VIRTUALITY PRESS: REVIEWS Page Two (F through L):   FIREWORKS MAGAZINE 5/2002 This is a difficult album to review. First off, there's Scott's unfortunate surname. I gotta admit, when I received the album through the post my initial thought was that this was going to be a thrash metal workout. How wrong can one be? What we have here is a very intelligent, deeply thoughtout work of art. The tracks are split between vocal and instrumental, but every track is an aural experience. The best way to describe the tracks is to imagine an ambient keyboard score, almost movie soundtrack in feel and not dissimiliar to Jean Michael Jarre's 'Oxygene' album, but with power-chords and hard rock drumming, albeit, programmed. Mosher is responsible for all the programming, sequencing, and most of the guitars. The funny things is, listening to the vocal tracks made me think of Rush. Checking the credits the vocals are done by one Todd 'Shreddy Gee' Corsa, so I guess the Rush comparison is pretty accurate. Definitely an album for late night listening. Put on, lie back and de-stress... kinda like the rock equivalent of the video fishtank! On the back sleeve it's stated 'File Under: Ambient neo-progressive cyber rock'. And, to be honest, that's about the best description you could get. Not for everyone, but definitely worth a listen if you're into any of the above music styles.   FRIDAY THE 13th: OK, so what is this I am about to review? Is this guy's name for real? Well his guy is called Scott Mosher (maybe he invented ? moshing!!), any how I was not sure to what this album was all about when I first saw the cover, which reminded me of a soundtrack for the film 'Blade Runner', but I am pleased to say this is something slightly different in the form of Rock/ Metal music. Nevertheless, this is something different and quiet pleasing to the ears to be honest. I would have to say that this is Cyber/ Futuristic Metal with a difference. If you like any of the following bands then I'm sure you will enjoy this album, although this album has 50% singing and the rest is instrumental I will leave it up to you to decide if this is worth a listen. Any how if you like 'Heir Apparent', 'Dark Star', 'Eye Of The Storm' , 'Greyhaven' & 'Digital Ruin' then this could be right up your street.12 trax here and Scott handles most of the instruments and all the vocals with the help of 2 friends and a nice production does help. Check out the following trax: 'Virtuality', 'The Human Machine', 'A Season Of Fire', 'Re- Define', 'Sometime After Midnight', 'Shores Of a Cosmic Ocean' and 'Sorrow In A World Of Darkness'. (3/5 points)   GOODTIMES 8/2004: The cover of Scott Mosher's VIRTUALITY CD may hit strangely close to home for many Long Islanders. His picture of a polluted night sky hovering over an expansive body of water heartlessly invaded by smoke-billowing industrial towers looks almost too much like that scene created by the similar towers that ruin the perfection of gazing across the Long Island Sound while waiting for the Port Jeff ferry. If you are a fan of the Bush administration, don't bother reading Mosher's rant on the back of the jacket. He's got strong love for the environment and doesn't shy away from getting political about it, both in his prose and in poetic lyrics. He argues that the "pro-corporate, pro-business anti-environmental administration" by maintaining the status quo, "pollute(s) our political systems with as much greed-induced fervor as any religious fanatic at a prostitution convention." This is also not music for the close minded. Mosher, who performs not only guitar, percussion and occassional Darth Vader-esque morphed spoken word vocals, also programs all the sounds in this electronic-driven album. He considers his music "ambient neo-progressive cyber-rock", whatever that is. It's only slightly reminiscent of the Mars Volta, and other recent prog-rock, and certainly more twisted. A key track to check out is the title track, in which vocalist Todd Corso's high-pitched,intense voice asks "Do we perceive while we try to conceive/the business of greed that is planting the seed/and let the government hide all the lies that decide/in the future will anyone care?" as Mosher provides an equally intense instrumental buildup including frequent rhythm changes and a Pink Floyd-style guitar solo. With various instrumental pieces and multi-part epic songs among the less "out there" tracks, the album flows like another DARK SIDE OF THE MOON but with a theme of the environment and the transcendant mind. Mosher carries a positive message with him, especially on tracks like "The Promise of Truth" which pumps you up as much as the ROCKY theme song yet is peacefull and optimistic. To discover more about this intellectual progressive musician, visit his website. He's just released a new CD, but VIRTUALITY is definitely worth checking ut when you've got the 72-minutes of listening time it requires. This album sucks you in and makes you forget there's such a thing as the "pause" button.   