BEYOND CONTROL LIVE

A live album recorded with very simple technology and no overdubs serves the purpose: that of conveying the immediacy of the sound of Osiris in a live setting, as well as its members' undeniable competence and team approach. Even if you have their three previous studio recordings, this is worth picking up because of four previously unreleased tracks as well as the aforementioned treat of hearing this band live.

The opening bars of the epic "Medley from Tales of the Divers" are the most Arabic sounding part of the whole effort, but they quickly segue into classic Osiris fare, marked primarily by upbeat lovely melodies divided fairly between keys, guitars and vocals. Of all the classic prog influences, that of Camel is strongest, but if Osiris doesn't quite match Camel for playing and composition, they match Camel's ability at squeezing the maximum out of fairly average vocalists. Interesting that this highlight is referred to as a medley, implying that Tales of the Divers may one day see release as a studio album with longer versions of the different components sampled here. So we hear the medley before we hear its original parts!

Next up is "Reflections", the title track from the 1990 studio album and a version that actually brings out the original intent of the song better than had hitherto been achieved. As I listened to it, I thought this is a class neo prog piece of work - accessible, downplayed, and with vocals that avoid the standard over-emoting of the genre. It just works better in a live setting.

"Until we Meet" is another original, not quite as long as the medley but pretty close. This instrumental particularly showcases the potency of Mohammed Alsadeqi's lead guitar once the synthesizer washes fade into the background. Another very strong live number. It is followed by "Once Upon a Time", where we are returned to the Osiris fixation with the sea. This song is more of a showcase for the twin keys of Nader Sharif and Abdul Razzak Arian, although Alsadeqi leaves his mark in a fine solo.

"Bird of Prey" is the original tune that is strongest song per se, staying with the theme through a lovely symphonic introduction before the vocals deliver an elegant melody, and then back to progress along those lines.

I am struck by the less is more approach to delivery on this live album, and the clarity of each contributor, in spite of the low fidelity recording standards. It underscores how far good songs and playing can take you, just as we know that great production in and of itself gets you nowhere. Osiris probably aren't a group with a master plan, but they seem to have executed much of their career with an instinctive guiding force. This live recording could never have resulted otherwise.

The live performances of Osiris as of entering the 90's decade became even more rare, until in 1993 the band made a short break.A few years later though they were discovered by the management of the veteran Prog label Musea, which eventually reissued the whole back catalogue of the band, making them more famous to the public.While collecting the tapes for the reissues, a live cassette of the band from 1991 came to the attention of the members.This meant to become the fourth CD of Osiris on Musea, released in 2002 with the title ''Beyond control live''.The crew performing at the Diplomat stage in Bahrein were brothers Mohammed Al-Sadeqi (guitars, vocals), Nabil Al-Sadeqi (drums) and Sabah Al-Sadeqi (lead vocals) along with bassist Ali Khonji and keyboardists Nader Sharif and Abdul Razzak Arian.

Soundwise the album was recorded live on a single tape recorder with no effects or outer interventions and for such an amateur case this one sounds pretty cool, although in several parts some of the bass lines and drum parts sound a bit buried.This would be just a collectable live record by Osiris, if it weren't for the unreleased tracks contained in here and never made it to a regular album of the band, making some sort of a must-have for lovers of the band.''Medley from tales of the divers'' is a highly symphonic potpourri from a never released 80's concept work by Osiris, coming also as a potpourri of 70's and 80's Prog wiith CAMEL-esque organs and guitars next to MARILLION-esque odd synth lines and featuring also decent vocals and some big symphonic keyboard grandieur at the latter part.''Until we meet'' is yet another hidden pearl of Osiris' repertoire, opening with some very atmospheric synths and piano lines in the vein of SOLARIS and slowly developing into a melodic, instrumental Prog Rocker with definite Neo Prog colors, especially displayed during the tireless electric solos.''Ones upon a time'' (was that a mispelling on purpose?) reminds me actually of Italian's ATON'S and ABISSI INFINITI, it's very romantic and melodious Prog Rock with light symphonic overtones and alternations between laid-back and harder textures, containing good breaks, tempo changes and some PENDRAGON-like atmospheres in the instrumental moments.Last unreleased track is ''Bird of prey'', typical of Osiris' stylings with nice CAMEL-like guitar and keyboard flashes and a fiery rhythm leading the way.The rest of the tracklist, ''Reflections'', ''Wasted'', ''Lost and found'' and ''Fantasy'', represent all three studio efforts of the band and come as a pretty nice selection of songs.

Sound quality is between average and pretty decent, music of Osiris is somewhere between decent and simply fantastic as always.Thus ''Beyond control live'' is followed by a warm recommendation, an underground effort of quality Prog Rock with symphonic textures...3.5 stars.