POSTHUMOUS SILENCE

This is SYLVAN's first concept album and it's about a man who gets to know his daughter through reading her diary. The problem is his daughter is gone, she has commited suicide. Obviously this is an emotional record lyrically as well as musically. Actually I have always found SYLVAN's music emotional mainly because of Marco's amazing vocals, but also because of the soaring guitar and powerful melodies.

"Eternity End" is a short 2 minute intro track. It opens with synths, the sounds of birds singing and a choir before we hear an explosion (she died). Sampled words and a choir end it. "Bequest Of Tears" features fragile vocals and piano. Cello comes in and the sound of a submarine (symbolic of being drowned in tears). The following melody re-creates the absolute pain he is feeling. "In Chains" is heavy with riffs and great vocals, especially during the chorus. We get a mellower passage with keys 4 minutes in followed by a nice long soaring guitar melody. The heaviness comes back. "Bitter Symphony" has a nice little guitar line with almost mono-toned vocals. "Pane Of Truth" is a great sounding song with cello and some beautiful guitar 5 1/2 minutes in. It gets emotional after 7 minutes, then cello and piano follow. "No Earthly Reason" is intense with piano and vocals. "Forgotten Virtue" is a heavy tune. Vocals build to a dramatic and theatrical climax three different times.

"The Colors Changed" is a beautiful song with gentle vocals, piano and cello. The song gets emotional before 2 minutes when the vocals and sound grow louder. The guitar is heavenly 5 1/2 minutes in. "A Sad Symphony" is ok, while "Questions" is much better. The vocals are fantastic and the tone of the guitar is perfect 5 minutes in. We get some riffs as the guitar solos over top. The vocals are the highlight on "Answer To Life". "Message From The Past" has cello, piano and melancholic vocals. "The Last Embrace" is bombastic with screaming vocals. I like it. "A Kind Of Eden" opens with water flowing and birds singing as gentle piano and vocals come in. The sound does get louder. "Posthumous Silence" has gentle vocals, piano, strings and soaring guitar 2 minutes in. The last words in the song and album say "We failed to notice, to show her we tried.To keep her from falling, to save this sole child..."

This record and their previous two releases are all so well done. It would be hard for me to say which is the better of the three. They are all excellent. Most would choose this one and I can appreciate why. I can only suggest you get all three, I don't think you will be disappointed.