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OSI: Blood

Art/Ambient/Prog Rock

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Inside Out Music
www.osiband.com
www.myspace.com/osiband
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 04.30.2009

Once dubbed a modern prog rock super group, OSI (the Office of Strategic Influence) delivered, on their 2003 premier, a masterpiece of 70's influenced prog rock within modern, even indie, context. Six years later, 'Blood' may come as quite a surprise to fans. Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos and Chroma Key keyboardist Kevin Moore travel down a musical road more akin to ambient rock or electronica; the whole album has a creepy and eerie feel like blood slowly coagulating about a sterile and mysterious laboratory.

For musical elements, the emphasis seems to lie with Kevin Moore's experimental and ambient electronica throughout 'Blood' which also accounts for the eerie interface. Jim Matheos is there but, except for a very short guitar solo on the opener, has been reduced to a seemingly supporting role of chord play, riffing and more riffing. Sometimes bass and drums get there due. However, all the songs are awash in the Moore's keyboard ambience. All this makes for a rather clever, but tremendously dull, outing for OSI. Unless you're a diehard fan, you can probably pass on this one.

For the third full-length OSI release all the songs are awash in the Moore's keyboard ambience. All this makes for a rather clever, but tremendously dull, outing for OSI. Unless you're a diehard fan, you can probably pass on this one.

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To paraphrase late night talk show host David Lettermen, my next artist needs little introduction. Germany's Helloween are practically the godfathers of traditional European power metal. This year they will the ... [ Read More ]