Riverside - Out of Myself (9 tracks) +Album Reviews

Brilliant!

Mr D. | Cave Creek, Az United States | 09/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I always enjoy seeing something really great, from overseas, make a splash here in the states. So much really good import music goes virtually unnoticed here and it's really a shame. It's not that American musicians aren't capable of producing music of the quality of Riverside's Out of Myself, it just seems like they can't be bothered, because American buyers will line up, no matter what they peddle.

Out of Myself is being touted by many Progressive Rock aficionados as the best prog/rock album of 2004. I don't know about that but it is an exceptional album and I do enjoy it more than recent releases by Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree and Pain of Salvation. Their music is atmospheric blend of aggressive prog metal and a smoother prog rock style and it is overwhelming. Their opening track, "The Same River" is a classic and may indeed be the Prog/rock track of the year. Twelve minutes of a haunting, predominantly instrumental masterpiece. It starts with special effects, a radio tuner spinning along the dial, static and all, leading into some Floydian guitar work. After a couple minutes we settle into a contagious, continuous guitar rhythm which permeates the song throughout, while ethereal vocals and soaring guitar solos run their course. There are some lyrics but they are near the end of this monster song: "I am your fear, hope - I am your grief, joy - I am your deed, word - I am your hate, love - I know... I can... Wanna stay..."

Next, the title track, "Out of Myself" is shorter but an equally potent track. Again the guitar is the main instrument, sometime soft and often heavy and crunchy. This is a busy song with lots happening and the singer, Duda is excellent singing lyrics like: "I don't feel quite myself. I think I'm losing heart. I'm sick and tired of all those words. Voices in my head"

The title track is followed by a very good easy going song, "I Believe" featuring an acoustic guitar and double track singing. This song reminds me of one of Mikael Akerfeldt's milder endeavors. Then comes another five star number in the six minute "Reality Dream," another hard driving number, sort of like an instrumental version of the title track. Track Five, "Loose Heart" is like an atmospheric power ballad but it gets real heavy including screaming vocals right at the end: "Raise me up. Don't let me fall. Cause I don't get myself. I feel like I felt before. But can't find my way "

"Reality Dream II" is a heavy guitar laden instrumental reprise of "Reality Dream" I, albeit shorter. "In Two Minds" Duda has an ambient melancholy sound with an accompanying, first acoustic then electric guitar. A synth plays a good part in the slow easy going number as well: "But if you lose your faith. Know that I am still your friend. And if the sky falls down. Know that I will still support you."

Track Eight, "The Curtain Falls" starts slowly with a sort of steel guitar flavor leading into Dud`s soft vocals. At first it sounds like something Chris Rea would sing but it does pick up nicely at the three-thirty mark, with some excellent progressive movements: "I know what I'm really like...I'm bleeding... I don't mind... That was very foolish of me. I can do nothing now

"

Ok, "OK", is my least favorite song but on this album that ain't bad. It is very slow and moody. It is a simple but effective song of heartbreak: "There's sadness in my mind - ok. There's darkness in my mind - ok. Thoughts echoing in my mind - ok. Everything is gonna be..."

Line-up

- Piotr Grudzinski / guitar

- Markus Duda / vocals, bass & guitar

- Piotr Kozieradzki / drums & percussion

- Jacek Melnicki / keyboards

Conclusion

Out of Myself is an album for those of you who appreciate good guitar playing. When I listen to this album I hear influences from all the masters but Riverside bows to no band. Their work is both original and wonderful. Yes I hear Floyd and Pain of Salvation and Porcupine Tree and Anathema and even Opeth but what I hear most is Riverside.

The music tends to be dark and dreamy. It's progressive but there are songs that could be right at home on the radio. Singer Markus Duda is an superlative singer and guitar player. His voice is a little like Opeth`s Mikael Akerfeldt. There is no question that the first two songs are the highlights but the remaining songs all stand on their own merits. For a debut album this is amazing. If you like great progressive rock/metal music dig out seventeen bucks and splurge. You won't be disappointed. Final Rating 4.5 Stars, rounded up."

Sheer emotion from Poland

Paulo Andre | Portugal | 08/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Those who know me well acknowledge the fact that I'm a bit compulsive about the things I like. I have to admit I am that way to some extent. Some things I can't just casually enjoy, I get almost fanatical about them. Fortunately, that's only the case with a few selects things. Another thing that's part of my character, is a strong inclination towards the unconventional, that which hadn't been done yet or that which is extremely original and heartfelt. Right now, I can tell you of at least one band that fits all these bills: RIVERSIDE.

