O.S.I. - Fire Make Thunder (2012) (2/10)

OSI are an abbreviation for “Office of Strategic Influence” which was also the band’s first release nine years ago. The group is composed of the two famous Progressive Metal musicians Kevin Moore who has been in DREAM THEATER as well as in FATES WARNING and Jim Matheos who still is in FATES WARNING and who has recently released a critically acclaimed album with his band colleague JOHN ARCH under the ARCH / MATHEOS banner. The third man on board is the drummer Gavin Harrison. True Progressive Rock fans should know him, too as he has been involved in KING CRIMSON and still is a part of PORCUPINE TREE. In the past, OSI featured even more famous musicians such as Sean Malone, Mike Portnoy and Joey Vera. I think these guys don’t need an introduction anymore. That’s why one could describe OSI as an all-star band or even a super-group of the genre and the whole thing sounds quite promising. 

But then, there is the music. The album is quite slow and has a pretty dark atmosphere. Only very few tracks are heavy and feature very minimalistic riffs that sound somewhat Doom, Groove and Industrial Metal orientated. Some tracks even have some Sludge references or very slight Country moments. Another dominating element is the keyboards that add a very minimalistic electronic touch to the sound. This description sounds quite diversified but don’t get fooled by the description. The music is very calm, laid back and minimalistic. The overall atmosphere is quite depressive and grey. It goes as far that this release can almost be described as an Ambient record with its numerous floating moments.  

Some of the hypnotizing tracks need a lot of time to grow but most of them simply won’t do so. This album lacks of the warmth that one knows from bands such as FATES WARNING and especially DREAM THEATER. It’s hard to believe that the main artist on this release is the same guy that created songs like “Only a Matter of Time”, “Surrounded” or “Space-Dye West” as this album simply feels dumb and numb. I would even associate a feeling on the thin line between being very sad and being emotionless to the record. As you can see, some sort of concept is there but only one solid basis idea doesn’t make an entire record that lacks of any gripping variation.  

Some lyrics and song titles may seem to be influenced by the culture of the North American First Nations but this can’t be detected in the songs themselves as there are no folk elements, exotic lyrics or particularly Indian atmospheres to find. The only term I may associate with the First Nations and that I can hear throughout the record is a strange feeling of longing or loneliness that may reflect the view on a better past and a shattered present of the Indian communities that are now culturally, mentally and politically imprisoned in reserves thanks to failed American and Canadian politics in the past.  

In the end, if you are looking for an atmospheric and minimalistic record to dig into, you might like this release. If you are looking for diversified changes of style, any solo passages or catchy tracks, you won’t be happy with this album. I especially dislike the cold and minimalistic guitar riffs, the repetitive keyboard sounds, the almost inaudible bass guitar lines, the faceless drumming and the redundant vocals coming from three musicians that can clearly do better. As you can see, there isn’t much that I don’t dislike which explains my negative final rating. I have given this album enough time and three to four spins but it simply refuses to grow on me no matter how and when I do approach this. I would only recommend this album to fans of dark, Industrial and simplistic Ambient stuff. Anybody else shouldn’t get fooled by the big names of the members and head for their original bands instead. 

(Online September 12, 2012)