SURREAL

US composer and musician Erik NORLANDER is a well know name in the progressive rock scene, as a member of the US band Rocket Scientists, for his tenure in John Payne's Asia, to a lesser extent as being a part of the Roswell Six project, but perhaps most of all for a solo career that has been ongoing for more than 20 years. "Surreal" is his latest studio album, and was released through his and his wife Lana Lane's label Think Tank Media in the summer of 2016.

Instrumental progressive rock albums may not be a staple diet for all fans of progressive rock, but for those who enjoy such productions in general and the ones honing in on symphonic progressive rock in particular, Erik Norlander's most recent studio recording should be met with a statement of satisfactory by the greater majority of that crowd. A solid album through and through, perhaps a bit safe and sound in terms of style and performance, but it's still a pleasurable experience to encounter craftsmen using their expertise and experience in creating the kind of material they are best at producing.