Oceans of Night: Domain

"Scott Mosher, the leader and musician, providing all the guitar, bass, and keyboard work on "Domain" has been an independent self-financed musician for over 20 years and a professional graphic artist since 1997. His first CD, AMBIENT EARTH, was independently issued in 2001 with no warning and to no critical acclaim. The combination of new age music and soundtrack-inspired electronic rock would set the foundation for the musical direction he would take on future CD releases. Musically, his career began at this point. Creatively, there was nowhere to go but forward" (http://www.oceansofnight.com/band.html, 2012).

Scott Mosher is accompanied on the album with the rest of Oceans of Night, including vocals from Scott Olivia, and drums performed by Alan Smithlee.

Scott describes the "Domain" as "a journey of sound that reaches down into the dark abyss of thought, across the oceans of night, to the deep of the mind. Instead of popcorn, over – priced admission tickets and potential parking violations, you get 63 minutes of music…" (http://www.oceansofnight.com/band.html, 2012). Hope you're strapped in and ready to explore!

This is excellent heavy metal power guitar ridden rock album full of skill and imagery. It will help transport you to another place for the 63 minute running time. Back to a place where bands like Fates Warning and Dream Theater used to take their fans. It's dark, but not violent dark. But then what were you expecting with a name like Oceans of Night?

Excellent work. Looking forward to the next as I search for the debut and Mosher's other work.

Track Listing:

1. Domain is an over 17 minute epic track full of power chords and keys that will make you happy you took the chance and purchased this album. Many of the themes that will be covered in the album are pre-viewed here.

2. Don't Look to Me is another heavy track, maybe even darker and heavier than the first.

3. So Near Yet So Far is the second best track on the album, after the opener. It opens with some cool sound effects before the drum kit blasts off with fire and intensity. Excellent vocals, supported well with masterful keyboard and ear - splitting guitar buzz.

4. Dreams in Artificial Sunlight is an excellent instrumental extravaganza full of masterful keys and power hungry guitar chords. Best instrumental on the album.

5. Divisions of Time opens with blasting solid drum rhythms supported by chords and excellent keyboards. Olivia's vocals are in the same league with other great's in the progressive heavy metal genre. The keyboards are amazing throughout the track, but when the other instrumentation stops towards the end, the clarity is intense.

6. Seven Days of Rain opens with the sound of waves and vocal echoes. The best keyboards on the album slowly and magically commence as the grinding guitar plows its way through the middle of the soundscape. Some of Olivia's best vocals then fill the vacant air with glory. Another of the best songs on the album.

7. The View to You is an epic, over 8 minute track that gets off to a fast start with galloping keys, drums, and soaring guitar. The second longest track on the album, this one is another great stand – out track full of great melody and power vocals set to crashing drums, buzzing guitars and soaring keys. The guitar soloing is simply the best on the album.

8. Instruments of Fear is the second instrumental track on the album. It opens with electronic sound effects before the blasting drums and grinding guitars roar through to light up the soundscape with fire. Very Mike Portnoy/Liquid Tension Experiment themed.

9. The Future Remembered takes you off into a dreamy trans – like state after all the hard rocking rhythms of the rest of the album. It's a nice Vangelis – like journey into the future, before the Olivia's vocals return.

10. Ghosts of the Past, the album closer, has an early Queensryche feel to it. Unfortunately it does not possess the power or glory of either the Seattle band or the rest of this great album.

Track Listing:

1. Domain
2. Don't Look to Me
3. So Near Yet So Far
4. Dreams in Artificial Sunlight
5. Divisions of Time
6. Seven Days of Rain
7. The View to You
8. Instruments of Fear
9. The Future Remembered
10. Ghosts of the Past

Added: January 14th 2012
Reviewer: Mark Johnson
Score:
Related Link: Oceans of Night.com
Hits: 2500
Language: english

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