About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

Respected, but not awe-inspiring debut receives the reissue treatment.



Pros

• Technically stunning.
• Succeeds in emitting a cold, desolate atmosphere.

Cons

• Doesn't connect with the listener.
• Drags as an album.
• Passionless on the whole.

Description

• Released September 28, 2010 on Metal Blade Records.
• This is a reissue of O.S.I.’s 2003 debut.
• Features Mike Portnoy, Kevin Moore, Jim Matheos and Sean Malone.

Guide Review - O.S.I. - 'Office Of Strategic Influence'

Another reissue here from the Metal Blade camp, this time from the neo-prog supergroup of O.S.I., and their pseudo-self-titled 2003 debut, Office of Strategic Influence.

Speaking on a personal level, I myself have tried on numerous occasions to delve headfirst into this record, and appreciate it a tenth of the way so many of my peers, friends and colleagues have seemed to over the years.

Enter 2010, and it’s my umpteenth time listening to Office of Strategic Influence. I remain unconvinced. Given the pedigree of talent involved on this record—ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and synth ace Kevin Moore, together with Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos and Cynic’s Sean Malone—it stands to reason that nothing within the O.S.I. collective musically “sucks,” and this would be true.

O.S.I. are clearly accomplished musicians and songwriters—Kevin Moore being inarguably the finest keyboardist Dream Theater was ever lucky enough to have in its ranks—but the atmosphere contained here within Office struggles to stride above a surface-level, moody psychedelia.

There’s just not any emotional connection between listener and song here; in its place a cold, passionless void where any bright musical hues are brought down by the record’s darkest blues and blacks.

When one finishes listening to Office of Strategic Influence, the end feeling is somewhat akin to leaving a buffet half-hungry: there’s this nagging voice wondering aloud, is that it? Unfortunately, it is, for as a project, O.S.I. possesses all the potential in the world, yet—with no way or truly making their mark known outside of their insular fan base who will ultimately buy anything these musicians release and call it God’s gift to music, regardless of how uninspiring some of it happens to be—has never made a record which could truly define the project as a fun, unnecessary side gig.



Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.