HERMETIC SCIENCE en route
		Format CD Country USA Recorded 2000-2001 Issued 2001 Label Magnetic Oblivion Cat no. 3-MERM3-01 Playing time 51:12 Reviewer Trond Gjellum

The last record by Ed Macan's Hermetic Science was a pleasant little effort where tuned percussion was central in the sound, something which gave the music a fresh and nice touch. Not as sophisticated as Gentle Giant, but in the whole a record which stood out in a positive vein amongst a lot of uninteresting issues. It is therefore sad to report that "En Route" is not of the same caliber. The compositions are long-winding and flat, packed in an uninspiring production, totally lacking ardour and energy.

Macan's synth sounds prove that analogue is not necessarily "the" thing, because this record must certainly win the "ugliest synth sounds ever" competition. They are not charmingly ugly like the Farfisa organ and the RMI piano, just plain ugly. A friend of mine thought they reminded him of his daughter's 40 dollar's Shell Select keyboard. Those sounds can be fun enough, but definitely not the right thing for symphonic rock.

A really big yawn of a record.

© 2002 Tarkus Magazine

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