Sylvan

Formed in Hamburg in the early 1990s under the name Chamäleon before adopting Sylvan in 1995, the German band sits in a progressive vein that blends neo-progressive rock, symphonic rock, and touches of progressive metal. Around Marco Glühmann on vocals, Volker Söhl on keyboards, Matthias Harder on drums and, from 2000, Sebastian Harnack on bass, Sylvan develops a writing based on long constructions, contrasts between melodic passages and more tense crescendos, as well as an important emphasis on keyboards and atmospheres. After Deliverance in 1998 and Encounters in 2000, the group refines its identity with Artificial Paradise in 2002 and X-Rayed in 2004, before marking a turning point with the concept album Posthumous Silence in 2006, often cited in its live career. Presets appears in 2007, followed by the live Leaving Backstage in 2008 and Force of Gravity in 2009. In the 2010s, Sylvan continues with Sceneries in 2012 and Home in 2015, after the departure of guitarist Jan Petersen, then returns with One to Zero in 2021. Sylvan has long moved across the European progressive scene, notably in Germany and France, with a repertoire where the conceptual format and narration occupy a central place.