Super neat, mate! I'm definitely on board with the new direction. The method of running your concept through a could-you-pick-them-out-from-a-line-up filter is a really sound strategy and helps reveal some early flaws endemic to the concepting phase. It's a courageous artist who is willing to scrap work based on the results. 
That helmet also reminds me a bit of Sana Takeda's work from the Monstress comic series - awesome stuff!
