(Heavy Prog) [CD] Sylvium - Purified (EP) - 2012, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

SYLVIUM is a Dutch progressive rock band which was started by guitarist/composer Ben van GASTEL, and whose roots can be traced back to the year 2000, when he wrote the basis for an EP entitled Teardrop From A Leaf made up of instrumental music with alternating rock, jazz and ambient passages. However, Ben decided that he needed to develop himself as a musician and refine the music further, so the band SYLVIUM itself wasn't formed until ten years later in 2010, when Ben teamed up with bass, keyboard and drum player Fred BOKS. His passion is to create music of uncompromising character, but which is still accessible to a broader audience. On every SYLVIUM album Ben van GASTEL intends to work with different musicians, and to explore a variety of music genres.

The band's first self-produced album, ''Purified'' is an instrumental concept album containing three tracks that provide over 21 minutes of fine progressive ambient-orientated music. Ben prefers not to be limited by the labels that many people try to attach to the various styles of music, aiming instead for versatility, and in this debut EP you can indeed hear snatches of just about everything - ranging from progressive metal with ambient passages, through psychedelic and symphonic prog, to classical and even jazz.

The album's 'concept' is an attempt to answer, without words, the question of how far a man can go in his belief, and how the world responds - and the music itself combines the inventive and versatile character of Steven WILSON with the heavy guitar-oriented sound of OSI, and the sensitive and compelling tone of ANATHEMA.

Sylvium were actually the first band to volunteer in early April 2012 for the DUTCH EXPOSURE PROJECT, an initiative by independent progressive rock label FREIA MUSIC, the purpose of which was to give a new impulse to progressive rock in the Netherlands. The Dutch Exposure Project was a band battle for relatively unknown but talented progressive rock bands who had no record deal, and which was eventually won by PROFUNA OCEAN.

Sylvium's follow up, and first full length album, is to be called ''The Gift Of Anxiety'', and will be released on 13th September 2013 on the FREIA Music label.

Founding member Ben van GASTEL (guitars/ keyboards) has teamed up for this album with Gijs KOOPMAN (ULYSSES, ex- KNIGHT AREA, CLIFFHANGER) on bass guitar, Greg GUERTSEN on drums, and Jan Roel KOPPEN on piano, a line-up which will also be used for live performances to promote the album.
Each of the 6 tracks will create it's own interpretation of the album theme 'anxiety', and five of the tracks will again be entirely instrumental. However, Richard de GEEST (from GHOST a.o.) will appear as guest vocalist on one track.

The album will be released in a luxury cross digipak.
In 2014, the band started writing the second album entitled "Waiting for the Noise", which has 7 songs about a dying man and his judgment afterwards.

- Ben van Gastel / guitars
- Fred Boks / bass, keyboards, drums