A veritable
prog metal "supergroup,"
O.S.I. -- the "Office of Strategic Influence" -- was formed by
Fates Warning guitarist
Jim Matheos,
Chroma Key and former
Dream Theater keyboardist
Kevin Moore, and
Dream Theater drummer
Mike Portnoy, with help from
Gordian Knot bassist
Sean Malone. Like similar collaborations, such as
Transatlantic or
Liquid Tension Experiment (many of which feature the same rotating cast of six or eight talented players),
O.S.I.'s debut album is more than the sum of its disparate parts.
Office of Strategic Influence masterfully blends '70s-styled
progressive rock, heavily influenced by
King Crimson and
Pink Floyd, with an '80s-era
heavy metal aesthetic, and the
avant-garde sound of underground
indie rockers such as
Max Vague.
The album-opening instrumental,
"The New Math (What He Said)," is a fast-paced rocker,
Matheos' guitar clamoring for attention above the din of
Portnoy's crashing rhythms and
Moore's manic keyboard work. Like
Rick Wakeman-era
Yes on steroids, the song showcases the threesome's musical abilities and jump-starts
Office of Strategic Influence with a jolt. The following material offers little to disappoint, the band keeping up the frantic pace on songs such as
"When You're Ready" and
"Dirt from a Holy Place," the performances crackling with electricity and passion. Lengthy instrumental passages are powerful and purposeful: an integral part of each composition rather than an excuse to merely "jam." The individual talents of
O.S.I. mesh seamlessly, blending instrumental virtuosity with oblique lyrics, creating an album that is as physical an experience as it is an intellectual exercise.
In any other subgenre of
rock,
Matheos would be a guitar hero on the order of
Steve Vai or
Eddie Van Halen, the
Fates Warning frontman capable of both
classically styled acoustic craftsmanship and chaotic metallic riffing, often in the context of the same song.
Office of Strategic Influence allows the underrated axeman a chance to spread his wings and fly high, while
Malone and
Portnoy hold down the bottom line with rock-solid rhythms.
Kevin Moore is the other focal point here, the keyboard wizard providing an instrumental counterpoint to
Matheos' raging guitar.
Moore's imaginative style and natural skill coax a myriad of sounds from his instrument to challenge
Matheos in the mix. Offering both power and pomp,
O.S.I. would appeal to fans of classic
prog rock and modern
heavy metal alike. The regular-release single disc version of
Office of Strategic Influence includes a video of
"Horseshoes and B-52's." The two-CD limited-edition package offers three new songs, including a blistering cover of
Pink Floyd's
"Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and a five-song video documentary: munchies for your computer. ~ Rev. Keith A. Gordon