Attn: Azal!

[Baliset]

ok i picked up OSI today and I am listening to it right now. Unfortunately I can only get a small sense of it amid the low volume and constant distractions in my office BUT it sounds awesome so far. Its a bit heavier than Chroma Key and there some trademark Matheos/Portnoy odd time groove riffs but overall it seems to have a cool vibe. I have a longass train ride home tonight to absorb it.

thanks for the suggestion though!

 

[azal]

right on man.

yeah it's definately a CD that requires your full attention and a nice set of headphones.

It took me a good 5 listens to totally dig it.

the more I listen, I find that the only detractor for me is Portnoy.
He's kinda like the Yngwie of drumming. He falls into his stereotypical prog playing and never seems to change it up.Sometimes I feel like he's just hitting to hard on this record and not feeling it enough. The first track he play really predictably I think, like I already know what he's gonna do, and all through the album he's adding metalish double pedal stuff that just doesn't seem to fit in with the vibe sometimes.

I think a much better choice would have been Zonder of Reinart, and I think Portnoy is on it for the sake of name recognition and selling albums to the Dream Theater lemmings.

overall the music is too good to be ruined by his drum work, so I can't really complain all that much.

Moore and Matheos really seem to click musically.

 

[Baliset]

i can see your point. I actually am a really big fan of portnoy's. For the most part his playing never usually bugs me on the album. I think my only problem with it is that some of the guitar riffs are kind of predictable in spots. Again is doesn't detract from the album being a good listen and i bet you after a few more listens i'll "get it" because it seems like one of those types of albums.

But you are right about Moore and Matheos. They work amazingly together. And to go back to the local pride thing. You can't be a metalhead like me from CT and not have local pride in Fates. They are from Newington!

Hatebreed = not a source of local CT pride

 

[azal]

my local pride is Symphony X, The Dillinger Escape Plan.

not a source of local pride = Bon Jovi, Cinderella..oh and the Boss...I fucking hate the boss.

 

[Demonspell]

This is Portnoy's most restrained performance, fitting since this is the only DT side project that makes an attempt at being the antithesis of a vanity project/wankfest...

 

[azal]

yeah but he has to try so hard to repress the wanking. It's so obvious.