by Prog Nick
The vampire is dead – long live the vulnerable. Sweden’s Nad Sylvan is an enigmatic and captivating presence in Progressive Rock. Having established an enviable reputation both on stage and in studio with his distinctive voice and sensitive persona, he is best known as the lead vocalist for Steve Hackett’s touring band. Due to this, Sylvan is often cast in the mould of Peter Gabriel. While it is true that he is able to pull off both Gabriel’s and Phil Collins’ vocals with great aplomb, it goes without saying that there is a lot more to this man than Genesis interpretations – as thoroughly entertaining as they are.
His involvement with Hackett notwithstanding, Sylvan’s solo career also includes a series of critically acclaimed solo projects that emphasise his own personal growth as an artist. His albums, including ‘Courting the Widow’, ‘The Bride Said No’, ‘The Regal Bastard’ and ‘Spiritus Mundi’, have received much recognition for their storytelling, complex arrangements, and identifiable vocals. And of course, ‘The Vampirate Trilogy’, as the first three albums are known, were very specific in presenting mystical, mythical and magical stories.
Sylvan’s fifth album ‘Monumentata’ presents a very different lyrical prospect indeed. Whilst remaining firmly positioned in the Progressive Rock domain, this album comprises Sylvan’s most personal, vulnerable and individually introspective, by far. There are no images of blood-suckers, pirates or reluctant brides here. These songs are raw, personal accounts about Nad Sylvan’s own life, plain and simple. In Sylvan’s own words, he has by now cultivated such a solid fan base that he feels that ‘they deserve to know who I truly am’. The result is one of the most lyrically honest albums I have heard. Very few artists can pull off this type of personal introspection without becoming cheesy, but this is Nad Sylvan, and his idiosyncratic and wonderfully individual nature lend themselves perfectly to this type of expression. He is who he is, and you are about to find out why.
Musically, the arrangements are very respectful of classic Progressive Rock, classic rock and folk, but they still sound very contemporary. Sylvan succeeds in using a combination of his classic musical influences on the one hand and fine modern production and performance techniques on the other, to create a melded product that sounds faithful to the classics but never dated.
Sylvan is a very versatile multi-instrumentalist. Some fans who may have seen him only as Hackett’s lead vocalist might be surprised at just how true this statement is. While there is an impressive list of performers on ‘Monumentata’, Sylvan himself handles many of the keyboard, guitar and other instrumental parts. Other contributors include powerhouse drummers Marco Minnemann, Mirko DeMaio, and Felix Lehrmann, guitarists Randy McStine, David Kollar and Neil Whitford, and quite possibly the three finest bassists in the world in Jonas Reingold, Nick Beggs and Tony Levin. Other impressive guests include Lalle Larsson on synthesizers, Joe Deninzon on violin and Sheona Urquhart and Jade Ell on backing vocals. This is an imposing line-up, but Sylvan remains firmly in control and delivers a final production that emphatically expresses his own clear vision.
Beginning with an anguished scream from Sylvan, ‘Secret Lover’ sets the scene as a solid guitar-based rocker that exposes the rawer side of Sylvan’s voice. From there the album becomes somewhat more varied, melodic and Proggy. It also gets quite funky. ‘That’s Not Me’, for example, is a complex arrangement that allows Sylvan to take full advantage of his excellent guest performers, including the great Tony Levin on bass. The song reminds me a little of early PFM. It is heavy and quite syncopated and firmly expresses Sylvan’s feelings about the ‘culture clash’ and ‘mental lash’ of non-acceptance in foreign lands.
‘Monte Carlo Priceless’ is a very intimate and melodic observation about a specific childhood experience, viewed through the eyes of Sylvan’ parents. His father was apparently an international tennis player who lived out a personal dream by playing professionally in Monte Carlo, with Sylvan’s mother having also having travelled a long distance. The resulting song is a personal message from Sylvan to his father, expressing a hazy set of images of an idyllic but troubled family scene filtered through the eyes of Sylvan’s parents. You will feel like you were in a sun-drenched 1950’s Monte Carlo watching these events unfold. It doesn’t get much more personal than that.
