OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INFLUENCE

When I first time heard this album, I knew that I had something fresh, new, stylish and futuresque from my headphones. I was listening to brilliant masterpiece. Why I felt this? Simply because this is how I imagined progressive album of the future. Looking at technical side of this album, it is excelent, has no weak moments, simply liquid from first seconds until the end, lyrically very good, emotive, atmospheric. Kevin Moore is great musician, he showed it now! I felt his work in the music the most. All textures here I find very interesting and refreshfull. Some might talk about too simple guitar here, about metal "riffs" that loudly fill the album. But this kind of critics would be just little bit stupid, this is in style called prog metal, this is not about symphonic music. Anyway Jim Matheos is excellent guitarist, he has got solid sound which is very powerfull. Track Hello, Helicopter is simply my favourite track here. Kevin has wonderfull voice, and it is colored by great acoustic guitar, and later develops in what I feel is new style. The genious textures and keyboard parts remind me of King Crimson, but only because of its opened way to new musical horizons. Steven Wilson sings fantasy voice in ShutDown track. He gives his best in it. Matheos plays perfectly... Memory Daydream Lapses is excelent psychedelic track which reminds me on Dream Theater's Space Dye West song, which was also written by Moore.Track is weird at the end, and one of the best songs I heard recently. And this track goes after great instrumental piece, Dirt from A Holy Place, the most complex song on album. If you are hardcore prog fan of the bands from seventies, you might not be caught by this work. But, prog is about crashing all borders in music, right? If somebody makes new style, and it sounds advanced, than it is naturally to support it.