ENCOUNTERS

Sylvan

Neo-Prog

3.26 | 103 ratings

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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

This is where SYLVAN start to meet their potential.This is an album about relationships. The pictures in the liner notes, and on the covers are very thought provoking.

Things get started with "No Way Out", opening with heavy guitar, followed by aggressive vocals.The chorus is both catchy and intense. Pulsating riffs are followed by piano and a beautiful guitar melody. We get some keys until the song ends with guitar. "Essence Of Life" is another fantastic tune. It opens with piano and vocals. Heavy riffs 3 1/2 minutes in are joined by Marco's amazing vocals, this is so catchy ! Things get quiet as synths become all that is heard until the vocals come in and build in intensity. The song ends with a guitar melody. The next nine songs are really nine parts of the "Encounters" section. It starts with "Overture" with a melancholy intro including reserved vocals.Things pick up with keys and then guitar as the beat gets heavy.

"About To Leave" is an excellent song, opening with ominous noises, eventually synths come in leading to a beautiful keyboard melody as the vocals make an appearance. "Your Source" is amazing, I can't say enough about Marco's vocals, he's truly one of my favourite vocalists.This is a gentle song with a nice sax melody. This is one of the best songs on this record. "Tremendously Different" features bombastic drums and keys. "Long Ago" features theatrical and emotional vocals with piano until the soundscape changes with heavy riffs and synths dominating. "All Of It" is all about the vocals. "Presentiments" has the same melody as "Your Source". "Would You Feel Better" has the same cool guitar melody come and go throughout. "In Vain" has a lot of mood and tempo changes. Marco shows his stuff with light drums backing him up. This song is all over the place. The record closes with "Encounters" with relaxed vocals and piano giving way to some splendid guitar and drums.

If you liked "Artificial Paradise" and "Posthumous Silence" you owe it to yourself to check out "Encounters".

Mellotron Storm | 4/5 | 2006-12-14

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