Hermetic Science is a Progressive Rock project created by Ed Macan, who is known for having written several books about the musical genre. With several lineup changes over the years, today’s trio released the album “Deliria: A Chronicle Of 2020” on October 02, 2023 via Hermeticum Records. This entirely instrumental concept album is suydivided into 9 tracks of medium-long duration. The opener “Deliria I: Prelude (Main Theme)” immediately plunges us into the Progressive Rock atmospheres that characterise the album. A solid and very technical rhythm section on which the keyboards create melodies and interlaces of fine workmanship. A symphonic intro with orchestrations characterises “Deliria II: Poison Seeds (Pts. 1&2),” over 6 minutes divided into two parts. The intensity increases as the song progresses, developing complex textures that combine classical music and Progressive Rock. Keyboards take centre stage, intertwining with the orchestrations and offering a wide range of sounds and solutions to evolve the central theme of the track. The rhythm section consists of technical and elaborate drumming and deep, load-bearing bass lines. “Deliria III: The Mighty MAGA March of Doom” opens with dark, hypnotic twists between the keyboards and rhythm section. The tempo changes are an added bonus, allowing the complex and technical textures that characterise the band’s sound to develop. Dilated, atmospheric sounds and sudden tempo changes with increasing intensity alternate, enhancing the trio’s technique in both composition and performance. Dreamy piano notes open “Deliria IV: The Great Covid-19 Rave of 2020” and characterise the first part. With a change and the entry of the rhythm section, the band develops an energetic and addictive Prog track with a retro imprint. The drumming is solid and enriched with tempo changes and accelerations, the bass lines give the track body, while the various keyboards intertwine in melodies and solo inserts. “Deliria V: Kyrie Eleison” is an atmospheric interlude of short duration, which leads us to the following track. Linking up with the previous “Deliria VI: Armageddon Warm (Song for a Dying Planet),” it alternates darker passages with symphonic and airy openings, with the keyboards always taking centre stage. The rhythm section offers more minimal moments and others more energetic and technically elaborate. The band skilfully brings classic prog sounds into a fresh and modern context with their personal touch. An experimental keyboard intro opens “Deliria VII: Minneapolis 05-25-20,” before turning into an intense Progressive Rock track. The keyboards are at the centre of both the melodies and the solo inserts, exploiting the many sounds available. The organ accompanies us for most of the piece, which ends in a musical crescendo. The longest track on the album, “Deliria VIII: In the Dark Shadow of the Big Lie,” which exceeds 10:30 minutes, returns to dark atmospheres alternating between Progressive Rovck and atmospheric openings. The tempo changes are a real asset to the structure of the track, elaborate and very technical with forays into Experimental music, without ever losing the Prog imprint that characterises the band’s sound. A long journey, which throughout its duration explores the different facets that make up the trio’s original style. After an extended section full of solos and complex textures, the orchestrations conclude the track. The listening ends with “Deliria IX: Agnus Dei (Main Theme reprise),” a short outro that takes up the opnener theme. Almost two minutes where the band experiments with sounds to conclude in a crescendo of distinctly Prog sounds. An intense and elaborate concept album, in which the keyboards take centre stage, supported by a rhythm section that is always solid and very technical. Tempo changes, long textures where the numerous keyboards intertwine in the melodies and solo inserts, the common thread of which is the band’s original Prog style. A recommended listen for all lovers of Prog between dark passages, forays into Experimentation bringing retro sounds into a modern and very personal context.
Tracklist
01. Deliria I: Prelude (Main Theme) (2:46)
02. Deliria II: Poison Seeds (Pts. 1&2) (6:26)
03. Deliria III: The Mighty MAGA March of Doom (4:43)
04. Deliria IV: The Great Covid-19 Rave of 2020 (4:29)
05. Deliria V: Kyrie Eleison (1:22)
06. Deliria VI: Armageddon Warm (Song for a Dying Planet) (6:54)
07. Deliria VII: Minneapolis 05-25-20 (3:32)
08. Deliria VIII: In the Dark Shadow of the Big Lie (10:38)
09. Deliria IX: Agnus Dei (Main Theme reprise) (1:51)
Lineup
Edward Macan / Keyboards
Jeffrey Ruiz / Bass
Travis Strong / Drums
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