Post Description

Rocket Scientists biography
 ROCKET SCIENTISTS marks the beginning of the career of the talented keyboardist Erik Norlander back in the late 80's when with the guitarist Mark McCrite decides to form a band.

According to some critics, ROCKET SCIENTISTS are responsible of a new stage in the evolution of Neo Prog, but in my opinion they went much further and explored different sounds including Hard Rock and some Metal but their main structure is 100% Symphonic.

But before talking about the band it's important to mention a bit of Erik Norlander, the brain behind the band, he was born in 1967 in Hollywood California, since he was a kid started to study Classical music and the Jazz, but his main influences (In his own words) were found in Prog Rock mentioning Rick Wakeman, Jon Lord, Keith Emerson, Mike Pinder and Geoff Downes, as we see the eclectic spirit of his music was present from the start.

After 3 or 4 years of founding ROCKET SCIENTISTS, the and releases their first album "Earthbound" (1993), with the assistance of Dom Schiff (Bass and Chapman Stick) and Tony Amato (Drums), who soon became part of the band but of course we can't forget Erik's muse and wife Lana Lane. This debut album is a bit simpler and less challenging than the rest of their production.

Their second album "Brutal Architecture" features the definitive lineup with Norlander, McCrite, Schiff and Amato, representing a leap in their career, still we can find some poppy moments but the structure and sound is pure Symphonic.

Still the band released two more albums "Earth Bellow and Sky Above" an excellent live album released in 1998 and in 199 the heavy "Oblivion" again with Lana Lane and almost two different lineups being Norlander and McCrite the only members who play in all racks.

During the early 2000's Norlander, McCrite and Schiff dedicated more to their solo career until 2006 when they release the double album "Revolution Road" which presents a much more mature band with much more ambition, we only need to hope they won't make us wait much more before a new release because the evolution of the band has been simply impressive.

Boxset/Compilation, released in 2007

Songs / Tracks Listing 
Disc One: Looking Backward - The 2007 Sessions (2007):

1. Dark Water Part One [4:32] - new 2007 recording
2. Earthbound [6:12] - new 2007 recording
3. Picture Show [8:46] - new 2007 recording
4. Pythagoras (Unbound) [3:54] - new 2007 recording
5. Minstrel Saviour [7:28]- new 2007 recording
6. When Sorrow Falls [5:13] - new 2007 recording
7. Carry Me Home [5:18] - new 2007 recording
8. Escape [10:01] - 2007 remix, previously unreleased
9. Break the Silence [6:01] - 2007 remix
10. Mariner [7:31] - Kelly Keeling vocal version from 2003
11. Earthbound Reprise [2:16] - new 2000 / 2007 recording
12. Dark Water Part Five [6:36] - new 2007 recording
13. Dark Water Part Six [2:12] - new 2007 recording

2007 Sessions CD total running time . . . 76:23

Disc Two: Oblivion Days (1999, remastered in 2007):

1. Dark Water Part Three: Neptune's Sun [1:46]
2. Aqua Vitae [6:28]
3. Oblivion Days [7:07]
4. Archimedes [5:38]
5. Banquo's Ghost [6:00]
6. Space 1999 [4:38]
7. Escape [10:02]
8. Compass Variation [3:59] - 1999 Japanese edition bonus track
9. Break the Silence [6:01]
10. Dark Water Part Four: Heavy Water[4:44]
11. Wake Me Up - Live in Tokyo 1999 [6:22] - 1999 edition bonus track
12. Stardust - MM96 Mix [4:55] - 1999 European edition bonus track

Oblivion Days CD total running time . . . 67:43

Disc Three: Brutal Architecture (1995, remastered in 2007):

1. Dark Water Part One [4:12]
2. Wake Me Up [5:44]
3. Copernicus [2:53]
4. Brutal Architecture [6:20]
5. Nether [4:04]
6. Dark Water Part Two [1:39]
7. The Fall of Icarus [6:30]
8. Resolution [7:31]
9. Rainy Days & Pastel Grays [7:13]
10. Millennium 3 [7:16]
11. Mariner [11:31]
12. Stardust [4:57] - 1996 Japanese edition bonus track

Brutal Architecture CD total running time . . . 69:50

Disc Four: Earthbound (1993, remastered in 2007):

1. Earthbound [4:57]
2. Down Trodden [3:30]
3. Picture Show [4:59]
4. No More Lies [4:28]
5. Killing Joke [3:46]
6. Avalon[4:05]
7. Welcome to the Machine [4:48]
8. Minstrel Saviour [6:09]
9. When Sorrow Falls [3:46]
10. Calm Before the Storm [4:27]
11. Pythagoras [0:57]
12. Temple of Pain [3:58]
13. Carry Me Home [4:12]
14. To the Edge of the World - 1993 Demo [3:42] - previously unreleased bonus track

Earthbound CD total running time . . . 57:46