OBLIVION DAYS

ROCKET SCIENTISTS new third studio album is heavier than their previous live album "Earth Below and Sky Above: Live In Europe & America" (1998). Their previous studio album were 1995's "Brutal Architecture". Now their music could be described as heavy progressive rock, with Erik NORLANDER's keyboard playing in the forefront. As usual they're mixing modern instruments with vintage instruments such as Hammond Organ, Mellotron and Moog.

- ROCKET SCIENTISTS influences are The BEATLES, DEEP PURPLE, EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, The MOODY BLUES and PROCOL HARUM to mention a few. All the musicians are highly skilled and Lana Lane is singing harmony vocals on three of the tracks. Other interesting guest appearances are drummer Greg Ellis, bass player Tony Franklin and the guitarists Arjen Anthony Lucassen and Neil Citron.

- There are five instrumental tracks and the album doesn't contain any weak tracks at all. The highlights are the opening "Dark Water Part Three: Neptune's Sun", "Aqua Vitae", "Oblivion Days", the instrumental "Archimedes", "Banquo's Ghost", "Escape" and the closing instrumental track "Dark Water Part Four: Heavy Water". The live track "Wake Me Up" and the closing bonus track "Stardust", with Mark McCrite and Lana Lane on lead vocals are also very good. They're also doing a cover of the 70's TV series theme "Space: 1999" which was one of my favorite series back then.

- As usual with Think Tank Media related releases, the cover art are made by Jacek Yerka, and it's as always very beautiful. The album art on this release is called "On the Edge". A highly recommended album!