PRESETS

After the 2006 release "Posthumous Silence" SYLVAN had set their standards really high. The problem with such a good album is that our expectations also seem to rise.

So what can we say about "Presets"? The 1st thing I noticed is that Sylvan's cover art is getting more beautiful on each album. It was done again by Marko Heisig (eyekicks) who already has done most of SYLVAN's artwork. I love the cover which is really a nice painting of some kind of half lady-half earth kind of thing. I think this painting shows us that we (human beings) should stop absorbing the world, because if we don't, we will be absorbed by the world. The same theme is also laid out in the track "When the leaves fall down". It's about the world as we know it. We have always taken it for granted, until it is too late. The falling leaves should not been taken literally, this can be seen as the collapse of the world if we continue to live our abundant lives as we have been doing for the last decades. This topic seems more relevant today as ever before. Am I right Marco?

So far about the nice artwork and concept? of the album. Lets talk about the music! I have given this disc a spin for at least ten times now and I think I'm up for a short review of the album. By the first tones that come out of your speakers we already hear the distinctive SYLVAN sound. What I noticed quickly is that "Presets" is a lot more a "mellow" melodic album and almost absent of any "heaviness". I remember the many changes and surprises in "PS" all too well. Some parts were mellow, other parts quite heavy. And even Marco was then singing, then almost whispering and later rapping and shouting! I must say I had to get used to this at first, but it made the album as a whole more appealing I think. In "Presets" al the heavy element have been deleted and therefore it has become a very mellow and polished album. Not bad, on the contrary! But I think in order to make their masterpiece they should continue the road they were on making PS. What is left is a very good mellow, melodic album with very catchy choruses as ever.

Conclusion: "Presets" is another good SYLVAN album, but still not the masterpiece I was hoping for. 3.5 stars well deserved though!

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