OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INFLUENCE (LIMITED EDITION)

O.S.I is a Mike Portnoy (DT) side project, featuring Kevin Moore (ex Dream Theater, Chroma Key), Jim Matheos (Porcupine Tree) and Sean Malone, a "supergroup". I must say I expected a Dream Theater - Porcupine Tree sound but what I heard is a very experimental sound, combining metal, acoustic and effects parts. Is not an easy album to get into: I've listened to it around 20 times to enjoy (not so much) it. Some times it gets boring, very boring, maybe it's because I'm not accustomed with this kind of sound. The quality of the recording is excellent. I didn't really ENJOY (with capital leter) any of the tracks. Also, seems like during the album, I couidn't hear concluded ideas, it's not full of creativity. I can expect much more from this supreb musicians.

Well, "The new math (what he said)" is used like an intro to the album. This one has a very DT sound. Then keeps heavy with "O.S.I" with overdistorted guitars, followed the acoustic "When you're ready", which is nice, and a bit depressing. Then goes "Horseshoes and B-52s" (why that title?) is an instrumental with many sound effects, but it's too much repetitive (not concluded) and finishes boring me. "Head" is a track in the Porcupine Tree vein. "Hello, helicopter!" is an almost acoustic song with industrial and repetitive voice that reminds me of electronic music, but it's a good track. Then comes "ShotDOWN" featuring as a guest Steven Wilson of PT, which has a similar voice to Moore.This is a better song than the previous ones, starts experimenting with slow tempo (doom metal) on the first part and then comes a killing metal riff that combined with drums makes you headbang and becomes more violent. "Dirt from a holy place" is the best one of the album, an instrumental dark song, that starts experimenting quietly with a nice guitar solo (the only one on the album) and the piano introduces a nice melody that then all the instrument do and gives you a terror climax, wwwwaaaahhhhh!!!! "Memory daydreams lapses" is the most boring song of the CD : Why repeat the same effect all the time?? "Stand by (looks like rain)" is a nice acoustic, that would be so much better if it were longer.

On disc two there are spme bonus tracks "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" is a Pink Floyd cover from "Echoes" performed by Kevin Moore and Mike Portnoy which is well done and the psychedelic climax goes well with whe band sound. Here I like very much the percusion part. "New Mama" is a Neil Young cover performed by Kevin Moore full of affects. "The Thing That Never Was" is the original "Looks Like Rain" demo, but it's basically an instrumental medley of the first tracks of the album.

Best songs: "Dirt from a holy place", "ShutDOWN", "Standby (looks like rain)" and "Set the controls for the heart of the sun"

Overall, it's a good but non-essential album, reccomendable if you like experimental and psychedelic sound, combined with metal. If you're expecting a DT sound maybe you'll be dissapointed.

Rating: 3/5

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