MYTHS & LEGENDS

The very fact that Osiris - a Bahrainian outfit formed by two musical brothers during the early days of the 1980s - exists at all is in itself something both very special and very unique. The fact that both their self-titled debut and this 1984 follow-up also happen to be spectacularly good makes the Osiris story even more special. Isolated in the middle-east without proper recording studios(1981's 'Osiris' was recorded in Malaysia) and unable to tour or cultivate much of a fanbase throughout their own country due to both it's tiny population and it's very real lack of hardened rock music aficianados, the odds have always been pretty well-stacked against Osiris. However, one should never underestimate the resolve or determination of a talented set of musicians and despite featuring some slightly rough production values, both of Osiris' first two albums stand out as real gems of the neo-prog movement. You may be expecting an exotic, middle-eastern slant on the well-worn Marillion-and-IQ sound but you'd be wrong; Osiris are a straight ahead neo-prog beast whose sound is dominated by thick, juicy keyboards, angular and melodic guitars and intricately-planned drum patterns. 'Myths & Legends' doesn't quite reach the same lofty standards as it's predecessor, yet it is still an excellent album featuring a glut of catchy and anthemic tunes adorned with skilful playing and imbued with a genuine love for classical progressive rock sounds. Album highlights include the powerful title-track, whilst the pretty, faux- classical keyboard lines and uplifting guitars of 'Free Like The Wind' showcase the group at their most instrumentally creative. To make one album under these circumstances is surprising, to produce two is nothing short of remarkable. We often think of neo-prog as a strictly European construct, yet Osiris have shown that they are just as good as any of the sub-genre's big boys, producing a passionately-crafted album filled with rich textures and exciting melodies. Great stuff. STEFAN TURNER, REYKJAVIK, 2012