VAST Vinyl Records and CDs

VAST, which stands for "Visual Audio Sensory Theater," is primarily the work of multi-instrumentalist/Bono-esque vocalist Jon Crosby. VAST's 1998 debut elicited cries of "genius" from fans who saw Crosby as a possible heir to Trent Reznor's throne. The album -- which mixed Techno/Industrial rhythms, choir samples, orchestral strings and rock guitars -- alternately brought to mind the angst of Nine Inch Nails, the gothic drama of Dead Can Dance, and the so-called ethereal aspects of Enigma. The follow-up, Music for People (2000), is a departure: it goes in a more conventional alternative rock and at times Alt Metal direction, featuring shorter songs and relegating the electronic elements of the debut to a background role.