O.R.k. is a truly sonic supergroup, and Firehose Of Falsehoods sees the collective talents of Colin Edwin, Pat Mastelotto, Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari (LEF) and Carmelo Pipitone return for the band’s fifth album.
O.R.k. – Firehose Of Falsehoods
Label: Kscope
Release Date: 21 March 2025
Words: Paul Hutchings
It has been a while since I had spent time with O.R.k., a band that I first discovered supporting Sons Of Apollo at a gig in Bristol nearly six years ago. Their third album, Ramagehead, their first for Kscope, was my first audio encounter, and it was an album that hugely impressed me.
I missed the fourth album, Screamnasium, something I will shortly correct, but when the latest album dropped into the inbox, it lit up amidst the usual dross that clogs the system every day.
For fans of O.R.k., half the album has already been released via a drip feed of singles that began almost six months ago with the release of Blast Of Silence. It is a soaring opener of a song, as heavy as you would want, with intricate patterns, fluctuating time changes, and LEF’s eerily Chris Cornell-esque vocal hauntingly dominating without overpowering. Yes, it’s been mentioned before, but it’s a comparison that is unavoidable. So close it could be the much-missed singer, but with LEF’s own stamp to draw you away.
A band who often explore themes of tension, redemption and the human condition, Firehose Of Flasehoods seems an appropriate title. “We live in a world where it’s increasingly difficult to know the truth,” Singer Esposito Fornasari said, “so naming the album Firehose Of Falsehoods was meant to intentionally reference something completely opposite to the sincerity we try to express in our music and lyrics.”
What is instantly apparent on Firehouse Of Falsehoods is that O.R.k have ramped up the muscular side of their sound. The riff dominates, at times crushingly so, such as the vibrant Hello Mother, which follows Blast Of Silence.
But do not expect anything less than highly crafted quality from these musicians, for the progressive gene runs deep. Another one of the singles, The Other Side, demonstrates the quality of the band in a pulsating, driving song that powers along with time to draw on the delicious harmonies that they employ to great effect.
Edwin states that The Other Side is one example of the band demonstrating the harder-hitting side of O.R.k. The song “explores the balance between control and surrender in life’s toughest moments.” It is a summary captured excellently, for the song shifts with a dynamism and intensity that is both powerful and cleverly constructed.
Unlike many of their peers, O.R.k focus on shorter, more impactful songs. 16000 Days, another song that fans will be familiar with now, soars with cinematic opulence and lyrical content that allows us to consider where we are in life, whilst PUTFP is a classy progressive meander that provides sky-high moments of dramatic tension and exaltation balanced with darker moments as the song slowly unfurls.
Firehose Of Falsehoods is progressive in every sense. No two songs echo each other, and although there are some similarities between tracks, it is genuinely a release where you have no idea what is coming next. The genuine complexity of PUTFP, for example, contrasts with the bluesy stomp of Seven Arms, which sees the band change direction quite unexpectedly into the desert rock territory of QOTSA.
Former Porcupine Tree touring guitarist John Wesley steps in for a guest appearance on the penultimate song Mask Becomes The Face. A slower, initially less frantic song that unravels into a semi-Radiohead opus as it progresses. The guitar work, like it is throughout this release, is once more sublime.
And then there is Dive In. Ignore my earlier comment about shorter tracks, for this gargantuan album closer clocks in at over 14 minutes in length. It is a track that bands like O.R.k seem able to deliver with ease, yet underneath this, we know the effort and emotion that has been invested.
Dive In is a sprawling progressive workout that sees the bass lines pulse through the first section before the tempo changes completely, and a tranquil section takes its place with some gentle harmonies while ethereal guitar work eases its way toward its conclusion.
O.R.k stand amongst the best of current progressive rock bands. Their credentials are unquestionable, but the proof of any group is in their latest release, and with Firehose Of Falsehoods, they have once again demonstrated their quality.
Firehose Of Falsehoods will be released on coke-bottle green vinyl LP, classic black vinyl LP, CD and digitally. The CD and digital editions feature the bonus track Dive In. For more details, visit music.orkband.com/theotherside-2.
O.R.k Tour Dates
MAY 07 – Lupus in Fabula – Nimis, Italy
MAY 09 – Poppodium Boerderij – Zoetermeer, Netherlands
MAY 11 – Schouwburg Venray summaZaal – Venray, Netherlands
MAY 14 – Arena Wien – Wien, Austria
MAY 15 – Bounty Rock Café – Olomouc, Czechia
MAY 16 – Blue Note – Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Slovakia
MAY 17 – Bombura Klub – Brezno, Slovakia
MAY 18 – Klub Gwarek – Kraków, Poland
MAY 28 – Off Modena – Modena, Italy SPECIAL GUEST: MONOLITH GROWS
MAY 29 – Legend 54 – Milano, Italy
MAY 30 – Club Il Giardino – Lugagnano, Italy
