ÜÛÛÛÛÛÜ °ÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÜ°ÛÜ °ÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÛÛÛÜÛÛ ÜÛÛ ÜÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÜÛÜ ÜÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛßÛÛÛÛ² ßÛÛ ÜÛÛ°ßÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ² ÛÛÛÛÛÛ²ÛÛ ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²°ßÛßÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ² ÛÛÛ² ²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛ ÛÛÜ ÜÛÛ²ÛÛ ²ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ° ²ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ° ÜÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÜÛß° ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ²ÛÛ°ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ² °ÛÛ ÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛ² °ÛÛ ßÛÛ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÜ ÛÛ²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÜ ÛÛ°ÛÛ² ÛÛÛ ßßÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²°ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ²ÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛ² ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ° ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÜ ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛ² ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ²ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ²°ÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ ²Ûß ²ÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛ² ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛß °Ûß ÛÛ° ÛÛ °Ûß °ÛÛÛÜ ß ß ²Ûß ÛÛÛ° °Ûß ÛÛß ÛÛ° ÜÛÛß °ÛÜ ÜÛÛÛß °ÛÛ ° ÛÛ ²° ²° ÛÛ° ²Û° °Ûß ßÛ° °Û² ° ÛÛ ÛÛ Artist: O.R.k. ÛÛ ÛÛ ² Û°° þÛ Album: Ramagehead Ûþ °°Û þ Û²ß Û Year: 2019 Û ß²Û ° Û ² Rel. Date: 2020-01-02 ² Û ± ± Genre: Progressive Rock ± ± ÛÜ ° Label: Kscope ° ÜÛ ° ÛÜ ° Source: CD ° ÜÛ ° Û² Type: Album ²Û ° ² Û Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo Û ° ² ² Û Û ° ² Ü þ þ ² þ °Û Û° ß Û O.R.k., comprising some of contemporary music’s Û Û most revered artists, have combined their creative Û Û forces once again for a new studio album; their Û Û first for the ground-breaking UK label Kscope; Û Û O.R.k’s Ramagehead will be released on 22nd Û Û February 2019. Û Û The band feature Italy’s celebrated vocalist, Û Û producer and award-winning film score composer Û Û Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari a.k.a LEF (lead Û Û vocals), King Crimson‘s Pat Mastelotto (drums), Û Û Porcupine Tree‘s Colin Edwin (bass), Marta Sui Û Û Tubi‘s Carmelo Pipitone (guitars); Ramageheadalso Û Û features a superstar collaboration in the form of Û Û Grammy Award-winner Serj Tankian of System of a Û Û Down, who is undoubtedly one of metal’s greatest Û Û and most renowned vocalists. Û Û Penned following their headline European tour in Û Û support of their second album, 2017’s Soul of an Û Û Octopus; Ramagehead was forged from the band’s Û Û collective vision, unique influences and a Û Û multi-layered reflection of their powerful and Û Û engaging live experience. The result contains all Û Û the ingredients of a fiery O.R.k. performance with Û Û dark and heavy riffing, mesmeric atmospheres and Û Û lyrics that reveal the band’s bewilderment brought Û Û about by our modern world: a world of information Û Û overload, of uncertainty and post-truth messages. Û Û Bass player Colin Edwin explains further Û Û “Ramagehead is a not a concept album as such, but Û Û there is certainly an identifiable theme, in that Û Û we attempt to express the everyday bewilderment Û Û bought about by the uncertain times we are living Û Û in, and the constant confusing information Û Û overload that we are all subjected to in today’s Û Û post-fact environment. We also wanted to harness Û Û the power, unpredictability and spontaneity of the Û Û O.R.k. live experience into a static recording Û Û whilst aiming for a high-resolution sonic space Û Û that can be revisited repeatedly by the avid Û Û listener to discover ever deeper layers.” Û Û Recorded during 2018 @ LefMusicStudio (Italy), The Û Û Wormhole (USA) and Nightspace (UK). The mixing for Û Û Ramagehead was handled by Adrian Benavides and Û Û three-time Grammy-winning engineer Marc Urselli Û Û (U2, Foo Fighters, Nick Cave), the mastering by Û Û Michael Fossenkemper, engineering by Benavides and Û Û Bill Munyon (King Crimson), cover art by Adam Û Û Jones (TOOL, Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park) and Û Û design by Denis Rodier (Superman, Batman, Wonder Û Û Woman). The recordings, and involvement of SOAD’s Û Û Serj Tankian on the forthcoming single, “Black Û Û Blooms“, solidifies the band’s serious intent to Û Û use their musical chemistry in exploring the Û Û hard-edged possibilities within rock. Û Û Û Û --- Û Û Û Û O.R.k. is an amply decent supergroup comprised of Û Û members from Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, Marta Û Û sui