GNOSIS REVIEW: You know, there are quite a few good things I could say about Scott Mosher's Virtuality, but before I do so, I gotta get something out the way. Lose the drum machines. Despite the fact that there are a lot of really nice touches on this album musically (a title that almost sounds like a modern day sequel to Rush's Signals), when you have this kind of toneless plodding going on, you can't help but be defined and limited by it. And it's a shame because there are some real strengths here, especially in the programming that occasionally reminds me of the full, warm background drop of Ozric Tentacles, a sound that moves this into deep space, despite the fact that this is the deep space of "Cygnus X-1" as opposed to "Sunscape." And why isn't the guitar playing more prevalent on it? Mosher is *damn* good on the axe and each solo is totally compelling. More! The vocals are provided by one Todd "Shreddy Gee" Corsa. So I suppose I will not get in trouble calling this guy a Geddy Lee (circa early 80s) clone (although he sounds a lot like Triumph's Rik Emmett as well). However, there aren't a lot of vocals over the longer stretch. The full album is dominated by mostly, synth heavy symphonic rock, and we're talking layers of lush keys. Make no mistake about it, Mosher's sound is very full and layered, and it is this that sets it apart from similar one-man operations. Overall this is a musically mixed bag, from the disappointing (I admit to loathing drum machines and gated drums) to the simply outstanding (the synth programming/ambience and the guitar playing). I imagine fans of Rush-influenced, modern techno-progressive bands would probably find this a worthy purchase.   GUITAR NINE REVIEW: You mean you don't know what ambient neo-progressive cyber-rock sounds like? Pick up a copy of Scott Mosher's CD Virtuality for a first-class introduction to the new sub-genre. Mosher is a guitarist, bass player, keyboard player and more, and his vision for progressive rock includes haunting sound paintings and dreamy musical interludes (a la Tangerine Dream), as well as driving, rhythmic metal. His guests include vocalist Todd Corsa, who sings on half of the twelve tracks, and Mickey James, who lends a bass solo to "The Promise Of Truth". Mosher's guitar solos are fully supportive of the underlying compositions, offering dense, fluid runs and liquid lines. Fellow progressive axemen will find a lot to like in Virtuality, as well as ambient music lovers searching for more of an edge. A great soundtrack for travelling in space - don't board the Enterprise without it. Scott's current status as a 'solo-artist' began with the "Ambient Earth" CD. in 1995, the "Horsemeat" cassette (grammy-award winning!) and various 'guest' appearances on bass, lyrical arrangements and guitar on the F5/Eye of the Storm projects. Currently he has not toured the world, he has not won an MTV musical award, he has not been featured in any pop-culture revival metal magazines, he has not been a guest host on any late-night TV programs (although he did lobby the Arsenio Hall Show in 1990 as the 'doomed-to-a-life-of-mediocrity guy' to no avail), nor has he kissed many hands and shaken many babies (that may change soon). Scott has yet to win a Nobel Peace Prize or a Pulitzer prize (not for trying). Mosher is currently working on other experimental proto-electronic, trance-rock rap-funk-metal endeavors, and continues his quest to combine his music and art with a socially-conscious and environmentally responsible approach.   IMPACT PRESS REVIEW: This is quite the impressive recording, considering that Mosher played almost all instruments and did the singing. The back cover says to file this under "ambient neo-progressive cyber-rock." I'm not sure about the ambient, but I agree with everything else. I felt the influence of Yngwie Malmsteen and Rush, as well as Tangerine Dream if you can imagine. The Mosher designed cover art is worthy of a Yes album. There are plenty of keyboards, mostly playing repeating patterns that bring on a hypnotic feeling, and guitars playing energetic, driving riffs. (AL)   INFEST ZINE: This is a rarity that I received of this musician's whose work in loner is captured in this disc full with textures and melodies guided to the progressive music hands. This work fuses diverse such styles as the progressive ROCK, techno-trance and music new Age. Scott Mosher is the one in charge of all the instruments: Guitar, under, keyboard, percussion, programming and voices. Also having invited musicians. We can notice certain influences of bands like DREAM THEATER, RUSH and even PINK FLOYD (Era Sid barret), united this to near textures to the Gothic music and inclusive astral atmospheres that easily guide the listener for an imaginary world, which SCOTT has looked for to express through the illustrations that it adorn the booklet. A disc with a total of 12 topics that it will wake up diverse sensations in the listener.   INSIDE CONNECTION MAGAZINE (01/2002) With the first glance at the CD liner art of a guru wolf holding out two crystal balls in each paw under a headline reading 'Go beyond the ambient mind', you know you're in the right place to have your mind blown. A definite progressive/alternative release, Scott Mosher's VIRTUALITY portrays a zen-like feel, showing it's obvious dichotomy in both musicianship and lyrics. The title song possesses a definite Peter Gabriel/Queensryche sound, has a steady rock drumbeat throughout, and maintains a 1970's punk feel combined with a sense of confusion and corporate angst. 