Mosher, Scott - Deep Horizon

Year of Release: 2006
Label: The Ambient Mind
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 60:38:00

Deep Horizon is Scott Mosher's fifth release, which came out back in 2006. This has been in the review queue for a while (as you can see), but only recently made it into the player, and that due to Mosher's project Oceans Of Night, who released The Shadowheart Mirror last year. That is, I'm playing catch up.*

Compared to 2004's Inferno, this album's predecessor, Deep Horizon seems to be a more progressive metal affair, one that, at least in the vocals, reminds me of classic Queensryche at times. And yet, it's progressive metal that brings in keyboard and guitar textures more often found in UK-born progressive rock. That isn't a metaphor for my saying Marillion (again), by the way. Not this time. Actually, it is of IQ that I was thinking of; in particular during the opening title track. The keyboards provide far more atmosphere than is found in your typical progressive metal (it's that Tangerine Dream element I referred to in my Inferno review). The prog metal element is mainly due to vocalist Scott Oliva's operatic vocals - that same operatic approach we heard from Geoff Tate with Queensryche, at least in the early years. But at times I also thought of Iron Maiden - at least I did with the track "Zero Hour."

If Oliva's name is new to you, it is to me as well; his other work is with the bands Live After Death (Iron Maiden tribute band) and Wind Wraith (a power metal band with two releases under their belt). But also, this "new name" marks the vocal departure of Todd Corsa; Corsa provides additional guitar on two of the album's tracks - "Deep Horizon," with a solo to end the track, and on "Re-Engineering The Mind," the lone instrumental. This pairing of Mosher and Oliva continues under the moniker of Oceans Of Night, but more on that when I review that title.

As impressive as Oliva's vocals are, what makes this release stand out is Mosher's performance. Actually, what makes this release stand out is the crisp production that allows the elements that Mosher brings to the project - keys, guitar, programming - to shine. Soaring, searing, singing guitar solos glide over a lush layer of keyboards and the pulse of drums and percussion -- the latter of which, if generated by a drum machine, sound very warm and "real." No guest drummer is credited, so methinks its Mosher's programming. It's not often that I find music with drums but no drummer sound as if there is a drummer. Maybe the technology (or samples being used) are getting better.

But as sleek as Mosher's guitar playing is, that doesn't mean you won't find some turbulent churning as well -- for example, in "Turning Away." Here we have a track that percolates dangerously, threatening to explode. Even during the soloing, things are kept in check, creating a bit of tension. Right at the end, we get a loping rhythm, as if something has been set free and gallops off; the pace is steady and happy to free. However, that feeling doesn't match at all the song's subject.

Song subjects. Here on Deep Horizon, as on all of Mosher's releases, we have songs with lyrics that make you think. The album's title suggests songs about space; it is, though mostly about the inner space of our mind, our actions as a species. The only song that is truly about "out there" is "Light Years." Though I don't half wonder if, rather than man being out there only to find nothing, it's some species from out there coming to where Earth was and finding nothing. Or perhaps I'm just overly cynical; there's nothing in the lyrics to suggest I'm right, it was just one of those momentary "hmm, I wonder if?" And in "Zero Hour," the apocalyptic imagery detailed in the lyrics are made manifest by the heavy, dark arrangement of the track, where distorted guitars burn and drums create a sense of chaos, yet are never themselves chaotic. It is either the coming Apocalypse's arrival, or some man-made apocalypse, as it paints a picture of a world on fire and in the midst of a war.

In contrast to "Turning Away," "In Visible Darkness" is an odd juxtaposition of churning guitars and crashing percussion and the almost slow motion vocal delivery. But rather than the tension that "Turning Away" creates, I found "In Visible Darkness" put me on edge - like being on a freeway behind a slow driver while cars either side are zipping past. Musically, it's an interesting track, but? to me, a bit plodding vocally, though Oliva sounded ok.

The album closes with the ethereal/metal of "The Space Between Lives" - wispy vocals and atmospheric keys, drift in between beats of crisp percussion. I don't know if this effect was a deliberate arrangement to match subject - with Mosher, it's more than likely - but it's a great effect. Six minutes in, the swirl of keys ? oh, more than swirls, swirls and undulations ? create a foggy backdrop to Mosher's frenetic, yet controlled, guitar soloing. I had flashes of Wakeman, Norlander or Emerson noodling around on their keyboards? and yet, there was nothing that was "signature" of either of them. On "The Space?" the juxtaposition between fast and slow works, as with "Turning Away" (and elsewhere), to create a palpable tension.

If you are a fan of Mosher's already, you won't be disappointed by this release. If you like intense operatic progressive metal, then you will find a lot to like here. And if you miss classic Queensryche, Deep Horizon should fill that need nicely. Of course, I'm in all three camps, and so have to give high marks to Mosher and Oliva and Corsa (a few fractions of a point off a perfect 10 for "In Visible Darkness," however).

[* this review was mostly written in January but, having being consumed (that is, sucked into oblivion) by the day job, not polished up until June; so that explains any disjointedness that wasn't ironed out. - SS]


Tracklisting:
Deep Horizon (8:46) / The Breaking Point (4:45) / A Path Of Pride (4:56) / Light Years (6:02) / In Visble Darkness (3:51) / Turning Away (5:31) / Re-Engineering the Mind (8:57) / Falling Down (5:00) / Zero Hour (3:34) / The Space Between Lives (9:11)

Musicians:
Scott Mosher - guitars, keyboards, programming
Scott Oliva - vocals
Todd Corsa - guitar solo (1, 7)

Discography:
Ambient Earth (1995)
Horsemeat (cass) (1995)
Virtuality (2001)
Inferno (2004)
Deep Horizon (2006)
Oceans Of Night - The Shadowheart Mirror (2009)

plus, appearances on:

Eye Of The Storm - Eye Of The Storm
F5's - Dawn Of A New Age (2000)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: June 15th 2010
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.scottmosher.com
Hits: 2422
Language: english