Review : CONCEPT INSOMNIA – “Perpetuum Mobile”

Concept Insomnia – Perpetuum Mobile
Released April 20, 2010 on Metalville Records

Rating: 2/5

Just to save myself an extra paragraph, German newcomers Concept Insomnia may be described as progressive metal. By that, I mean they prodigiously apply keyboards and over-the-top vocal stylings. These are also the two aspects of the band that work against them.

The name Into Eternity kept springing to mind as I made my way through Perpetuum Mobile, but the parallel never felt complete. The more I thought about it, I recalled a band long slipped from my memory: Mercenary. Now there is band that knows how to weave keyboards into catchy power thrash. Not only does Concept Insomnia ape this band’s music, they even have a partial human body on a white background for their cover art, not unlike Architect of Lies.

So where do these fresh faces fail? Well for starters, the good cop-bad cop vocals have no rhyme or reason. There placement is arbitrary to the point where emphasis is drained, and the effects applied to either smooth out or sharpen their rough edges are distracting. This band simply does not have a frontman the caliber of Stu Block or Mikkel Sandager, and it shows.

Then we have the keyboard work of Lukas Hofmelster, who also performs the aforementioned lead vocals. At the risk of sounding prescriptive, I advise the band to consider his contributions carefully. He sometimes emulates Children of Bodom‘s Janne Wirman with minimalist tinkling, but sounds annoying when pushed to the forefront (“24th”) and becomes pointless when relegated to the background (“Bloodline: Sealed”). Opener “Frost” finds the best balance overall.

The phrase ‘kinda sounds like bands I sometimes enjoy’ is not enough to keep Concept Insomnia on my map, never mind their forgettably esoteric name and ostensible lack of badassery. Sorry guys, but I fail to see your purpose.

FCC OK
Try 1, 6

01. Frost
02. Bloodline: Sealed
03. 24th
04. Mountains Falling
05. Chapter One
06. Rotten Crown
07. Dead Head Symmetry
08. Miles To Go
09. No Words
10. Last Breath On Earth