'ReDefine' is a punk-rock anthem as it chants, 'Redefine your mind, redefine your place, redfine your time, redefine your space, redfine your lives'. Backed on one tune on vocals and guitar by Todd Corsa and on another tune on bass by Mickey james, Mosher handles everything: percussion, sequencing, programming, guitar, voices. All in all, this is a great CD; lyrically and musically. Check it out.   IO PAGES REVIEW: Often, music is categorised to help potential buyers on their way which style they are dealing with. This CD is named as "ambient, neo-progressive cyber-rock". According to the information in the booklet the musician concerned, Scott Mosher, will even go further on his next record with "proto-electronic trance-rock- rap-funk-metal". We shall hear. The idea behind this CD was to make a mixture between a certain view on music, the world and other arts. The cover, a futuristic design by Mosher himself, is very good. The album is almost a soloproject: Mosher plays most of the guitars, all keyboards and he programmed the drums. I must say, that I like the music a lot. In my ears it sounds like a mix between symphonic rock and spacerock. The CD opens impressive with the spacey, Ozric Tentacles-like, Upon The Frontiers Of Infinite Night. This piece moves into the fantastic symphonic titletrack in which there is excellent vocalwork by Todd Corsa. He is nicknamed "Shreddy Gee" and this gives a hint how his voice sounds, namely as that of Rush-vocalist Geddy Lee. A big part of the CD is instrumental and thrusting. Sometimes the music slows down as in the floating Attillon Sunrise and Shores Of A Cosmic Ocean. Corsa again sings re-Define and The Promise Of Truth. These tracks would easily be fitted on a Rush-CD out of the eighties. Only the drums sound different (more metallic). Pieces as The Dreaming Eye and Infinity Burns refer to the music of Tangerine Dream because of the nice sequencerlines but with a more heavy impact. Sorrow in A World Of Darkness is a massive epic symphonic track with very well played guitarsolos. This is a great CD from a versatile artist.   JEN'S METAL PAGE: Virtuality is Scott Mosher's second full-length, released three years before Inferno came out. There are many keyboard sounds on this CD as well, though they are a bit less ambient and more electronic. The music here, described as 'cyber rock' by Mosher, is also a bit guitar heavier than his latest CD. A lot of the keyboards reminded me of Pink Floyd on Dark Side of the Moon. Todd Corsa contributes lead vocals and a guitar solo to one track. Mosher adds more cyber elements to his music with some vocal effects. The artwork Mosher designed for the liner notes is even more profound than it is on Inferno; there is one piece with pyramids resting on an ocean with a moon on the horizon and an array of stars that is particularly breathtaking to see. Most of these songs can also be previewed at the official Ambient Mind site. Mosher is planning to release a new CD either in 2005 or 2006. Visit the site for more information.   KNAC RADIO ONLINE REVIEW: Raleigh, NC native Scott Mosher has created an awesome industrial soundscape entitled "Virtuality." When I first received this album, I was immediately impressed with the CD art depicting dark pollution spewing forth from smokestacks amidst a spectrum of color set in a hazy futuristic world. Labeled as "ambient, neo-progressive cyber rock," I found this work very intriguing and far from cursory. There are twelve tracks, each carefully constructed and thought-provoking. Vocals are provided by Todd Corsa, who sounds like Geddy Lee from Rush. So much so that I thought it was Geddy. Only six tracks have singing at all. The others are instrumentals that put you in a trance and take your mind on the trip of a lifetime through a haunting yet beautiful ride into deep space. Scott makes extensive use of keyboards and programming that would put most prog masters to shame. There is an over the top guitar solo on "A Season of Fire," that is very reminiscent of Queensryche as are many of the solos. I'd try to compare this to other prog music but am not schooled enough to give a fair analysis. Maybe Dream Theater, Rush or Floyd. The music is very mood orientated. I felt like I was in a science fiction thriller like Blade Runner or Escape from New York, running for my life from unseen evil forces hot in pursuit. I faced fear, excitement and even relaxation as I floated aimlessly on this adrenalin laced acid trip. Overall, this is some excellent music. To categorize it as metal would probably be an injustice because it is so much more. If you don't mind seven-minute songs and minimal vocal contributions in an electronic "mindfield," than Virtuality is right up your alley. It is the epitome of progressive rock.   