Artificial Paradise (Sylvan album)


Artificial Paradise is the third studio album by German progressive rock band Sylvan. The eerie cover of a hand coming out of a craps table is indicative of the tone of the album itself, as the band has stated that overarching themes of the songs include "society's superficiality, deceitfulness and greed."
Indeed, the cover shares multiple tie-ins to the album as the opening track Deep Inside begins with a collection of sounds sending the user to the middle of a bustling casino floor, complete with gambling-inducing overtones. This oddly soothing segment is revisited in the final minutes of the title/final track Artificial Paradise, lulling the listener and completing the illusion that one has been transported inside this non-existent casino for the entire album, as if listening to live entertainment on the gaming floor.

Track listing

  1. "Deep Inside" – 9:14
  2. "That's Why it Hurts" – 7:08
  3. "Strange Emotion" – 4:19
  4. "Human Apologies" – 8:29
  5. "Timeless Traces" – 8:12
  6. "I Still Believe" – 3:06
  7. "Around the World" – 6:25
  8. "Souvenirs" – 2:09
  9. "Artificial Paradise" – 20:16

    Personnel