CONCEPTION State Of Deception

Some releases are simply harder to review than others, and State of Deception is certainly one of them. The reason is straightforward: Conception is a band that has given me mixed emotions over the years. I was a huge admirer of their first three albums before things took a steep downturn with Flow, followed by more than two decades of silence. Those mixed feelings resurfaced as I approached this new album.

After a two‑minute intro, the record opens with “Of Raven and Pigs,” a track that, frankly, embodies everything I don’t want to hear from Conception. “Waywardly Broken” moves things in a better direction, its verses and guitar leads are strong, though the chorus doesn’t quite convince me. “No Rewind” follows the stylistic path of the opener but is a far stronger composition, incorporating some of the early‑era elements that originally made me fall in love with the band.

“The Mansion” is a beautifully crafted power ballad featuring an outstanding vocal performance from Roy Khan, complemented by guest vocals from Elize Ryd (Amaranthe). It stands as the album’s clear highlight. “By the Blues” shifts into melodic hard rock territory, an unusual move for Conception, but one that works surprisingly well. “Anybody Out There” takes yet another turn with its theatrical, film‑score‑inspired atmosphere, and its chorus even carries a hint of Pink Floyd. Another standout.

“She Dragon” is perhaps the track that most strongly channels the band’s early days, and alongside “The Mansion” and “Anybody Out There,” it rounds out my personal top three. The album closes with “Feather Moves,” a remastered version of the track from their 2018 Re:Conception single, another song I genuinely enjoy.

One thing that has never been in question is Conception’s musical talent, both individually and collectively. State of Deception is, overall, a good album, far better than I feared it might be. It has its ups and downs, and I’m not fully convinced by all of it, but the high points are truly excellent. For me, that lands the album at a solid seven out of ten.

Discography

State Of Deception (2020)

Flow (1997)

In Your Multitude (1995)

Parallel Minds (1993)

The Last Sunset (1991)