LAMENTATIONS OF THE FLAME PRINCESS #9, Dec 18, 2001: Here is an artist that takes his work seriously and respects it. Professionally pressed CD, great sound thick booklet with excellent graphics, full lyrics, notes, references, the whole thing, right here in my hand. Not that it means it's worth getting (although in this case it is and I'll tell you why in a moment), but if one man can put something like this together then all of you four or five piece bands who can't really do seem like whiny pussies. Achievement standards are set by those possessed, not by those who say 'enough is enough' and are bound by the restrictions of 'common sense'. So anyway, this is a progressive projects (not metal) dealing with sound atmosphere and built around keyboards and such, and propelled through its phases by programmed rock drum beats, guitars, etc. The self-tagged 'Ambient neo-progressive cyber rock' actually fits dead on (and not that we should be surprised that artists actually know what their music should be called by you know those creative types and they feel about categorization...) and in my not-so-expert opinion on things not focused on guitars, I'd say think of calmer RUSH with a new age feel and you're halfway there. The other half, well, you need to invest some time in it, and be willing to just get lost. I've had this thing, what, a couple of months, and still don't have a goddam clue what to really describe this as. It's just good stuff. A lot of dreamy sleepy passages made soley on keyboards, offset by times when the more rock sections kick in with the guitars and probably the best thing about this CD is the lack of any one prevalent mood, any one thing that you can point to and say 'This defines what this project is all about'. And yet it's all coherent and focused. I wish more metal bands could be like that, because then I wouldn't have to dog the shit out of them sor sucking so bad. Vocals pop up on some songs, and the vocalist's got a good voice that could be described as Geddy-Lee like, but near as high and think so that should save a few seizures. The lyrics also have a point, it's all got a point, agai, where I call it 'new age' about being in tune with your mind and your surroundings, hardly a negative message in my book. The music isn't very happy in a lot of places though, probably reflecting that we just haven't gotten it right like we're supposed too. I'd say way too much thought went into every aspect of this, but that's a really silly thing to say, considering how little thought goes into most of the albums reviewed here. And musically, it's all done by one guy (save 3 solos). Aren't you jealous? You should be. Definitely great stuff in all aspects and I highly recomment you get your hands on this, but do you realize how absolutely more killer this would've been if the worst 25 minutes taken out, leaving only the most killer and quality 45-50 minutes to be heard? The only CD's that ever need to be over seventy minutes are freebie promotional CD's, people... but then again, that's my metal mind talking and I guess some of these pure atmospheric pieces don't follow the same rules as I've been observing and commenting on for years...   LEFT OF THE DIAL: Are you ready for a neo-ambient techno Rush? Scott Mosher's VIRTUALITY takes you on just such a musical journey with his subtly mind-tearing progressive rock, which combines various styles of audio artistry. "Virtuality merges the worlds of trance, ambient, new-age and metal forged in the fires of atmospheric neo-progressive song structures." Ok, that's quite a lot for most of us to bite off and chew without choking, but Mosher's third release is just that, and the only way to understand is to listen ? no, feel. Take a handful of Rush, a dash of Symphony X, a pinch of Enigma, and a heavy symphonic keyboard presence and you've got VIRTUALITY. Mosher is the main man behind the scenes here, playing just about every instrument, electronic or not, with the exception of some guitar solos by Todd Corsa on "Architects of the Divine" and Mickey James on "The Promise of Truth." Corsa is the main influence for the Rush sound. His voice seems to have replicated Rush's Geddy Lee so much that his nickname is "Shreddy Gee." While tracks like "The Human Machine" and "Redefine" are futuristically harmonic to the senses, other tracks seem overindulgent in length, and the use of electronic keyboards is at times a bit extensive. Don't get me wrong, the tracks are good, but a master of his craft knows when enough is enough. Take ATB for example, the ambient-house techno lord ? not many of his cuts are more than five minutes. Don't scrape our ears against the pavement. VIRTUALITY is an interesting combination of many musical influences and provides a unique edge that is not often seen in the world of progressive rock. Mosher seems to have created an identity all his own.   LONG ISLAND MUSIC SCENE: Here is something a little different. Mr. Mosher seems to have taken a little dose of Sci-Fi, Drama, The Future, and some other little spices of course to bring to the table what he calls......VIRTUALITY. This cd clocks in over 70 mins. long. It definitely takes you on an epic little trip. The music paints many a splendid picture. It's dreamy and cosmic and very intriguing. Scott Mosher really doesn't rely so much on the vocal or the lyric to get his point across. With this disc, there is much more music than vocal, but it keeps you interested. He is definitely a creative and talented soul this Scott Mosher. I bet he watches Star Trek. The disc's layout and artwork is awesome. The recording is wonderful too. This is a nice little package. Everything is fine tuned and holds its own quite nicely. "The convergence of ambient neo-progressive cyber rock and atmospheric digital imagery with a philosophical perspective." Those are the words that are printed on the disc itself. Interesting huh? Wanna know more??...Visit www.theambientmind.com