ONE TO ZERO

SYLVAN is releasing its 10th album 'One to Zero' on a lifelong concept of artificial intelligence in an attempt to save the world from humans. Sylvan is the Teutonic metal prog with a voice, melodies, rhythms, epic, sensitivity and a birth since 1998, neo prog between Arena and RPWL, further a little from Pink Floyd, Marillion or Eloy. A variation of keyboards, a melodic guitar, Marco in the voice and surges of adrenaline to give in sophisticated rock art far enough from instrumental flights. Sylvan is a flagship group, so let's read below to shed some light on our lantern.

"Bit By Bit" with rhythmic intro, atmospheric progressive rock, nebulous on the sounds of computers; melody, a Marco voice at the height of his art, energetic breaks and the eternal PORCUPINE TREE or ... SYLVAN in the background; synthesizer and Moog behind due to an angry guitar, in short it follows with "Encoded At Heart" a long romantic ballad on the grand piano, text to save the world; bass which provides the musical framework and it continues to rise mid-tempo, backing vocals, SAGA guitar to the Floydian guitar solo, robotic air hovering for a sensual slap; it continues with "Start Of Your Life" and its synthetic hypnotic rhythm, groove, pop when I say that the decade of 2020 will be! Guitars come to offer a reshaped 80's tune, innovative between SOEN, PARADISE LOST and SIMPLE MINDS; edgy, simple but concise and perfect. "Unleashed Power" for a frank cut with crystalline piano, intrusive keyboards and the sensitive, emotional, sprinkled voice of Marco; melancholy melody, the one that makes you cry for joy, that sends you into the ether; Intimate then atmospheric heavy piano bringing in fact a soothing electric solo. What guides on calm and catchy "Trust In Yourself", based on musical breaks; Marco again at the center of the title; gentle break with strings and cello by Katia Flintchs; pleasurable, orgasmic solo, crazy on the central base and synthetic metronomic final.

"On My Odyssey" with violin and bass dub, extreme sounds; memorizable chorus for traveling, progressive variation with abundance of instruments, folk violin and percussion, the guitar à la AL DI MEOLA sending very far, Spain, South America I don't know, but the final rise puts Marco's voice in full phase with the instruments; title of frightening sensitivity; "Part Of Me" with this melancholy piano again for one of the emotional centerpieces, plaintive violin, depressive voice filled with hope, hypnotizing latent air; 1/3 break on a symphonic climb à la MARILLION, it rises, it climbs, it cascades down just on the voice and the piano and it sets off again without firing a blow with emotion. "Worlds Apart" first piano and title to give free rein to the voice, I who adore the instruments and the voice like yet another instrument I am out of the game; but pleasantly offside because you have the most beautiful melody sung, bewitching; fairy or mermaid voice games at the end. "Go Viral" for the electro-acoustic intro at MUSE, it takes off suddenly, AI finally takes control; a tune with lockers based on keyboards making the voice leap, making a headbanger, it's been a while; break at the SUPERTRAMP for a few moments to give yourself an end of the world riff; heavy drums, nervous then airy guitar, crystalline for a time before returning to the end of the pandemic, of our life ?. "Not A Goodbye" yes it's not over! Its heavy synthetic metronomic, hypnotic guitar, MOTORS tune suddenly (remember "Airport"), memory atmosphere with one of the most beautiful voices undoubtedly for a dantesque symphonic finale; nothing extraordinary just associations of notes, climbs, flights; a limited hard prog solo shows that Jonathan is very good; the riff is somewhat reminiscent of AYREON for the mix of genres, the end in two parts for the 80's oldies sequence; title of reset with buzz, after a digital suicide where the man takes the reins.

Okay, I'm not hiding, I love SYLVAN; but if the album had been flat I would have said so; here simplicity and emotion, destruction and hope, intensity and diversity, prog rock, neo prog, hard rock touches, symphonic, this group touches everything is wonderful. On CD, Vinyl gatefold and digital, produced by Kalle Wallner and Yogi Lang who also threw a few notes on it, album potentially in the top, keep it for said.