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OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE
OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE (so far one of the WORST band names in
history) is something that only true progressive rock fans will appreciate.
Being a fan of DREAM THEATER and FATES WARNING, I'd hoped that this disc would
boast some intense material. I was rather let down by the fact that much of the material on this CD is very flat and non-inspiring. How could that be,
considering this 'super-group' features Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and
Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos, with CHROMA KEY keyboardist and
vocalist Kevin Moore (who also happens to be the former keyboardist fom Dream Theater
as well) involved? I'll tell you why...
I firmly believe that these 'supergroup' projects are simply bound to fail
because rarely do the results mirror the abilities of the individual players. Many times the songs are diluted retreads of the key members' primary music without much in between. I personally should have known when I looked at the track listing and saw 3 instrumental pieces and an 18 minute track that this would be self-indulgent prog drivel. Most of the 'songs' (I use that term sarcastically because they really can't qualify as songs per se) on this disc were born from an original 25-plus minute opus created by Matheos and then slowly trimmed into sections. This does not make for good song writing and in the end, what you really get is a long 25+ minute song broken up
into seven movements. It doesn't get any worse that that. It's simply a shame because having
witnessed Dream Theater create one of the finest prog albums of the last
ten
years (the amazing and awe inspiring Six Degrees of Inner Turbulance
with it's key track being over 45 minutes long), OSI just comes off as a mere collection of ideas that really never come to fruition.
I will say that the instrumentation is impressive as always, but all the
amazing virtuoso playing will not lift this CD from prog rock muck. I simply had nothing to really latch on to and found myself forgetting this disc the instant it was over. This is mood music, and meant for basic background
entertainment. You will not be cranking this in your car blasting down the garden State Parkway,
nor will you want to listen to it for any sort of pick-me-up. Most of the tracks are dour and depressing and Kevin Moore's 'vocal' stylings leave much to be desired. A cross between artsy Peter Gabriel and stiff sounding David Bowie, his vocal style really doesn't add to the music's overall dark vibe. At times, the disc does have a bright moment, as in the opening 'The New Math', but
quickly falls into keyboard heavy, droning guitar dreck where you can't find neither beginning nor end to any particular track. A let down, but then again, I didn't expect much from this to begin with. Stick to your day gigs boys, because you're far better than this.
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