RE:FREE

The electronic road less traveled.

Superband OSI has always been on the cutting edge side of things with their first two albums, this first EP, however, is a bit off. While the sound is generally good and the songs that have been remixed have been done so well, and extended, in some cases, to about 3 times their length, the result is not fantastic for those of us who have grown to love the versatile prog-metal group. Among the remixed songs are Go, Home Was Good and Kicking, all from their most recent album, but where each of these songs were fairly heavy on their parent cd, here they've taken an electronic twist, but I suppose this is to be expected on a remix EP. This is a good EP to hunt down if you're a large fan of the band's more electronic work, the bonus disc from Free being perhaps the precursor to this move, but for those of us who would rather hear some powerful new material this simply doesn't do the trick.

While a good addition to the discography for fans and collectors alike (even I appreciate the addition of the Free music video) it's definitely not a good way to hold you over to their next album, definitely not a good cd to get started on the band with, and in no way an EP that you should go out and commit terrible crimes just to obtain (as Nil Recurring apparently is). 2 stars, this one's for collectors and fans.

This single is a very elegant and polite way to say: NO MORE METAL PLEASE. A 180º turn completely leaving the edgy and metallic side of the previous efforts and reworking 3 songs into a fully electronic realm. In here MOORE tells the world that he is not (by any chance) the ex-member of any band, it's a statement of liberty, evolution and independence to the whole fan base and the rest of the world. Then, GO is a full ambient passage, lovable with those cut loops at the beginning, and making it a little bit longer, after that "contribution" MOORE himself rework KICKING a quite solid rock song into a different boundaries, playing with ambience and tons of layers, and the final act HOME WAS GOOD, is an obscene and dramatic abscence of instruments almost ENO- inspired ambient loop, and must be said: gourgeos and beautiful, The problem with this album relies in the single fact that doesn't belong in this "prog- metal" style; try fitting it in post-rock or prog-related. Nice thing, but for fans or very open-minded music enthusiasts. peace.

OSI is one of quite rare metal music connected band for me which know who to play elegant and intellectual music. This EP shows their different side - tasteful excursion to the field of modern electronic rock, related with prog.

Three compositions from original album ("Free") is reworked and remixed in warm,but very electronic-sound and rhythm based manner. Imagine cool version of later Depeche Mode songs, or contemporary OMD,if you want. Plenty of ambient, very tasteful use of electronics.

Yes, this short release has no connections with post-metal (and even nothing in common with post-rock), but it could be really interesting release for fans of David Sylvian.