Album Review: Opensight - The Outfit (Inertial Music, 2026)
- 4 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Written: 28th May 2026
Opensight have never been a band to stand still. Since their earliest material they have worked through ideas patiently, refining rather than completely changing, allowing their sound to broaden without losing its core identity. On their 2022 release Mondo Fiction, it felt like they had a stronger sense of purpose. The Outfit continues along that path.
The short instrumental Procesión de la Muerte opens with quiet intent, more an introduction to atmosphere than a declaration of style. The sombre trumpet and military style drumming accenting the marching aspects. High, haunting vocalisations further the sense of foreboding. This leads directly into Killer Outfit which begins with chugging metallic riffs but the real character comes from the wah‑inflected guitar that moves across it. That percussive, choppy pattern has a clear lineage in 1970s crime‑film soundtracks. It introduces the idea of losing innocence through awareness. There’s no flower that could bloom from our dead bodies / There is nothing we can do to make them feel / There is no way to unveil this hidden innocence / No one who can grasp this killer outfit. That sense of crime drama is revisited with the mysterious sounds of the central section. It is a dynamic start to the album where Ivan David Amaya’s vocal phrasing is measured and controlled. Musical themes present in Procesión de la Muerte return, which immediately gives the album a sense of continuity.
In Plain Sight shifts the feel without losing cohesion. The opening rhythm has a lighter, almost teasing quality before tightening as the guitars come forward. The lead guitar work is melodic and restrained, never drifting into indulgence. Although it is one of the more immediate songs here, it still carries that underlying tension that runs through the album. Lyrically, it focuses on those who exist unnoticed but carry a greater awareness of what is truly happening in the world. Who rides across this world unseen by those who revel? / Who chooses as their outfit the cloak of secrecy? / Who dares to have the eyesight to read between the lines? / Who seeks to enter darkness and stare into its heart? There are certainly musical nods to composers such as John Barry or Isaac Hayes and these influences sit in a wonderfully structured juxtaposition to Opensight’s hard rock sensibilities.
On Defying Eye, the guitars sharpen and become slightly heavier. There is a feeling of forward motion and the interplay between the instruments creates a real sense of tension. Subtle use of – what sounds like – xylophone adds interesting detail to the background. Continued nods to seventies crime soundtracks blend with twin guitar harmonies while Duncan Arkley’s thoughtfully constructed basslines ground the entire track. Iris (I Rise) expands the sound again. Slightly slower paced, it has a reflective and initially slightly circumspect feel to the main riff as if the protagonist is considering the best next step. Lyrically, it deals with inner truth rising to the surface and becoming unavoidable. The signs of true desire. The call of destiny / An echo resonating through the ages / My voice in your dreams.
There is a noticeable shift in tension during Broken Vow. Showing variation, Ivan David Amaya and Neil McLaughlin lock together in twin guitar harmony before gentle synths completely change the mood. Arkley continues to be inventive with his basslines and there are even double-kick drums from Redd Reddington as the song approaches its conclusion. Mantra delves into themes of false comfort and the lies we repeat to ourselves. Woe to those whose dreams are gone / Those who live within their thoughts / Woe to those who feel the world / Chasing peace brings inner war. Opensight continue to make use of their love of crime soundtracks but there are also quite obvious inflections here of Morricone’s Spaghetti Western scores in the guitars and drums, particularly during the central instrumental section. Dissecting the album and tracing the threads of its various influences becomes a genuinely absorbing experience - each turn evoking cinematic moments, reminding me of particular scenes and testing my memory for which one. Â
Â
Short instrumental The Director’s Cut serves as a link between Mantra and following track Final Cut. Opensight put forward the idea that life narrows down to a single defining moment, adding a sense of inevitability. Here, the groove becomes more prominent again, the guitars driving the song forward with a controlled urgency. The wah‑inflection returns and it is impossible not to be reminded of Dirty Harry driving through the streets of San Francisco to the sound of Lalo Schifrin’s score. It implies that life itself is a car chase and we might never reach the place we actually want to be - a clever tactic from Opensight and one that gives rise to Final Cut being one of my favourite tracks on the album. Who among us has not at some point wanted to be Harry Callahan - ice-calm under pressure, full of lean confidence and zero patience for nonsense?
Heist has something vaudevillian in its initial DNA and the sense of unease returns. Becoming beautifully restrained at the midpoint, it highlights Opensight’s ability to be both powerful and fragile within the same song. Ghostly theremin and avant-garde tinges add further character to an already varied track. Delusion closes the album shrouded in introspection and self-doubt. A lamenting narrative questions whether the protagonist can return to who they once were or if they are permanently changed by what they have experienced. There is something very Floydian in the final guitar break, and it closes the album in a quietly unresolved way, leaving us with more questions than answers.
The Outfit has a musical ambition that is matched by a steady shift in perspective, the lyrical focus gradually turning inward as the album progresses, leaving behind observation for something more perturbing and personal. That sense of change runs through the record, making diverse use of mood and texture. Opensight lean heavily into the language of film score  - Morricone’s stark drama, the cool tension of seventies crime soundtracks - and fuse it with a hard rock, heavy metal and at times, progressive foundation that, on paper, feels like it should sit awkwardly. However, each element strengthens the other rather than pulling it apart  - the album never feels like a pastiche; there is enough weight and intent to make it an engaging listen in its own right. It pulls you into its shadowy world, suggesting familiar cinematic scenes and for listeners drawn to those cinematic textures, there is a lot here to enjoy. For Opensight, this feels like the point where their ideas come into sharp focus – their strongest release to date.
The Outfit is out now.
Opensight online