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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fresh & Inventive Prog Metal, 3 Jun 2006
To call this prog metal seems slightly wrong, if it wasn't for the occasional slightly angry vocal delivery this would be considered prog rock, of the Pink Floyd/Porcupine Tree nature. After reading plenty of rave reviews saying how wonderfully creative the band are, how they draw influences from many bands I like (Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Tool, Pain of Salvation) and how good 'Out Of Myself' was, when this album came out I was eager to give it a try. The sheer beauty of the album, and most notably in Markus Duda's wonderful voice, absolutely floored me first time.
The band knows how to balance an album for one thing, the structure is perfect, flowing effortlessly. For those looking for the heavier side of progressive rock, with some metal moments, the thunderous 'Volte-Face' will certainly please. The chorus roars of 'how far is the light?' are executed perfectly and never become over-the-top. 'Still Conceiving You' is a touching piece, Duda's voice is soft and gentle, emphasised by the previous attack of 'Volte-Face'. `Second Life Syndrome' and 'Dance With The Shadow' the two epic pieces in the album, clocking in at 27 minutes when combined, are both absolutely stunning, both contain rich and beautiful melodies mixed perfectly with climatical heavier sections. 'I Turned You Down' is another fine ballad, once again the music is touching but never cliched, something this band can certainly pride themselves on. There are other fine moments I have not mentioned, simply the whole album is good, and these are just my personal highlights.
If you're a fan of progressive music in any form this is for you, the music retains the qualities of old prog but with a modern sound and sometimes a metal edge. Looking forward to their next album.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than worthy follow up to impressive debut, 13 Jan 2006
This Polish band made quite a splash with their debut album, “Out Of Myself”. This second album follows on thematically from that and seems to be part of a proposed trilogy of linked albums. Now signed to InsideOut, this second album is much heavier and complex than their debut, but none the less impressive. The title track itself is a sprawling 15 minute epic, where the band use the space to fully explore the style developed on their debut. That is, atmospherically charged contemporary rock with a solid prog metal element to it. On the surface these guys are from a similar stable as Porcupine Tree, RPWL, Opeth and Anathema and will appeal to fans of those bands. The key instrument is the guitar of Piotr Grudzinski which is sharp and sustained. Singer Mariusz Duda is moody and sad. His bass playing is pretty impressive too, really to the fore on certain tracks. But for me the standout musician is drummer Piotr Kozieradzki. As this music is heavy you would expect the drumming to be pounding, but it’s not. It’s loose, restrained, detailed and thoughtful. Really gives the group an unusual depth to their sound. Standout tracks are “Volte-Face” which is a real tour-de-force, the aforementioned epic title track with it’s Floydy opening guitar intro and the very catchy “Conceiving You”. Heck, the whole album is impressive! The superlatives that have been bandied about for their debut and now this second album are very well deserved. This is modern, dynamic rock music of the very best and without doubt Riverside are destined for much bigger things in the future.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Music Heaven Syndrome, 4 Aug 2006
I have had this CD for a few months now, I was impressed with it from the very first listen and time has not changed my opinion. For me, this is probably the best album from any Progressive Band for the last 10 years, the only recent albums that come close are Arena's Peppers Ghost and The Visitor. In a better world where quality music was the measure by which bands were judged this would be destined to become a classic along albums such as DSOTM and Close to the Edge, sadly in these days of commercial pap it will only be enjoyed by a minority. There is not a wasted note or lyric on this album and there are no stand-out tracks - THEY ARE ALL BRILLIANT. This band deserve to make it big...only wish they would play in the UK !
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