Vlyes
Why
"Vlyes" is a newcomer in the prog scene. Well, that's not entirely true, as "Vlyes" is a project by "Kay Sohl" and "Jens Lueck." "Lueck" is known from "Single Celled Organism" and "Isgaard." "Sohl" co-founded the German prog institution "Sylvan" and significantly shaped the typical "Sylvan sound" with his excellent guitar playing on the first seven albums. After a fourteen-year musical hiatus, "Sohl" is finally releasing a studio album again with Why, and what an album it is! Thematically, it is a concept album that condemns the bleak existence of animals in factory farming from birth to death, told from the first-person perspective of an animal. This theme also fundamentally questions our own "human" actions: Why do I do what I do? Despite this rather serious theme, Why has become an incredibly atmospheric, emotional, and captivating album. Honestly, "Sohls" guitar sound, which often reminds one of "David Gilmour," is simply magical. Why shines in moments that evoke "Pink Floyd." The opener The Arrival has an incredible pull with its acoustic guitar intro, which is then accompanied by an electric guitar. By the time the intense vocals of the previously unknown "Volker Oster" come in, you are completely captured by the album. "Osters" voice is hard to categorize; it is immensely versatile and perfectly conveys the various moods. It reminds me of a mix between "Geoff Mann" ("Twelfth Night") and "Kai Marckwordt" ("Martigan"), but theres certainly much more to discover, as his voice is so multifaceted. Additionally, "Jens Lueck," another absolute professional, is on board, contributing not only to the songwriting with "Sohl" but also playing keyboards, piano, drums, and backing vocals. Guests like the singer "Isgaard," violinist "Katja Flinsch," and cellist "Annika Stolze" further enhance Why. The album is incredibly diverse, with calm, melancholic passages alternating with rocking elements. Thanks to "Sohls" guitar, the CD naturally has a certain "Sylvan" touch, but there are also many more parallels to "Pink Floyd," "RPWL," and their predecessor band "Violet District." Why is simply a beautiful album that you can really immerse yourself in and highly recommend to all fans of melodic atmospheric prog rock.