Tubi, and Obake. And it’s testament to the Û Û talent of these musicians that they can formulate Û Û such a solid mission statement between their Û Û respective identities. Ramagehead is their latest Û Û outing. It demonstrates a vast source of musical Û Û wisdom, and throws a lot of clout at the listener. Û Û An extra shout-out goes to Tool‘s Adam Jones for Û Û designing the album’s suitably trippy artwork. So, Û Û as one can tell, this project is a true meeting of Û Û intellectual/musical minds. And I’m pleased to Û Û clarify that this highbrow gathering have in no Û Û way abused the privilege, instead engineering a Û Û humbly clever and engaging road-trip for the Û Û senses. Û Û So what do you get when you merge such a prolific Û Û lineup? Well, in this case, you get something Û Û slightly above the expected. Exceptional Û Û songwriting comes as standard, but the shining Û Û moments really come to light when the band become Û Û something more than the sum of their parts. Even Û Û at this stage in their careers, there still Û Û appears to be room for inventiveness. Songs like Û Û “Signals Erased”, with those irresistibly cool Û Û harmonic barrages, show a desire for ideas outside Û Û of convention, even though O.R.k. are a line-up Û Û who, technically speaking, have nothing to left Û Û prove. Û Û But in the more familiar moments, Ramagehead is Û Û epic, rocking in parts, proggy and faintly grungy, Û Û all in an old-boy 90s kind of sense. From the Û Û outset, opening track, “Kneel to Nothing”, has a Û Û faint faithfulness to the musicians’ musical Û Û roots. So ultimately, this past-plus-future Û Û experience has enough substance to appease a wide Û Û head count, and in a manner bearing a fair amount Û Û of class. Û Û Another highlight comes in the form of “Black Û Û Blooms”, which features guest vocals from System Û Û of A Down‘s Serj Tankian. Tankian’s talents on the Û Û microphone are fortunately not oversold, and act Û Û as a charismatic gloss over the song’s solemn Û Û tempo. These more emotive moments on Ramagehead Û Û are actually my preferred among the record, and to Û Û me, ring out with marginally more substance than Û Û the rockier moments. It also comprises the album’s Û Û central bulk, rendering Ramagehead an often Û Û poignant experience rather then an overbearingly Û Û obtuse one. Û Û Ramagehead also contains some surprising Û Û experimental deviations, as found in tracks such Û Û as “Down the Road”, where that subtle delve into Û Û electronica really pays off. The band seem to Û Û humbly add these elements without overusing them, Û Û and so those little touches act as a nice dressing Û Û to O.R.k.’s overall banquet. Û Û With the album climaxing in extremely top-notch Û Û and charismatic fashion, it’s fair to say that the Û Û structure of the record is another commendable Û Û merit. Beginning with a gloss of alternative rock Û Û from the past and ending with an emotive and Û Û largely progressive guise is a good move for a Û Û band who, in their own previous acts, may have at Û Û one time been set in their musical ways. Û Û O.R.k. successfully manage to avoid all the Û Û egotistical showcasing which unfortunately comes Û Û with the territory of certain supergroups. Û Û Ramagehead is just a really nice album. Part loyal Û Û to the musical resume of its members, and part an Û Û enthusiastic delve into the future, O.R.k. prove Û Û that they are always open to new possibilities and Û Û that Ramagehead is a record strong enough to Û Û demand no background-checking from its listeners. Û ² ² ± ± ° 1. Kneel to Nothing 4:38 ° ° 2. Signals Erased 4:29 ° ° 3. Beyond Sight 4:48 ° ° 4. Black Blooms (feat. Serj Tankian) 4:11 ° ° 5. Time Corroded 4:30 ° ° 6. Down the Road 4:40 ° ° 7. Some Other Rainbow (Part 1) 1:33 ° ° 8. Strangled Words 4:13 ° ° 9. Some Other Rainbow (Part 2) 5:34 ° ° 38:36 ° ° ± ± ² Û ° ² ° þ ÛÜ ° ÛÛ ßÛÜ° ÜÜÜÜÜ ² ° ÜÜÜÜÜ °ÜÛÛ° ° ßÛÛÛÛ²ÛÜÜÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ²° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²° ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜÜÛÛÛÛÛÛß ² ²ß² ±ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛßß ßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ± °ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛß ßßÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ°²ß² þ ° ÜÛ°ÛßßÜÛÛÛÛܲ ßÛß Û²° ±²Û ßÛß ÜÛÛÛÛÜ ßÛÛÛÜ° ÜÛß° °ÛÛÛßßßÛÛÛÜ ßÛ± ÛÛ² ÛÛ ²Ûß ÜÛÛÛßßßÛÛÛ° ßÛ° Ûß ²ÛÛ² ÜÛÛÛ ßÛ² ÛÛÛÛ ±Ûß ²ÛÛÛÜ ²ÛÛ² ßÛ² Ûß ²ÛÛ° ±ÛÛÛÛÛÛ² ßÛ Û² Ûß ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛ± °ÛÛ² ßÛ ± ÜÛÛ °ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÛ² ß°ÛÛ°ß ²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÜ ± °Ûß ÛÛÛ Üß ÛÛÛÜ ²ÛÛÛÛ± ÜÛÛÛßÜ ÛÛÛ ßÛ° ²Ûß ÜÛÛÜÛß ° ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ßÛÜ ÛÛÜ ßÛ² Ûß ÛÛÛÛßÛܲ°ÜÛ ßÛÛÛÛÛÛß Ûܲ°ÜÛßÛÜÛÛ ßÛ² ° Ü ÛÛß ßÛÛÛÛß ßÛ²ßÛÛ ßÛÛÛÛß ßÛÛÛ Ü ± Û°Û² ÛÛ° Û° Û °ÛÛ ßÛÛ±Û ÛÛÛ° ±Û° Ü ² ± °Û± ²ÛÛÛ ° ²ÛÛ ° ÛÛ² ÛÛ° °ÛÛ Û± ° °Û ßÛ Ûß ² ° °