a highly technical album that relies more on intricate instrumentals than melodies, and Khan, for all his talents as a vocalist, seems to stay within a tightly controlled range, never really cutting loose or showing much emotion. I tend to prefer more melody and emotion in my metal (which is why Dream Theater's Images and Words will forever be my favorite album), so I wasn't as blown away by Conception as some fans are. Still, I readily acknowledge the fact that releasing a progressive metal album like this in 1991 was no easy feat, and understand why Conception was one of the genre's more influential bands.



The Last Sunset was reissued in 1993 by Noise Records, but is still fairly difficult to find. If you're a Conception fan and haven't picked up The Last Sunset, you definitely should try and track it down. If you're an Ark or Kamelot fan looking to retrace Khan or Ostby's footsteps, you should probably start with Conception's later albums and work your way back to this one.

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