It’s been a while since I visited O.R.k.-land, a place where precision heaviness meets crunchy intent, and this multi-national outfit do not disappoint with their latest dispensation from on high, Firehose Of Falsehoods. This highly appropriately titled album arrives at a time when we find all the long-established certainties of our existence in the West being torn asunder from across the Pond by a couple of über-Bond villains writ large and nasty, spewing forth endless foul-smelling streams of fork-tongued lies through their decomposing yellow teeth, who unfortunately go waaay beyond the black comedy they would only be capable of were they confined to the silver screen with Blofeld. If that last sentence annoys you, make sure the door doesn’t slap you in the arse on the way out.
Sorry, this is supposed to be an album review, isn’t it? You came here to escape all that nonsense, I’m sure. I’ll try harder…
Since debuting with 2015’s Inflamed Rides, O.R.k. have kept up a steady output, and are now up to their fifth album, and during that time they have become a veritable powerhouse of prog metal, but perhaps have flown under your radar until now? Worry not, for Firehose Of Falsehoods is an accomplished work in the sometimes restrictive confines of its genre, that happily goes way beyond pigeonholing, and is simply a fabulous piece of music from start to finish.
The band comprises four strong musical characters who now meld into a whole that is mightier than even their not inconsiderable parts. The roll-call is thus: on drums we have Pat Mastelotto, who should need no introduction. Colin Edwin, whom I’m sure is a tad weary of being referred to as “ex-Porcupine Tree”, belies his diminutive stature with his assured and muscular bass rumbling. Taking the lead lines is Carmelo Pipitone, an understated but vital presence, nailing The Riff with nonchalant ease. Finally, we have the frankly amazing pipes of Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari, who thankfully goes by the moniker “LEF”, making us writers’ jobs easier! This guy has one amazing voice, without ever once venturing down the cookie monster alleyway. I just can’t wait to see this band live!
Some fab riffage from Carmelo features on the driving opening tune Blast Of Silence, which of course is anything but! LEF flexes another string to his bow with some great video work, on this one, and elsewhere. The ante is upped on Hello Mother, that thrills at 90mph with a kind of call-and-response vocal answered by riffmonsters leaping about all over the shop. Marvellous!
LEF’s lyric video to PUTFP reveals a 1950s film noir setting dripping with angst and unresolved tension, ostensibly around misunderstood or missed phone calls, but you know it goes deeper than that! The tune ain’t no slouch, either!
Seven Arms has the kind of melodic metal earworm that Living Colour did so well, and Mask Becomes The Face provides a power ballad that is off the scale, with LEF’s voice soaring through the fiery trails left by guest John Wesley’s coruscating solo, and we then arrive at the epic-length album closer, Dive In. No spoilers for that one, you’ll just have to go listen.
The sheer breadth of scope of these excursions into cranial rearrangement make for a cathartic experience, o yes daddio! See, that album was so good, I’ve even temporarily forgotten the dystopia we are living in!
TRACK LISTING
01. Blast Of Silence (4:14)
02. Hello Mother (3:25)
03. The Other Side (4:14)
04. 16000 Days (4:33)
05. PUTFP (5:32)
06. Seven Arms (3:21)
07. Beyond Reach (4:34)
08. Mask Becomes The Face (5:54)
09. Dive In (13:50)
Total Time – 49:42
MUSICIANS
Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari – Vocals
Colin Edwin – Bass Guitar
Pat Mastelotto – Drums
Carmelo Pipitone – Guitars
~ With:
John Wesley – Guitar Solo (8)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Kscope
Country of Origin: Multi-National
Date of Release: 21st March 2025
LINKS
O.R.k. – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
