Oceans Of Night - The Shadowheart Mirror

Year of Release: 2009
Label: Ambient Mind
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 47:23:00

The latest release from the partnership between Scott Mosher and Scott Oliva now has a band name, Oceans Of Night. Or you could say it's the debut of a new band with same members as was previous billed as just Scott Mosher. In either case, it's the same progressive metal as heard on Deep Horizon, except there are fewer prog rock touches - and less of a sci-fi theme; although there are some keyboard elements that are more prog rock and electronic music in nature. Their term - ambient progressive rock.

It's these elements that give a unique bent to Oceans Of Night. Unique because otherwise what you will find is progressive metal very similar to what Queensrÿche were doing up to at least Empire. That means operatic vocals (Oliva) singing songs with broad, epic themes (lyrics are by one or both of the pair; Mosher is handing guitars, keyboards and drums). Because Dominici's most recent disc has been in my player for some time, it is of he/them that I was also thinking. Take "New Machine," which ironically sounds musically very upbeat with bright, energetic keyboards and a toe-tapping rhythm; a slight vocal effect gives it a hint of the synthetic, digital; it ends with a clean, bright guitar solo from Mosher. However, it's a dystopic glimpse at a cybernetic future; perhaps because of the phrase "android dream," I think of Philip K Dick's novel Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (more commonly known from the film Blade Runner, which could be viewed as dystopic). Not that the song itself makes reference to the story/film or anything. It's more a comment on how techy we are becoming at the expense of the human element. While it doesn't relate thematically to anything (that I recall) that Queenrÿche has done, the comparison is centered on a dystopic view of the (near) future - e.g., Operation: Mindcrime or Empire, for example. And the general sense with Dominici's 3-part tale is also rather dystopic.

Crushing is the instrumental title track, "The Shadowheart Mirror." Head-shearing guitar and head-bashing percussion attack you from both sides. It's "YYZ" on a 'roids rage, far snarlier and meaner than Rush would ever think of getting. And yet more melodic (to me) than a lot of the extreme metal where terms like crushing, shearing and bashing are usually used. Yes, this is a track that will play soccer with your head (European football that is, not the less aggressive American version*). The title leads you expect something a little less punishing, oh, like maybe the widdly, spacey keyboard bit that comes at the 5-minute mark, say. Mosher still shreds here, but the attackers have zipped off to the outer reaches of the solar system, like teenaged aliens making their getaway in a stolen, souped up spaceship (that they really don't know to fly). Nothing is clumsy about the track, mind, but I was left with the sense of zipping past Mars and Jupiter, and getting awfully close to Pluto (the hapless no-longer-a-planet Pluto) and then darting out to what lies beyond.

Speaking of Rush, "Two Worlds Apart" is a more heavy prog/melodic rock akin to that Canadian trio; in fact, there are some keyboard phrases that seem right out of the Moving Pictures/Signals-era.

"The Last Goodbye" is a rollicking rocker launched by quick-fire drums and throbbing bass, throttling back only for balladic verses. With this track, during the soaring choruses, I think of Kamelot and Shadow Gallery. This track, which will stick in your mind due to the repeated choral refrain, also has a pretty nifty bridge to the outro with folding, sci-fi percussion. I can't really describe it any other way - it's not chunky, but it is blocky; more digital drums than analog, I think (though Mosher very well could have been deftly using digital drums throughout the album). But, it also sparked a "where have I heard that before?" moment; sadly, I can't yet answer my own question; Power Windows-era Rush comes to mind ("Mystic Rhythms" perhaps?). [ooh, having a Rush rush, are we? -ed.]

Thematically, most of the songs deal with interpersonal connections; that isn't to say it's a bunch of love found/love lost songs, as that would be rather simplistic. But certainly there's been an ending to a relationship about which the protagonist is bitter, angry, resentful, feeling betrayed, used ? but also determined to move on. You see this in the opening track "A Way From You, a churning, turbulent rocker; "Living In The Past," a keyboard/grinding guitar-centered piece that shifts between melodic metal/rock to spacey instrumental guitar rock during Mosher's guitar solo, to a touch of prog rock; "What's Left Of Me," a darkly churning piece, at times brooding, with prominent, epic, percussion (I mean, it sounds big, commanding without being brutal or pummeling), deep, near-sinister vocals -- akin in a some respects to "Silent Lucidity," without the Pink Floyd-isms -- all set off with the loveliest of a piano intro and outro; "The Last Goodbye," although one could also interpret a non-secular meaning to this one as well; feeling forsaken by a deity rather than a lover; "Two Worlds Apart," and "War Inside Myself," which is darn near the entire album. It's part scene setting, part philosophical discourse.

I wouldn't say necessarily there's a narrative thread between all these tracks; rather I see the same dissolution examined from various angles. If anything, the theme that ties all the tracks is that someone's world is changing - and not for the better, necessarily. Betrayed and hurt by another, in a world that has lost its humanity? However, I also wouldn't call Shadowheart Mirror a concept album? except? well, yes, I suppose a mirror is being held up, facing sometimes the "other" (see who you are?) and sometimes the "I" (this is who I am {and it must change}].

Again, this is not lighthearted fare from the mind of Mosher/Oliva. It may not be super-heavy that you feel bummed out by the end of it. There are enough depressingly dystopic concept albums out there already. But neither is it showing us some bright and sunny light at the end of the tunnel. In that, it's a bit more mature, that things aren't black and white, they're gray. The protagonist (or protagonists) may be moving on in their lives (a la "Living In The Past"), but it's not going to be all wine and roses?

Again Mosher is sharing some great stuff. Yes, it's akin to something familiar - Queensrÿche, and to a lesser extent, Rush - but it many ways it also seems fresh. And certainly exciting.

*have to admit, I don't get soccer; understand the rules, but? well, I don't watch a lot of Euro football so maybe I'm "spoiled" by the uh? "watered down" American version? Give me American football (as in NFL), or um? baseball. Yes, I know "America's pastime" is? much slower when compared to soccer/football, but? Then again, other than on TV (and even then rarely), I don't find much thrill in NASCAR, either ? ho-hum, cars going in circles. It's like watching freeway traffic, only the cars are going much faster than they could in L.A. (not would, we are an impatient lot and would revel in going at Autobahn speeds down the 5, 101, 405?)? Where was I? Oh yes, the CD. :-)


Tracklisting:
A Way From You (4:08) / Living In The Past (8:26) / New Machine (4:28) / What's Left of Me (6:35) / The Shadowheart Mirror (6:34) / The Last Goodbye (4:55) / Two Worlds Apart (5:36) / War Inside Myself (6:37)

Musicians:
Scott Mosher - guitars, bass, keyboards
Scott Oliva - vocals

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: August 31st 2010
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.oceansofnight.com
Hits: 4904
Language: english