Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Born of Osiris - The Simulation (2019)
Before you begin listening to the latest Born of Osiris album The Simulation, you'll very well find something to surprise you...the length! You might be wondering, "I waited 3 years after Soul Sphere for another short literally 8-track EP (after The Eternal Reign)???" Well the band considers this an album, but it's only a few minutes longer than The New/Eternal Reign. Seriously, album or EP?? This is actually part 1 of a studio album, and the second album would be out later this year. You know another band who's on Sumerian Records recently? Between the Buried and Me, another favorite band of mine! I'm guessing BTBAM's two Automata albums released last year might've influenced Sumerian and Osiris into that new marketing strategy, or if it's just a strange coincidence, I don't know.
After two direct responses (Tomorrow We Die Alive and Soul Sphere) to the breakthrough, The Discovery, The Simulation continues to look back at the past, alongside some ferocious new hints. The lyrics continue the theme of technology vs. humanity, now in a whole new concept that would continue in the next album, delivered with the band's trademark fury and rage. You already saw my reference to The Eternal Reign, right? Well that's the band's 10th anniversary re-recording of The New Reign EP plus a song from their early demo days. The music production is a direct reflection, keeping the raging intensity, but not that much for the keyboards, without being New Reign 2.0.
The first track of The Simulation, "The Accursed" has a central role of futuristic synth work inspired by progressive rock titans Pink Floyd at the same time as a progressive djent-core offering filled with a hooky chorus of alternating vocals between Joe Buras and Ronnie Canizaro, down-tuned bass, and angry guitar riffs, twisting and turning back and forth constantly for just 3 and a half minutes. "Disconnectome" is another 3-minute song that cancels out accessibility. Massive riffs, synth interludes, and even a sick symphonic black metal influence that fits well in the band's electronic-cinematic aesthetic alongside rolling drums. "Cycles of Tragedy" cycles through frantic driving poly-rhythms while finding its way through layering strings and synthesizing piano accenting the other elements of dual leads and chugging bass. And the song works right with the interplay of clean and harsh vocals.
"Under the Gun" has a possessive infectious hook over declarative vocals and keyboards in a deep dimension of guitar wrath. "Recursion" is an under one minute interlude that's not totally interesting but a good set up for the next song. "Analogs in a Cell" takes things into a provoking direction with more djent influences similar to Tesseract.
The nearly profound "Silence the Echo" is the album's finest hour- I mean, finest 4 and a half minutes, showing some cinematic influences over massive technical death metal/progressive djent-core. The closer, "One Without the Other" is OK, but it's just doesn't work right without another song that would segue into the next album, leaving behind an abrupt awkward ending. That's the price to pay for splitting an album in half.
There's compelling songwriting and imaginative production with The Simulation. Even when Born of Osiris look back at the past, they still have their strength, execution, and courage to move through new directions. Now I don't wanna be rude while still trying to add some politeness when I say this, but.... Born of Osiris, please HEAD YOUR A***S BACK INTO MAKING THAT NEXT ALBUM!!!
Favorites: "The Accursed", "Disconnectome", "Analogs in a Cell", "Silence the Echo"