GLASBENA MLADINA (Slovenia), May 1998, p. 41

Hermetic Science: Same

Hermetic Science are an American instrumental trio, led by vibes player Ed Macan, who is backed by a bass guitarist and a drummer. Macan’s vibes playing is very original, because as a classically-trained pianist he takes a keyboards-like approach to the vibes, playing with four mallets. From time to time he also plays the piano. The band was formed two years ago and just released their first CD, entitled Ed Macan’s Hermetic Science. The music on the CD is influenced by the progressive rock of the seventies, especially ELP, and also by chamber rock groups like Art Zoyd and Univers Zero. In some ways the music also reminds me of Gary Burton and the ECM sound. In some special moments they achieve, with the inclusion of elements drawn from renaissance church music, an almost ritualistic sound in which they weave together heavy rock rhythms and more meditative spiritual mood music. This then is an eclectic version of progressive rock, full of beautiful, but at the same time rather provocative music.

Stanislav Kovac