Conniption - The Theatre of Invention ★★★☆☆
PROGRESSIVE THRASH | 2025 — INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | METAL-ARCHIVES FOR FANS OF: CORONER, FLOTSAM & JETSAM, HEATHEN, DREAM THEATER, SOUNDGARDEN
Every now and then when you're rummaging for scraps of precious, precious Thrash Metal from the main stream slew of sh!t, you strike oil.
THRASH-O-METER
★★★★☆ SONGWRITING
★★★☆☆ THEMES
★★★★★ LONGEVITY
★★★☆☆ PRODUCTION
★★☆☆☆ THRASHABILITY
★★★☆☆ GOOD SH!T
I'd be hard pressed to think of a equally diverse an album from the past few years - in any music genre, really. What Conniption has cooked up here is a proper theatre indeed; delving into fear, atonement, war, survival, vengeance and acceptance of the end - conceptualising the very human back and forth that makes the world go around.
The name of the album is fitting. You'll go up, you'll come down. Sometimes you're cut in ten places and then you find yourself basking in warm sunlight - often, you're plain surprised. In many ways I found myself thinking of Arjen Lucassen's sh!t, only with less grandeur and pomp.
Flow of song is king
When I'm talking about versatility and difference I'm talking about how surprising the songs are. When I'm talking about amazement I mean how effortlessly the seemingly convoluted songs come together. This is peak skill in composing music - to make sh!t that fit so well together that anyone goes afterwards: "why of course!"
The line between Progressive and Technical sub-genres of the sub-genre of Metal in question here: Thrash (cough) is capricious at best. I'll save you the trouble and steer this ship where the winds be: this is Progressive Thrash Metal. These fellas are obviously very competent musicians and able to compose complex songs - without ever finding themselves in a pointless 10 minute rant when the discussion could've been had in five.

Michael Brigham's vocals can be simply described as majestic. However, clear vocals on a Thrash Metal band can easily give everything a Power Metal icing - as it somewhat does here. On the other hand things do take more than few sharp turns into a Grungesque habitus; Brigham has technique and above all expressiveness to carry it all.
Unfortunately with the limited info in Spotify or through working the Google on the internet machine, I'm not 100% on who sings what segments, because the lead guitarist, Bill House, is also marked down for vocals.
A Thrash Metal operetta
In any case (and in many ways) the vocal prowess here does indeed make you think of a circus or more to the point a progressing play on a stage. Vocals are expressive and range from beautiful arias into peculiar and over the top voice over acting from Tim Burton's animations.
It would be easy to say that the music is there only to suit the vocals but there's more to it. Proper shreddage, oddball change of pace, intriguing melodies and sheer pointy hooks give identity to songs as the two complement each other. However, it can't be denied how big of an impact a genuinely good vocalist can have to a band's music.
Let's get the obvious out of the way: Conniption's gigs will never have a pit going on (prove me wrong, internets!). A heritage of Thrash Metal is present but it does take a deep backseat. The thrill of listening to The Theatre of Invention comes from what only concept albums can achieve in one go. It is mesmerising enough to stand back-to-back visits due to being chock-full of good music, and couple of hits, really.
PS. None of the "Fans also like" bands on Conniption's page at Spotify ring any kind of bell. I would also go so far as to say that the cover of the album is rather low effort and thus thoroughly forbidding to me - so how on earth did I end up listening to this one? Lucifer only knows!