FREE

I waited for some time before giving review of this album, as I rushed in writing of first O.S.I. album to which I gave five stars. Trust me, I did not make mistake with first one, it is truly fantastic record, with many new stuffs, original and challenging sound.

This is not similar to first album at all, this one has more pop and industrial elements. One might even consider this as non progressive album, but again, this is something new and can be put in prog category because of that.

Let me now describe you songs in record:

Album starts with some programmed percussion sound and simple bass line and simple drums. Singer sings rough, without any studio corrections, with voice somehow relaxed and without higher notes. Through whole song there are some scratchy effects and some effect on guitar, with occasional heavier riff based only on one accord! And later come some repetitions with bit more riffs now based on few more notes. This is poor song to me, but has some excellent drumming played by extraordinary Mike Portnoy.

"Free" is based on rhythm guitar riffs that sound good to me, and some cool lyrics, and once again great drumming; in few words, this is cool metal track, that even makes me thing of industrial metal, but this one is more cool and warm than any industrial metal track I have heard.

"Go" goes with some cool keyboards, sounds great, vocals are fascinating to me, drums are soft, probably processed real drums. Track is original and inspiring, soft and melodic, disco oriented, but complex and with intelligent textures.

"All Gone Now" is the best track on album. It is psychedelic/electronic metal song, with great sound of guitar, typical for Matheos, with vocals that go toward Trans, cool computer effects mixed with the sound of guitar sound excellent.

"Home Was Good" is an ambient track based on few simple acoustic guitar riffs, sleepy vocals, and some background keyboards sound. Not bad, but too simple. Never mind, it is effective.

"Bigger Wave" is fantastic song; it starts with guitar theme which is combined with similar keyboards playing and some interesting drums combined with programmed drums in background. Here we have one fine tempo/melody shift after nice passage made of electronic keys and fantastic drumming, everything ends similar to song "All Gone Now", but less psychedelic. This song is not much complicated, too.

First time I heard one interesting thing in song "Kicking": fantastic digital solo. How it was made, I am not sure, might be that it was programmed computer effect, or it may be distorted keyboard sound, anyway it sounds intriguing. There is sense for detail in this track, and for the first time I realized that I like these processed drums arranged probably by Moore.

Song called "Better" reminds me on Nine Inch Nails, although it is still much different. It has cool bombastic drums at the end.

"Simple Life" starts like totally electronic track, similar to Chroma Key style, these scratchiness and overdubbed vocals sound really picturesque. Then, there come industrial guitar riff followed by softer sound of guitar, full of effects, and song goes toward space music at he end.

"Once" can go boring to me with its repetitive singing, and this one could be disco song if put on double speed, or so. Some said that it is in style of Kraftwerk, might be, but this one is softer.

"Our Town" is acoustic song with very good written lyrics, without any effects, it has also great electric guitar theme played over an acoustic one, in vein of Pink Floyd. I can imagine this song to be ending theme of some film.

And so the whole album is like a movie to me. It has soul and it is picturesque. It is not disappointing album to me, but this could have been much better. I do not think it would be smart to recommend this to every prog fan. Anyone who has listening experience which is wider than whole prog music, should try this one, too. I would like to hear this live! There are many experiments here, players had some fun doing this and mixing is crucial here. That is why I consider this as a part of industrial genre.