Product Description On "En Route," Hermetic Science's third album, Ed Macan, a key player in the progressive revival of the nineties, turns in one of the great multi-instrumental performances in recent memory. Fans are already familiar with his amazing mallet percussion and acoustic piano work, and there's plenty of that here. But "En Route" is also a great keyboard album, with Macan turning in stunning multi-layered performances on Hammond organ, ARP string ensemble, Micromoog, Fender Rhodes electric piano, digital pipe organ, and electronic harpsichord--not to mention the "oddball" instruments (recorders, 10-string lyre) that are a mandatory part of any Hermetic Science album. On "En Route" Macan is joined by multi-instrumentalist Jason Hoopes (bass, guitar, sitar, piano), an exciting young prog composer, and Joe Nagy, a formidable drummer who rejoins the band after a four-year absence. The title track, "En Route," a seven-movement, 45-minute suite, represents the band's greatest achievement--surpassing even the monumental "Prophesies" suite of their second album--and is likely to rank as one of the classic prog compositions of its era. About the Artist Hermetic Science, one of the most innovative and distinctive instrumental rock trios in a long time, is led by mallet percussion/keyboards wizard Ed Macan, a key player in the progressive music revival of the 1990s. Hermetic Science rattled the teeth of conformists everywhere with their unclassifiable fusion of progressive, ECM-style spatial jazz, fourth world, and contemporary classical styles that characterized their debut album of 1997. Featuring some of the most innovative vibes work in a generation, "Ed Macan's Hermetic Science" forged one of the few instantly recognizable signature sounds in contemporary instrumental music of any kind during the late 1990s. The band's second CD, "Prophesies" (1999), boldly continued the explorations of the debut album. While the new CD once again featured Ed Macan's mallet percussion pyrotechnics--his vibes playing on "Prophesies" is, if anything, even more astounding than before--it featured his formidable keyboard work, especially on acoustic piano, far more prominently than the debut CD. With the release of "En Route" in November 2001, Hermetic Science open an entirely new chapter in their development. To be sure, everything the first two Hermetic Science albms were admired for is here--the expertly-structured, richly-detailed compositions; the intricately-interlocking textures; the biting harmonies and curious polyrhythms; the skillful use of dynamics. But there is new ground broken, too. The music is heavier now, absolutely massive at times; darker, harder-rocking, more richly orchestrated, and more electronic, with a breathtaking range of dynamics.
C**N
Five Stars-And I don't give that out easily.
Easily one of the best albums so far this year, this progressive tour de force avoids (almost) all of the pitfalls of modern neo-progressive bands like Spock's Beard and Marillion, and is very original and truly progressive. Entirely instrumental, it showcases Ed Macan's wonderful compositional and instrumental skills."Mars", the opener, is the only low-point on the album. A 'cover' of the famous Gustav Holst piece, Macan's rather excessive and shoddy use of the ARP string ensemble mars (pun intended) it horribly.The rest of the album is taken up by the lengthy suite Au Rebours (Against the Grain) which begins with Against the Grain pt. 1, an intense, piano-centered piece written mostly by bassist Jason Hoopes. Next comes Against the Grain pt. 2, a cool, jazzy piece rather reminiscent of the Modern Jazz Quartet, which shows off Macan's prodigial skills on the vibraphones. These two pieces really are wonderful examples of one of the band's strong points: The musicians' incredible harmonic skills. Unlike most progressive bands, which tend to be better at melodic and contrapuntal themes, Hermetic Science takes harmonies straight out of late Romantic classical music, and the production tends to emphasize that.Against the Grain pt. 3, coming next, is something else entirely. I've described it before as 'Very Funky Bach', and I believe that works. It has a wonderful bass line, and some bizarre counterpoint running above it. Some people don't like it, considering it to be as bad as Mars, but I think it's great. Against the Grain pt. 4 is next, and it has a definite ELP influence, with some percussive Hammond playing by Macan that wouldn't sound at all out of place in, say, "Tarkus".After the four Grains come the two high points of the album, the dark "La-Bas" (Down there) and the glorious "Raga Hermeticum". The first is divided in three parts- a Toccatta, played on digital church organ, a dirge, featuring Hoopes on electric guitar as well as bass, and a fugue based on the theme from the dirge. It's a terrifically moving piece. "Raga Hermeticum" begins with a quiet duet between Macan on lyre and Hoopes on sitar. The old principal that any rock song with a sitar proves true yet again, as this piece keeps on building up with a feverish intensity, slowly adding vibes and organ to the mix until a final, and wonderful denouement which segues nicely into the final piece, En Route. It is another harmonically brilliant piano-based piece, much like Against the Grain pt 1, completing the albums cyclic path.So, to fill out this review, let me say: I recommend this album heartily, and to just about everyone. Progressive fans will, of course, adore it, but even fans of more traditional, classical music ought to really find Macan's compositional skills interesting, and those interested in that wonderful genre of post-rock should find this to be a charmingly non-"pretentious" progressive rock masterpiece. As long as you ignore the first track.
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