Jim Matheos: Guitar, Keyboards, Programming
Kevin Moore:Vocals, Keyboards, Programming
Mike Portnoy: Drums

With:
Sean Malone: Bass, Stick
Steven Wilson: Vocals on shutDOWN

Track Listing:CD 1
1. The New Math (what he said)
2. OSI
3. When You're Ready
4. Horseshoes And B-52's
5. Head
6. Hello, Helicopter!
7. shutDOWN
8. Dirt From A Holy Place
9. Memory Daydreams Lapses
10. Standby (Looks Like Rain)
Enhanced video: Horseshoes and B-52´s

CD 2
1. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun
2. New Mama
3. The Thing That Never Was
Enhanced multimediapart: documentary of the recording

OSI: Perhaps the first "Politically Incorrect" album of the 21st Century.

What do you get when you cross Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Porcupine Tree, Chroma Key and Gordian Knot? I'm not quite sure, but one thing you don't get is BORING music! OSI is perhaps the finest Progressive/Metal album I have ever heard.

The OSI website (http://www.osiband.com) states the name of this project comes from a failed Pentagon agency implemented just after 9-11. The website goes on to say; "Basically OSI, or the Office Of Strategic Influence, was an ill-fated agency that was dreamt up by the Pentagon, I think, shortly after 9/11. Their purpose was basically to disseminate information mostly abroad, and if need be, false information, to put the U.S. war on terrorism in a more favorable light."

That's an extremely compact background on the musical project's Bio. For more, please visit their website.

Now, onto the album.

OSI is made up of members of five very well known Progressive/ Prog- Metal bands. Jim Matheos of Fates Warning, Kevin Moore of Chroma Key, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, with Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree and Sean Malone of Gordian Knot. A curious lineup to be sure, but knowing Portnoy's talent with Transatlantic, Wilson's many projects and Sean Malone's fantastic Gordian Knot albums, how could I go wrong with this one?

The album is all, and none of those style's. Basically, this is a heavy duty Guitar/ Keyboard album, but even that is far too limiting to the scope of the music, and the talent of the musicians playing on it.

At times the album reminds the listener of Ozric Tentacles, Eno, Radiohead, Bowie, even Pink Floyd. All of this over a heavy guitar that would make Tony Iommi beg for more! There is contrast on the album as well. Beautiful acoustic guitar pieces, poignant and well written ( and sung!) lyrics make this album one of the best yet from the folks at Inside Out.

For the Steven Wilson fans, shutDOWN is probably one of his best vocal performances ever. Sounding somewhat psychotic, Steven manages to bring the feeling of the recent PT album In Absentia to this track. Incredible piece of work!

Sean Malone as always, turns in a stellar performance on the bass and stick.

Mike Portnoy is arguably one of the best drummers out there at the moment. Thunderous playing throughout. I find his style to be in the vein of Bruford.

Matheos and Moore sharing the keyboard parts work extremely well. Matheos is one of the best metal guitarists I have heard in a long time. Kevin Moore has a great voice, and is quite suited to the overall feeling of this album.

If you like your music with an edge, OSI is one to get. The Limited Edition version features a great cover of the Floyd classic "Set The Controls For The Heart of the Sun," and a video documentary on the album's production.

OSI will definitely put your house on high alert with your neighbors, get it and crank it up!

Released by InsideOut Music (USA): http://www.insideoutmusic.com

InsideOut Music (Europe): http://www.insideout.de/

OSI Website: http://www.osiband.com

Review by Lew Fisher

What it is supposed to be:

Clever packaging presents an intellectually stimulating concept that indicates adherence to forethought.
This, combined with the sticker emblazoned across the front that boldly labels OSI a prog rock supergroup by virtue
of the names affiliated with the project, promises a cornucopia of heady instrumental prowess and highminded
vision.

What it is:

NOTE TO BANDS: Artistic vision isn't enough. The music has to match the packaging. Stand by the courage of your musical convictions. If the music is of sufficiently high calibre, it will attract an audience who will be doubly rewarded by realizing their favorite prog musicians have developed thumbs, picked up their flints and migrated. If the music fails to deliver, all that will be accomplished is the trivialization of the names associated.

Such is the case with OSI. I purchased this disc primarily because I am a fan of the bands these gentlemen are/were otherwise gainfully employed in. Cynic, Dream Theatre, and Fates Warning. What a pedigree. What a shame. The OSI disc bears little resemblence to any of the afforementioned bands, nor does it capture any of the qualities that made the first two bands music so spectacular (although DT seems to have lost the plot recently-someone challenge me, I dare you!).

OSI fails to deliver compelling songs, instead pairing a highly developed soundtrack with tepid, uninspired vocals.
Yes, there are clever time signature twists, (Portnoy's drumming is as ballistic as ever, although he sounds fettered at times), and there are enough keyboard/synth ploys to offer a semblance of the sophistication Moore was known for in his 'other' band, and Matheos competently, if rigidly, provides his typical backdrop of block chords, but examined in its entirety, the music, like the Hindenburg at first glance over Lakehurst, inspires, by the sheer improbability of its existence, only to expire lazily and regrettably in its own wake.

Lyrically OSI teeter between gibberish and non-sequitor, and AGAIN (in most prog/metal outfits), a lyrical mismatch between concept and execution proves that the eponymous title conferred is a misnomer. Vocally, Moore has a pleasant, Bowie-esque tone, underdeveloped though, that exhibits none of the range of the afforementioned.

This is clearly Moore's vision, regardless of who contributed what, and he is able to do as he pleases, but the question that I want answered most is: "Why did you dismiss Daniel Gildenlow?".

Overall, there is much to enjoy here, if you can divest yourself of the preconceptions that ultimately riddle this disc.
I hesitated before writing this review, if only briefly, but proceded because I felt cheated. Had I heard it without knowing who it was, I would have enjoyed it for what it is: a brooding, atmospheric excursion into a darkly intriguing soundscape which stimulates musical thought through its intricately, yet coarsely woven tapestry of harmonic ropes (I chose 'rope' carefully). Preconceptions, especially when capitalized upon and exploited, are difficult to overcome.
The music deserves to be listened to more than once though, as the ropes unravel to release the musical snarl at the center (yes, yes, I know.....)

Rating: 3/5 (I would have added another point if Gildenlow had participated as vocalist and second guitarist)

Review by Jan-Mikael