Born of Osiris – Angel or Alien
Release Date: 2nd July 2021
Label: Sumerian Records
Pre-Order/Pre-Save
Genre: Progressive Metalcore, Djent.
FFO: Within the Ruins, After The Burial, Veil of Maya, In Flames, Dead By April, The Ghost Inside.
Review By: Ryan Shearer
Much like a handful of you, I wasn’t expecting this album before the Simulation part 2, or whatever Born Of Osiris wanted to call the follow up to their 2019 album, The Simulation (which was planned and marketed as part one of two). Yet, here we stand in July 2021 with something different. Angel or Alien is a standalone album filled with new and exciting sounds, a line-up amendment and a confident way to draw a line behind their previous discography. Angel or Alien feels like a natural evolution of their sound and the first page in the story of the new Born of Osiris.
First up is Poster Child. I’ve never heard a more sarcastic chorus – lyrically it’s a unique thing to hear screamed. Normally harsh vocals are focused on straight-talking, no-nonsense realness, but this flips the concept on its head. It’s stylistically jarring and after a few listens I can’t decide whether I respect the move or loathe it; time will tell.
White Nile is a pretty standard fare of long-time fans of Born of Osiris. It contains the first real moment of former-bassist-new-guitarist Nick Rossi showing his personality with an incredibly tasty fusion-inspired solo passed onto Lee McKinney to finish with his signature laser-focused, precision leads. It is a surprising and welcomed change for Born of Osiris, and his switch from 4 to 6 strings brings a fresh approach to the Born of Osiris formula.
The title track, Angel or Alien, is where the album turns a real corner. With a fantastic hook from the get-go and a memorable chorus with quiet (albeit existent) clean vocals, it feels like a much brighter and melodically positive version of anything they’ve done before. Nick and Lee again trade sections of the solo for an interesting close to a pleasantly surprising song.
Crossface strips the formula back to the ol’ days with a signature tight, djenty riff starting off the party before moving into an Egyptian-sounding melody. It is heavy as a collapsing neutron star – each percussive punch hits you with the weight of a thousand suns. The pulsing synth beats and EDM drums at the end work to gently reduce the aggression before tearing straight into Echobreather which is a fast, intricate and anthemic track.
You Are The Narrative is a nasty little song. It has abrasive gallops, staccato rhythms and motifs from death and black metal. Shadowmourne closes the album – it is a fantastic, sax-infused and emotional way to end the record, which has felt like everything that came before has been building to this. The all-encompassing sound of the chunky guitars, pitched screams and melodious runs hit that exceptional sweet-spot between aggression and haunting beauty. It’s the only song on the album I just wanted to hear more of when it ends. It’s like your favourite meal; you enjoy the portion you’re given but deep down, we’re all fat bastards who just want to eat until we vomit, and I wanted to eat more Shadowmourne. Alas, I will go hungry.
Synth effects are a huge part of the Born of Osiris sound and they’ve really leaned into it more than ever. The outro to Poster Child features some tasteful sax acts as an electronic palette-cleanser before moving onward. Joe Buras has always been an integral part of the band but has really come forward to have a much more prominent role in the sound of the album. Clean vocals are also being stretched on tracks like Echobreather and Shadowmourne, which are a welcome addition to this new, more experimental Born of Osiris.
There is an energy here, a new and exciting electricity sparking within Angel or Alien that underpins the sound of the band rather than re-defining it. Born of Osiris have not undergone a full engine change, but a tune-up. It’s honed in on what makes the band so accessible while adding new styles and sonic approaches which embellish what already lies under the hood. Angel or Alien feels like a step in the right direction for Born of Osiris, and some may say a return to form. While at times the record can feel like it’s falling into filler territory, there is always something just around the corner to pull it back. By taking tried-and-tested elements from their back catalogue and blending it with new and innovative sounds, Born of Osiris have created a record that feels more uniquely them than ever before.
(4 / 5)
