Hermetic Science’s first three albums, Ed Macan’s Hermetic Science (1997), Prophesies (1999), and En Route (2001) originally were released on the Magnetic Oblivion label. After it folded in 2002, group leader and principal composer Edward Macan regained publication rights, and in 2006 released all original tracks from these albums on the compilation Crash Course: A Hermetic Science Primer. While Crash Course served its purpose for many years, by the early 2020s Macan realized the disappearance of the Magnetic Oblivion albums had obscured the band’s chronological and stylistic development. He resolved to mark the band’s 30th anniversary in 2026 by re-releasing these albums on the Hermeticum Records label.
Ed Macan’s Hermetic Science (30th Anniversary edition), out now, is the first fruits of this effort. Recorded in 1996 and released in 1997, it is one of the most original instrumental rock albums of its era, introducing rock’s first vibraphone/marimba power trio and a unique synthesis of classic prog, jazz-rock fusion, psych, classical, and worldbeat that shaped the band’s subsequent albums, even as they gradually shifted to a more conventional keyboard trio format in which vibes played a textural role.
By the early 2000s Ed Macan’s Hermetic Science was out of print; in 2006, its original tracks made their way to the Crash Course compilation. Now, marking the band’s 30th anniversary, Ed Macan’s Hermetic Science has been remixed and remastered from the original ADATs (we thank our friends at Audio Conservation in Phoenix for a superb transfer), resulting in a sonic power, depth, and spatial detail the band only could have dreamed of in the far-off days of 1996. It is being re-released with its original album art and an expanded track list, including three that have never been available for download or streaming. Not to be missed!!!
TRACKLIST1. Esau’s Burden (5:08) (Macan)
2. Fire Over Thule (9:29) (Macan)
3. The Sungazer (11:10) (Macan)
4. Medley (7:38): Cheetah (Way)*/Infinite Space (Emerson/Palmer)*
5. Fanfare for the House of Panorama (4:03) (Macan)
6. Intrigue in the House of Panorama (4:10) (Macan)
7. Trisagion (8:22) (Macan)
8. Jacob’s Ladder (6:56) (Lee/Lifeson/Peart)*
*Previously unavailable for download or streaming
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WebsiteTHE HERMETIC SCIENCE 30th ANNIVERSARY PROJECTThe 30th Anniversary Project is dedicated to the re-release of Hermetic Science’s first three albums, Ed Macan’s Hermetic Science (1997), Prophesies (1999), and En Route (2001), all originally released on the long-defunct Magnetic Oblivion label and out of print for decades, on the Hermeticum Records label. It also includes The Lost Jazz Tapes EP, previously unreleased jazz recordings made during the sessions for their first album. All of these releases are being remixed and remastered from the original ADATs whenever possible.
The 30th Anniversary edition of Ed Macan’s Hermetic Science was released May 4, 2026, and The Lost Jazz Tapes EP was released on July 8, 2026. 30th Anniversary editions of Hermetic Science’s second and third albums, Prophesies (1999) and En Route (2001), are set to be re-released in late summer/fall 2026. More news to follow!!!