"Out of Myself", RIVERSIDE's debut album, is a concept album about one finding inner peace, understanding of himself and the surrounding world. According to the band's vocalist and bassist, Mariusz Duda, this is the first part of a trilogy dealing with the aforementioned subjects and, let me tell you, if the next two pieces are on par with this one, then I can't wait for them and this trilogy will become a huge classic.

I wouldn't say RIVERSIDE are strictly a progressive band but they surely approach it in a very strong manner. So much so that this album can clearly appeal to 70's progressive rock lovers. The closest they come to being really progressive is right on the first track, "The Same River", an ambitious 12 minute piece which goes through different moods and emotions, always showing a band that's unbelievably tight for a debut, aswell as instrumentally superior. Take for instance, right after the first section of the song, how ethereal the guitar that enters the scene at 04:40 really is. Piotr Kozieradzki's drum work is always precise yet rather complex and Michal Lapaj's keyboards provide a sweet backdrop to the song (and the rest of the album too).

Throughout the record, the idea I got is that RIVERSIDE are the perfect cross between PORCUPINE TREE (in the sense of ever present surprises and unexpected turns in their songs) and OPETH (especially with their "Damnation" album). In fact, Duda's vocals reminded me more than once of Mikael Akerfeldt's clean vocals. Also thrown in for good measure are some PINK FLOYD influences.

Speaking of Duda's vocals, rarely I listened to someone sing with such warmth and feeling. Take for example "I Believe", "Loose Heart" and especially "In Two Minds" which starts with a telephone-like sort of whispered and echoed voice (another PORCUPINE TREE trademark and possible influence) and then becomes crystal clear. This song's arrangement blew me away. This is top notch composition, as far as I'm concerned and Duda's vocals always give me goosebumps. Piotr Grudzinski's guitar work is also amazing and perfectly balanced.

"The Curtain Falls" is a more experimental tune, yet rather good, and "Ok" basically gives Duda singing softly over a sort of trip hop-ish backdrop. Interspersed within the album, are also two moody pieces "Reality Dream I" and "Reality Dream II" which serve the concept purpose of the album making use of interesting samples - the sound of a phone call producing a dial error, an alarm clock going off, a clock ticking. Both are probably the heaviest numbers on the album showing the metal side of the band. I suggest you check the section in "Reality Dream I" from 03:58 to 04:51 for the ultimate demonstration of what this band is instrumentally capable of, in particular the odd time signatures produced by Kozieradzki and of course Grudzinski's guitar work. The whole of "In Two Minds" show just how good Duda is as a singer.

The production is top notch and that's a relief because it would be a shame if such a truly beautiful piece of work got ruined by it. The worldwide release of "Out of Myself" features cover art designed by Travis Smith (of OPETH and ANATHEMA fame) which pretty much suits the underlying concept.

My compulsiveness towards the things I like may sometimes be a problem, but bear with me on this one. Usually when a band debuts with such a great album it either disbands immediately (CYNIC comes to mind) or is destined to great things. I sense RIVERSIDE are on the latter group. I just hope they get that little bit of luck everyone needs to succeed, because the talent, the emotion, the technique, the ability... well, it's all there. Saint-Exupery once said that "perfection is not achieved when there's nothing more to add but rather when there's nothing more to take away". While I don't claim "Out of Myself" to be perfect (despite the hands-down 5 star rating) it certainly comes very close to fitting that phrase.

You want to have this album. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Riverside is making some of the best progressive music out n

Mr. Smarty | Bennington, VT | 02/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I regularly survey the progressive rock/metal scene hoping to find some decent new progressive talent. I have been appreciating prog since the seventies and even late sixties. In comparison to virtually all prog before it I can confidently state that Riverside is a phenomenon. There music is deliciously complex, crisp, intelligent, musically compelling and unexpected - the last of which is the best possible thing I could think to say of progressive music. The musicianship is top shelf. In a nod to Dream Theater, Riverside is clearly influenced by them but has one advantage - a decent vocalist. No, not decent, extraordinary - although decent would be enough to trump DT. Not only the lyrics, but the vocal melodies are well thought out and musically interesting. Riverside, with Out of Myself and Second Life Syndrome, is the band I have been waiting for since the mid eighties when When Dream and Day Unite came out.

For context, other contemporary prog artists I find to be quite good include, of course, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Green Carnation, Transatlantic, Spock's Beard (pre-Morse departure), Blackfield, and Siege's Even.

