Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Oceans of Night Domain Company: Self-release Release: 2011 Genre: Prog, power Reviewer: Nailer

A hybrid blend of moody ambiance and traditional headbanging

Multimedia-tasker and allroundniceguy™ Scott Mosher leads this duo named Oceans of Night. Prog music is often so obtuse that it's outside my listening zone but their new CD "Domain" dispelled my trepidations with a hybrid blend of moody ambiance and traditional headbanging metal that's somewhere outside of any pure genre demarcation and in the area of "you just have to hear it". If you have to fit a shoe to it, progressive is the easiest choice.

With introspective chord progressions and atmospheric keyboards reminiscent of Pink Floyd, they create an overall immersion into a dark evening punctuated by Scott's crying lead melodies. It's a creation of a reflective soul and I was pulled right into it. The 17+ minute opening title track encapsulates this feel with multiple segments that alternate between slower and pounding metal sections. Vocalist Scott Oliva has a great lower range that reminds me of Zak Stevens or even Geoff Tate's lower singing. I'd bet dollars to donuts though drummer Alan Smithee (an inside Hollywood joke) doesn't exist.

The music is consistent throughout and aside from some distortion melding with the bass guitar and drums during the heaviest musical rumbling, the production by Joey Very (Armored Saint) is phenomenal. Fans of Dream Theater and Mercenary should enjoy this one.