SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAD SYLVAN – MONUMENTATA

NAD SYLVAN
MONUMENTATA
INSIDE OUT MUSIC

Nad Sylvan has had a fascinating career since he made his debut in 1983. It took him a while to find himself and his music, but in 1997 when he released his debut album (The Life Of A Housewife) he had made his mark and would be asked to participate with many bands and projects. At the same time, he continued his solo career. From 1997 fans, musicians and labels sat up and took notice. Monumentata is Sylvan’s seventh solo album, and it is one of his strongest, and maybe his most personal album to date.

Sylvan has assembled quite a supportive cast for Monumentata, including guitarists Randy McStine, David Kollar, and Neil Whitford. Marco Minnemann, Mirko DeMaio, and Felix Lerhmann can be heard on drums. Sylvan tapped fellow Steve Hackett band member Jonas Reingold (Sylvan is a member of Hackett’s band) to play bass. Other bassists helping out are Nick Beggs, and Tony Levin. This is quite a stellar hard rock/prog rock lineup for this album. Sylvan, it should be noted, handles vocals, keyboards and most of the guitar parts.

Monumentata is a straight-ahead rocker of an album. However, there are aspects of prog sprinkled throughout. And Sylvan writes incredibly melodic songs. “Wildfire”, for example, is long, but he has incorporated so many little twists and turns that the song never gets tiring. It also features a killer keyboard solo. It may be a brief solo, but it packs punch. Or a song like “Secret Lover” that sneaks up on the listener, with its slow but powerful buildup. The beginning lulls the listener in, and then the guitars and drums kick in. It is a great buildup to a very majestic song.

“Monumentata” is the cornerstone track on the album. It is an emotional and moving tribute to his parents, both of whom have passed away. The title comes from combining the ‘monument’ and ‘tata’ (Hungarian for Father. His father was half Hungarian). The piano and melody are strong and the lyrics are an incredible tribute to his parents, but also a moment of an existential crisis for Sylvan. It is an astounding song. It is the perfect song to end the album, although there is a bonus track on the CD, “Unkillable”, which is a much more playful song that doesn’t quite fit the rest of the album, which makes sense since it is a bonus track.

Monumentata is a monumental album. It is heavy in music and words. Sylvan’s voice is strong and perfect for the songs. It is an album in the true sense of the word. It really should be listened to in one sitting, paying attention to an artist bearing his soul. The combination of the emotive playing, personal lyrics and top-notch production, manifests as a brilliant album. Monumentata is a brilliant album.

SPILL FEATURE: CRY LIGHTLY, TWILIGHTLY, DIE BRIGHTLY – A CONVERSATION WITH NAD SYLVAN

Artist Links