With the release date for their major label debut just a few months away, North Penn favorites Echolyn are working hard to build up a buzz in anticipation of the big day.

Hardly content to sit waiting for the rewards that often accompany a high-profile record deal, the band is in the midst of an at least two-month stint on the road, with shows from California to Canada to New England.

What's more, this string of dates will include the band's first area apperance in almost a year, scheduled for Dec. 2 at Philadelphia's Middle East Club.

In addition to providing them with increased exposure, the mini-tour is also giving Echolyn the chance to offer fans a tangible taste of what's to come, via a two-song advance sampler that Sony Music's Epic Records, the band's label, prodivded them with.

The CD features the title cut from As The World, a well as the enigmatic My Dear Wormwood, both of which show off the band's big-league songwriting and musicianship, while still resonating with their characteristic Phish-meets-Yes sound.

The disc also features some artwork that area residents may recognize - a foggy shot of the railroad tracks in West Point that graces the back cover.

Consisting of North Penn natives Chris Buzby, Tom Hyatt, Brett Kull, Paul Ramsey, and Ray Weston, Echolyn was signed to a long-term deal with Epic/Sony in August 1993, following three independent releases and several years on the local club scene.

The band recorded As The World past summer in Nashville with Grammy-winner producer Glenn Rosenstein (Ziggy Marley, Michelle Shocked, October Project), before heading out on the road for their current trek.

According to manager Greg Kull, Echolyn may stay on the road right up until their release date if shows continue to be as successfull. But with an international release in February and major promotion by the label, Kull says there's no way of knowing what might happen after the record goes public.