Reviews

French review
www.magicfiremusic.net/chronique.php?cat=chronic&id=1189

Turkish review
www.rockarea.eu/readarticle.php?article_id=235

French review
www.progressive-area.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=448&Itemid=2

Italian review
www.kronic.it/artGet.aspx?aID=2&sID=15014

...This is a CD that seems designed to intentionally showcase a different side to Sylvan. It’s not really symphonic progressive rock, but rather more a contemporary melding of symphonic elements married to a modern rock sound that has been getting more and popular because of the mainstream bands mentioned above. Some fans of Sylvan will no-doubt wonder what happened, others will have no problem what-so-ever. But this is just the type of recording that could win over many new converts, showing a different side to Sylvan. And that’s not a band thing. It’s a perfect disc to play for your non-prog friends.
www.dvdivas.net/ProgVoices/S/sylvan-presets.html

...This is a majestic, genuinely progressive tune, the only one with a really diverse instrumental background and plenty of purely instrumental arrangements in general, most of which are equally diverse and compelling, especially those in the Prog-Metal style (which though are part of some vocals sections too). Although short and simple, the ballad Words From Another Day, featuring only vocals and piano, is fine in its own way. The other two longer tracks, One Step Beyond and Former Life, are both as vocal-heavy as any of those yet to be named, though these are richer in different vocal themes...
www.progressor.net/review/sylvan_2007.html

Spanish review
manticornio.com/rock-progresivo/S/SYLVAN/presets.html

...On the whole, Presets is an excellent collection of songs, and the finest album I've heard for some time. Sylvan have carved out a distinctive style and sound that works spectacularly well. Trimming a couple of songs from the playlist and extending Heal would probably be my only wishes. Fans of the more proggy end of music may wish to start their Sylvan experience at Artificial Paradise or Posthumous Silence, but anyone with a taste for melody and emotion will find Presets much to their taste...
www.dprp.net/reviews/200715.php

German interview
www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/s/sylvan/interview07.html

German review
www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/s/sylvan/presets.html

...complete a major leap of faith, segueing from cult band to prog elite. Each of the dozen songs are treated to more breathing room than previous compositions, and their brevity (nine songs clock in under 5 minutes) makes the entire album a more memorable listening experience. The differences are discernible from the first track, “One Step Beyond,” which finds vocalist Marco Glühmann singing with more conviction and joy than ever. His enthusiasm continues on other standout songs like the radio-ready “For One Day” and the mysterious “Former Life.” Tracks that do venture beyond the seven-minute mark also shine. On the 13-minute epic title cut, unexpected female vocals add drama to the chorus and some killer electric-guitar work stuns with its heaviness. Both sound out of place on a Sylvan album — especially considering that this band never really rocked before. But in the context of Presets, the additions make perfect sense...
seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=4977

It's always fun watching a band grow during the course of their career. Germany's Sylvan have been around since the late 1990's, and have been releasing albums at a pretty brisk clip ever since. Their 2007 release Presets follows their very successful concept piece Posthumas Silence, and takes things back to basics to a more song oriented format. While much of the band's earlier material had elements of symphonic rock and even a touch of progressive metal, they now have morphed into a very accessible act that creates songs rich in melody, mood, and atmosphere. Elements of Porcupine Tree, Marillion, Coldplay, Pink Floyd, and Blackfield can be heard throughout Presets, from the haunting melancholy & pop leanings of "For One Day" and "Signed Away", to the driving rhythms of "One Step Beyond". This is not your normal progressive rock, as even though there's plenty of rich instrumentation created by keyboards and guitars, don't expect mind blowing solos and complex passages. Instead you get dreamy and lush pieces like "Former Life", or gothic tinged pop on "When the Leaves Fall Down". The vocals of Marco Gluhmann are what could possibly take this band to another level, as he really is an excellent singer with a very mainstream style that should easily appeal to fans of modern rock and pop music...
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=4977

...The divisions on the record are prevalent, although the shadowy ambiance is present throughout, ‘side one’ has its thick moody tracks like “Signed Away,” “Former Life,” and the simplistic but haunting piano ballad “Words from Another Day;” but nevertheless the opening track “One Step Beyond” (the best Tears for Fears song that was never played by Tears for Fears) and the picture perfect (in a perfect world that is) radio friendly single “For One Day” offer a more uplifting vibe to the first half. So as the flipside beings with “Cold Suns,” the album still has the moodiness protruding, but yet not as gloom riddled. You have more diversity in the production, such as more metallic elements in the in “Hypnotized” and a heavier rhythmic punch within the title track. On Presets there are no improvisations or jam sessions to get caught up in, the band just lets the songs & the melodies speak for themselves...
www.ytsejam.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=1181

...Sooo is Presets a good album?? Clearly not... because it's a great album. For sure this will be a TOP FIVE CD in my forthcoming "best of" list of 2007. Sylvan's recipe for making great albums is a simple one. Great writing and composing is the base, a lead singer with a fantastic voice (and the technical skills to go with it) is one of the main ingredients, the others being the musician's fantastic playing, add to that a certain "je ne sais quoi?" as a spice and there you are... The problem with that recipe is that their are not many out there that have the talent to actually "cook it". In conclusion Presets is a "must have" for anyone interested enough in music to read this review. Please purchase this album and then spread the word around...
www.proggnosis.com/MUSIC_DBCDInfo.asp?txtCDID=21304