SUPERNATURAL HIGHWAYS

A very interesting EP from those american prog rockers. There are only trwo tracks and both are unavailable elsewhere. As a novelty, they also are both instrumentals. The massive title track is the longest and most symphonic piece ever recorded by Erik Norlander & co: 26 minutes of pure prog heaven wiht everything you might expect thrown in: terrific vintage sounding keyboards, fine and subtle guitar lines, mood and tempo changes, lots of percussions and even a cello and a NS stick solo! It is ok that it sounds like a bunch of themes put together (including the title track of Norlander´s Into The Sunset solo album), but still the whole piece stands well together and has a cohesive delivering. It was a very nice surprise and I´m very glad that I got it.

The other tune is a quite faithful cover of the theme from the James Bond´s movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service, complete with dramatic brass parts from guest players Jon Papenbrook (trumpet) and Eric Jorgensen (trombone). Norlander was always careful with his choices of covers and this is no exception.

I was quite pleasantly surprised with this "big single" (over 30 minutes of music in just two tracks!). I really hope this powerful release is setting the path for future Rocket Scientists albums!

Rating: between 3,5 and 4 stars.

When I read for the first time about this new work of the Rocket Scientists, I thought that the title of the 'lbum was so nice, just ask myself 'which kind of music could be with that title?', seems to fit perfectly with the band's concept'and just was by this way, and well'just a masterpiece, unless for me. The main thing is an instrumental epic of 26 minutes, (Traveler on the Supernatural Highways) that past so fast that you would want more and more. The theme it is not tracked in the CD, but has seven parts, well defined in the booklet. I will describe part by part. The fact is that if you (as I guess) did not make never a trip on a Supernatural Highway, this music is the opportunity to do it! First part (6:38 minutes) starts with a bass synthesizer motive, and over this, since the very beginning, the epic feeling is there, the melody and the rhythm section are typical Norlander and sound great. I just imagine the travelers or the traveler on this trip, what they see at the sides of the highway, or what they perceive on the horizon... The melody repeats on this first part but evolving over itself, just amazing. On the second part (3.44 minuttes), the epic sensation seems to increase as the melody take another round but with a different approach, and the overall track becomes more dynamic' the trip seems to be more adventure now, a true epic trip. Suddenly seems to take a breath and flows into a peaceful section on the part three (1.26 minutes), which gets over an amazing rhythm section, with a beautiful synthesizer melody, until everything seems to stop. But just starts again, now with an almost romantic piano motive, great for Norlander! (Part 4 2:14 minutes) Since then the piece starts to flow to something more rhytmycal, less symphonic and more eclectic. That's Part 5 (3:19 minutes). I can see Don Schiff work here, with his distinctive stick sound. What happens? The trip gets into something darker maybe or less enjoyable? As if something is altering the travelers'and this sensation persists into the Part 6 (1:52 minutes) too, but now with a more intense job of the synths and guitar. Finally the trip seems to pass this moment and slowly returns to the epic context (Part 7 6:53 minutes), but now with the electric guitar there. But the epic feeling becomes more ethereous now till the end, and I can imagine myself seeing the travelers disappear on the far distance, into the clouds, maybe to another dimension? Just Wow! The second track, is a little gem for me, a great cover. Reading the booklet, Norlander says that Marc McCrite, the guitarist and singer of the band was always a fan of John Barry, the soundtracks maker of James Bond series. The guys get into a cover of 'On her majesty's secrets service' from the same title movie, an instrumental piece with true winds! Trumpets and trombones'and the result is stunning again. Just an EP, but sounds great, personally I love this album, is progrock from A to Z. Not virtuous, but atmospheric and epic. Highly recommended.

Back in 1998 I had not long changed jobs when I suffered an incredibly serious motorbike accident. After being off work for six weeks I needed to start work again, but it was obvious that for the foreseeable future that would mean working from home. I couldn't drive as I had broken my right arm in six places, and was in a great deal of pain. But my company delivered my laptop to me, and each morning I would dial in to the mainframe and write code using my left hand, which was incredibly time consuming, but it got me back into the swing of things. I would get frustrated, and when code was running I could do nothing expect stare at the green screen, so I used to play a music video on the TV to maintain my sanity. That video was 'Earth Below and Sky Above', and I hate to think how many times I watched it in late 1998. I loved the skill and music from Rocket Scientists, and it also introduced me to Lana Lane.

I lost touch with the band after 1999's 'Oblivion Days', so missed 2006's 'Revolution Roads' altogether, but when I was asked if I would be interested in hearing their 2014 EP I jumped at it. Just two instrumentals, but when one is well over 25 minutes long and the other is their interpretation of a James Bond film theme what could go wrong? Absolutely nothing. Keyboard player Erik Norlander is still there of course, along with guitarist Mark McCrite and NS/Stick player and cellist Don Schiff. There are a few guests to help them along their way, but musically this is very much built around the interaction of these three. All three of them take the opportunity to lead the band, with the symphonic music flowing and floating, layered and wonderful, just like it used to be. This is complex progressive rock music that feels so very natural, with no effort required. I have yet to hear the album that was released at the same time, and since then Norlander has been working very closely with John Payne, but let's hope there isn't too long until the next Rocket Scientists release as this shows how great musicians can interact and have fun.