On paper OSI looks to be a typical prog metal supergroup along the lines of Liquid Tension Experiment. Let's see, you've got Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and Cynic all in the same room, doing primarily instrumental metal. There are two X Factors going in that need to be considered first: Jim Matheos usually transcends genre norms and uses his guitar more for innovation rather than showmanship. Then there's keyboardist Kevin Moore, probably prog metal's foremost Renaissance Man. As quirky as they come, he's lived all over the world doing different things, and today he resides in North Dakota as a Psychiatrist. When you blend these two minds together, you're probably not going to end up with a jam session proving how many notes you can play in a minute.
And sure enough, Office of Strategic Influence is not an easy album to digest in one setting. There's so much going on, with Moore providing more of an electronic lens to his keyboards. He also does most of the singing, which is sparse and affected, as that's not his strength. Matheos definitely keeps it metal, but brings along a lot of creative leftover ideas he didn't or couldn't fit in Fates Warning. Sean Malone and Mike Portnoy provide the expert rhythm section but they aren't the focus.
So it's an interesting album, but is there any kind of payoff track making it worth the investment of time? And the answer is a solid yes. 'shutDOWN' is a monumental piece of music that features one of Matheos' most massive riffs of his career. One can hear early Pink Floyd's atmosphere to provide the awesome contrast. And yes, there is one more X Factor here that I didn't mention as it appears he was only involved for parts of the recording. That "he" is none other than Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) who seems to be largely responsible for this particular track. Overall Office of Strategic Influence takes time to marinate, but worth the effort. +1 from me.
Ownership: CD: 2010 Metal Blade (Europe). 2xCD. Second press digipak with 19 page booklet. I picked this up in a metal buy a few years later (2014). The second disc features Pink Floyd's 'Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun' which is exactly the song I was thinking of when listening to 'shutDOWN'. So no coincidence. I didn't listen to the second disc for this session.
2014; 8/15/22; 5/1/23 (new entry)
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