Hermetic Science – Live At Innsmouth (Hermeticum Records, 2025)
Live At Innsmouth is a full-document of Hermetic Science’s the November 15, 2024, stop on the American Carnage tour. Hermetic Science plays as a trio with keyboards in the lead, flanked by bass and drums. The captivating music leans into dark progressive rock without borrowing tired metal tropes, drawing instead on a large dose of western classical music and keyboard orchestrations. The influence of Emerson, Lake & Palmer is evident, although the keyboard performances focus more on atmosphere and orchestration than showy solos.
The band performed two long suites that evening. Edward Macan’s command of the keyboards drives the music’s architecture. He pivots from elegant, exquisite acoustic piano clarity to mighty organ and rich electronic orchestrations, with a mix of ominous, dense and calm passages. Jeffrey Ruiz claims several spotlight moments on bass, laying out muscular lines and interplay. Travis Strong’s skillful and energetic drums and percussion operate with a conductor’s sense of rhythm, propelling the music as needed without overwhelming.
Musicians: Edward Macan on keyboards; Jeffrey Ruiz on bass, vocals; and Travis Strong on drums and percussion.
Disc One
- Deliria 1 (Prelude – Main Theme) 2:55
- Deliria 2 (Poison Seeds, parts one and two) 6:39
- Deliria 3 (The Mighty MAGA March of Doom) 5:15
- Deliria 4 (The Great COVID-19 Rave of 2020) 4:44
- Deliria 5 (Kyrie Eleison) 1:15
- Deliria 6 (Armageddon Warm) 7:07
- Deliria 7 (Minneapolis 05-25-20) 3:44
- Deliria 8 (In the Dark Shadow of the Big Lie) 10:46
- Deliria 9 (Agnus Dei – Main Theme Reprise) 1:57
Disc Two
- Against the Grain (Part One) 6:44
- Against the Grain (Part Two) 6:12
- Against the Grain (Part Three) 5:17
- Against the Grain (Part Four) 3:45
- En Route 7:07
- Melancholia II 1:26
- The Second Coming 7:18