‘Flowerland’ is a melodic pop song featuring an excellent hook, wonderful harmonies and great instrumentals from the likes of Joe Deninzon. Sylvan certainly knows how to write a lasting melody, and he is a better guitarist than one would have imagined. On this track, which is a paean to his youth, he uses the gruffer tone in his voice to counterpoint the melodies perfectly.
One of my favorite tracks is ‘Wildfire’ – a solid Beggs and Minnemann-driven slow rocker that allows Sylvan to deliver what he does best – challenging vocals with an emotive and authentic feel. The song is punctuated by Minnemann’s busy accents, yet it remains spacey and expansive and, well, fiery, with Larsson’s keyboard solo presenting a wonderful highlight. Sylvan’s own impressive guitar solo absolutely keeps pace.
Another fine track is ‘Make Somebody Proud’ – a poppy and pithy Prog song about good intentions turning into vengefulness. Reingold’s identifiable style is omni-present on the track, which becomes a busy Prog extravaganza, and its density makes if feel like more than its six minutes in length. Sylvan’s vocals, stretched to their high-end limit, absolutely shine on this one.
‘I’m Steppin’ Out’ is very quirky and angular. The performances are delivered with no small amount of irony and humor and Sylvan himself performs almost everything except the drums, which are ably provided by Felix Lehrmann, and a perfect violin solo by Joe Deninzon. About Sylvan stepping out of his own personal darkness into the light, the song presents a memorable hook, and the vocal could be the album’s most entertaining performance.
Great sorrow abounds in the title track, which is a highly impassioned exploration of Sylvan’s own feelings upon losing his father against the backdrop of a difficult parental relationship. There is nothing technical about this track, but if raw emotion resonates with you, ‘Monumentata’ could bring you to tears. Sylvan is not only a unique vocalist – he is obviously a wordsmith of note, and it is quite remarkable that he manages to create this type of word-play and soliloquy in a language that might not even be his first. Expect to grieve – monumentally – with Sylvan on this one, not only for the parent he never really knew, but also for the plight of other bereft children forgotten in the wake of broken parental relationships. Despite the heartbreaking themes, the track somehow does not become maudlin and it never loses its personal authenticity. A hard listen for some more sensitive fans, but a very rewarding one nonetheless.
There is a bonus track in ‘Unkillable’, and while not the most elaborate arrangement on the album, the track does fit in because it rounds off the personal themes of the album in an uplifting way. The listener is left with the feeling that Nad Sylvan will be all right, despite everything.
The album’s production is crisp and meaty. As one would expect, the lead vocals are in the forefront of the mix, but without detracting from the distinction of the performances and instrumentation. In many places, Sylvan is not afraid to stretch his voice and to allow that effort to be boldly displayed. This is part of his appeal. The album, overall, is a surprisingly easy listen and one which gets even smoother on repeat, despite the weighty themes.
Not quite a concept album, but certainly one about Nad Sylvan’s own life and relationships, ‘Monumentata’ is a collection of eight vulnerable tracks that present the artist in a different light. The songs effectively highlight the various musical styles that this excellent artist loves and is so adept at delivering. With that music being delivered alongside the most personal lyrical references, the album will pull you into the world and history of Nad Sylvan as effectively and lovingly as any autobiography. Vampires and fallen virgins are certainly great Prog topics, but for a change, and maybe just this once, this type of introspection is even better.
Released on June 20th, 2025 on InsideOutMusic
Order now here: https://nadsylvanmusic.lnk.to/Monumentata-Album
1. Secret Lover
2. That’s Not Me
3. Monte Carlo Priceless
4. Flowerland
5. Wildfire
6. Make Somebody Proud
7. I’m Stepping Out
8. Monumentata
9. Unkillable (Bonus Track)
Line-up / Musicians
– Nad Sylvan / lead & backing vocals, keyboards, electric & acoustic guitar, bass
With:
– Lalle Larsson / synthesizers
– Joe Deninzon / violin
– David Kollar / guitar
– Neil Whitford / guitar
– Randy McStine / guitar
– Tony Levin / bass
– Nick Beggs / bass
– Jonas Reingold / bass
– Marco Minnemann / drums
– Felix Lehrmann / drums
– Mirko De Maio / drums
– Sheona Urquhart / backing vocals
– Jade Ell / backing vocals
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