POSTHUMOUS SILENCE

A stunning, and staggering, piece of modern neo progressive rock, this album from German band Sylvan deals with the almost impossibly sad subject of a review by a father of his dead daughter's diary - she killed herself.

Throughout, much in the way that Marillion's Brave did, the narrative is relentless and tells a huge story, but in a sensitive and understanding manner.

The vocals by Marco Gluhmann are exceptional throughout, and his bandmates create a wonderful musical pastiche which, to these ears, is extremely original, thus probably placing it more in the symphonic rather than neo category.

There are some very heavy phases, but, in the main, the album is filled with huge melodies.

This is the first album I have brought from this band, and it was on the strength of the PA charts. I have since brought Force of Gravity, and will definitely be completing my collection.

This album fully deserves the full five stars. I regard it as being essential in terms of a wonderful modern band pointing the way forward for the future of the genre. Taking their influences from, but certainly not copying, the classic bands, and wrapping it all in an album which can be listened to by a whole new generation perhaps sympathetic with the extremely sad story told.

Very highly recommended to all reading this review.