This is a masterpiece. If you love intense, complex, hauntingly beautiful progressive music then you can not dislike this work. I have never given a 5-star review before. This well deserves it. Congratulations Riverside, and keep the music coming!"

Riverside: The best band you've never heard of.

Eddie Lancekick | Pacific Northwest | 08/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just recently discovered Riverside. As someone who has enjoyed, over the past 20 years, bands of the prog genre that range from Pink Floyd, Rush, and Yes to more modern day ones like The Flower Kings and Spock's Beard, I was elated to discover that there are a ton of relatively unknown bands out there who play music that does not follow trends, ride the coattails of others through the MTV airwaves, or give up artistic vision and depth for an FM radio hit.

One band that stands out to me today is Riverside.

They are perhaps "the greatest band you've never heard of"

Hailing from Poland, Riverside is a band that uses atmospheric vocals and guitars coupled with dreamy, yet dark landscapes. Dark like say, some grunge, but not as light and drawn out as say, the band "Yes". What is important is that this band seems to have found a niche' with their sound and musical execution that is not necessarily undiscovered terrain but certainly not overplayed in the least. Many think of Prog as a band who spends 20 minutes on one song playing forever with angelic keyboards and long, drawn out storyline themes that border on some "Lord of the Rings" or "Dungeons and Dragons" type of fantasy noire. Not these guys. Their music, while seeming ahead of its time in many ways, seems to touch more on feelings, thoughts, human nature, and humanity in general. In my own words, they are the band I have been waiting for! Who would have known they would end up being Warsaw Poland's best kept secret.

I won't review with technical description every song on the album, but touch on a few tracks that really stick out to me. Each track has something magical, mysterious, and even metal to offer.

Track one is "The same River" and starts out with some real Floydian sounding dreamscape of sound as it floats along before a simple guitar solo starts to enter the picture. The beat continues, as the percussion is crisp and clear, yet this song is staying mystical and not exploding into any kind of arena screamer. Cascading tingling sounds from synth are an excellent addition here and it signals us right before the guitars keep the beat but get heavy and shredding. The guitar parts are layered extremely well and this mostly instrumental track is definitely something we can sink our teeth into. There is no filler with Riverside. Why haven't they broken out yet? These guys could eat current fan faves like Nickelback and Breaking Benjamin for breakfast and not even slow down.

Track two is the title track "Out of myself" and has a lot of guitar power behind it that seems a bit harsher than other songs on the album. Instead of soothing in lyrics, the vocalist is nearly shouting, like he's in big trouble with the Dream police or something. Other parts where he reiterates in chorus "Let me get.This right!!" is reminding me of the vocal execution of the band "Faith No More". Overall a fast, semi-dark and powerful track.

The guitars are almost like a love ballad at times, while other times they take off and get extremely heavy, similar to some of the early TOOL I used to listen to.

Track five..Oh my, its called "Loose Heart" and starts out with a soft, background hidden guitar piece that is melodic and lighthearted before busting into a full fledged power ballad. Now when I say power ballad, I'm not talking Guns and Roses "Sweet Child" stuff, this is dark, powerful, and real. It's not some lovey dovey type ballad, but more of a despairing/hope alternating theory of a theme. The vocals are superb and in between are the great chorus parts that continue with some guitar instrumentation, which now features a second layer on top of the opening intro piece that is wailing like Steve Vai's business! One of the best songs I've heard, as I just can't get enough of it.

Track eight takes on a more straightforward and serious tone and has a jazz feeling to it at times. "The curtain falls" is structured well with a strong balance between guitar, synth, percussion, and about a hundred other various sounds and features who's origins I have no idea. One thing this band does well on this album is keeping a good balance. They don't overdo anything, but still incorporate a ton of interchanging themes, instruments, speeds and sounds to keep us hooked wanting more. Too often bands of the prog genre' want to saturate us in too much of one thing. These guys are able to also have the rhythm and hooks keep our feet tapping and reel us in without breaking totally away from the prog genre and into a more generic FM radio rock role. Curtains fall is almost eight minutes long and has enough power to keep up with the rest of the tracks on the album.

Track nine is a very slow and melancholy tune that is extremely jazz like, for the fact it has some soulful sounding saxophone wailing away in the background for short periods of time on some of the song. The song fades out after about three minutes like its done only to break from a fifteen second pause as the singer gives kind of one last gasping "ahh-ahh-ahhhhh" before trailing off.

Overall a well-balanced album that has enough various guitar pieces in it alone for me to enjoy for some time. Riverside mixes it up enough that I think they are going to be going places."

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