Scott Mosher
Virtuality
Compact Disc / 12 tracks / 72.10 mins

One of the advantages of running my own mail order business is that I can occasionally afford to be rather self indulgent and stock something that I just love even though I know very well a large proportion of my customer base wouldn't normally buy. Such is the case with this release. You see, even though the album is full of electronics some tracks are also extremely heavy in the drums and especially electric guitar department. What's more about half the tracks have vocals. In my own mind I would call it apocalyptic cyber metal. This isn't to say that there aren't any tender moments 'Attillion Sunrise' and 'Shores of a Cosmic Dream' for instance are simply beautiful but for the most part its the sort of album that will get fans of New Age music running for their therapists.

OK, I've mentioned the 'V' word already but the vocals we have here are incredibly strong both stylistically and lyrically. Just take 'Re-Define' for instance, passion and energy just ooze from his voice. This track as well as most of what you have here musically would make Mark Shreeve's 'Legion' seem like a gentle pastoral classical album. Its hard to put your finger on comparisons but think of a cross between Eloy, Marrilion and Haze. It does get a little AOR on 'The Promise of Peace' a bit like Asia or Boston but its done so well it would probably have been the best track either of these bands had ever done. You also get sequences, take 'The Dreaming Eye' three of them running hell for leather side by side already shaking the earth before a volcanic eruption of drums completely blast everything asunder. Though I keep going on about energy and power this is no mess of sound, the production is crystal clear, you can hear every element in the wonderful whole. And as as for the musicianship, wow these guys sure know how to play! Mention must also be made of the packaging.

The booklet contains sixteen pages of the most stunning full colour artwork combining cosmic images and those of a smoke spewing industrial hell. And guess what these pictures were also created by Scott. This is without a doubt one of my favourite CDs of 2001 both musically and visually. It took me back to the days of my youth when I hadn't even heard of Tangerine Dream but I knew what I liked, it was loud but melodic and most of the musicians made Edgar Froese look like an oil painting. I can't force people to like something which isn't to their taste but if you ever fancy putting something in the player that is a little different to what you might usually listen to then I can't think of anything better than this - warn the neighbours first though, its impossible to play it quietly. (DL)

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