OSHIEGO formed in Singapore in 2004 and has seven albums to its credit, including the one being reviewed today, "The Book Of Wonders".  I haven't heard of this band before so I admit I'm curious about their music, too.

The trio manages to sound like a much larger band; that is one thing I notice immediately as I start to listen to the opening track,"Nomad".  It starts with traditional throat-singing then explodes into Thrash Metal fury. It's an excellent song with plenty of heavy riffs and guttural growls to keep any fan happy. "The Book Of Wonders" is also brutal and equally heavy, yet I don't enjoy it quite as much because it sounds a little similar to the first track. Fortunately, "Incubus" is far better because it combines a subtle complexity with the Thrash elements normally present within these type of songs; it more or less unwinds itself in a serpent-like manner while it plays which definitely keeps you paying attention. There's also a good guitar solo that warrants your attention if you're into that sort of thing;  I most definitely am, haha.

 Other noteworthy tracks include "He Of The Two Horns," "The Fifth Voyage," "The Fever," and "Hag Of The Night".  "He Of The Two Horns," and "The Fifth Voyage" are full of fury and speed, making them perfect candidates for any impromptu mosh pits you might feel inclined to start. They might also be useful songs to annoy your neighbors with, though I really would not recommend doing that. "The Fever" is a tiny bit slower than the other tracks, but not enough for the average listener to notice since it still gives you that sense of manic energy. It also features an excellent breakdown prior to the solo that you won't want to miss. It's one of the best songs on the album along with "Hag Of The Night," which is my favorite. I enjoy this song the most because it is more balanced than the rest of the songs which ultimately gives it more "ear appeal." Another excellent guitar solo is part of the song that shouldn't be missed as well.

 Even the songs that I didn't enjoy as much were still quite good. "Seven Kings" packs a serious punch. The song features strong vocals along with machine gun-like percussion as well as thrash-influenced guitar riffs. While it's not the strongest track on the album it's still not terrible, either. "He Who Incites Evil" is brutally heavy with a slower pace which adds to the dark energy the track generates. The song also features a pretty decent guitar solo. The only problem is that it's not a long solo and it's towards the end of the song which is why I didn't care for it (the track) as much.  You would be wise to add "The Book Of Wonders" to your own collection. It's yet more evidence that Singapore's Metal scene is very much alive and well.