Riverside - *official thread*

Bumped for your viewing pleasure!!

Listening to Shrine...today. Liking it much better then when I first picked it up. Not that I didn't enjoy it the first go-round. I just think I'm getting more familiar with the music now and appreciating it a bit more. Kooky, ain't it?

Shrine is one of the only albums I've heard this year that hit me immediately and also has remained in constant rotation ever since. It's simply a fantastic album from both a songwriting and performance standpoint. It will easily make my Top 5 at the end of the year.

This album converted me into a Riverside fan.

I had been a Riverside fan for awhile before this latest one came out and I was greatly looking forward to hearing it. I remember liking it ok, but not much grabbed me after it was over.

Probably just a case of me having other new music at the time to sample and not giving this enough time to sink in. Glad I pulled it out again this week though. Sounds great.

Quote :

It will easily make my Top 5 at the end of the year.

I could see it making it into my top 10 for the year.

I'm going to have a hard time coming up with 10 for an actual list (picky to the nth degree).

It's amazing but I sorta miss the more Floydian moments from the early stuff though Celebrity Touch does go back into that.

I love the approach on Shrine and I'm glad they dropped the modern-metal guitar sound that was fairly common on their earlier records. I'm so burned out on that sound.

Have you listened to the Memories In My Head ep? I think they started the transition on it though Forgotten Land does throw the guitars in there, though I love it.

One of my favorite bands.. One of a handful of bands that can progress and regress from album to album yet still hold my attention..

Memories In My Head is prolly my fav from these guys even if it's considered an EP...

S.D do you like Ayreon? There is a ton of Ayreon all over Shrine...

Dark Horseman wrote:

Have you listened to the Memories In My Head ep? I think they started the transition on it though Forgotten Land does throw the guitars in there, though I love it.

Yes, I've heard that one. I really like the Rapid Eye Movement album (second favorite to Shrine) and that one features the guitar sound but doesn't rely on it as heavily as some of the other bands of this type (I'm talking to you Dream Theater). I also love Porcupine Tree and they used that sound occasionally, but they also primarily stopped using it after the Fear Of A Blank Planet album.

As long as it's not the primary ingredient in every song (again, I'm talking to you Dream Theater) I'm fine with it for occasional flavoring.

S.D. wrote:

Dark Horseman wrote:

Have you listened to the Memories In My Head ep? I think they started the transition on it though Forgotten Land does throw the guitars in there, though I love it.

Yes, I've heard that one.  I really like the Rapid Eye Movement album (second favorite to Shrine) and that one features the guitar sound but doesn't rely on it as heavily as some of the other bands of this type (I'm talking to you Dream Theater).  I also love Porcupine Tree and they used that sound occasionally, but they also primarily stopped using it after the Fear Of A Blank Planet album.  

As long as it's not the primary ingredient in every song (again, I'm talking to you Dream Theater) I'm fine with it for occasional flavoring.  

I think Dream Theater is centered around Petrucci's playing and are a lot more guitar riff driven than most prog bands. Prog to me is experimenting with different elements and atmospheres while keeping the songs main base intact. DT seem to try and write METAL songs and add Prog elements to them. I think they have it backwards...

Bands like Haken (who IMO do it right) add the metal riffs to the prog.. That's how it should be IMO...

Check out Children of Nova who have their own take on Prog...

These days I like bands that use "metal" as an occasional ingredient, for a specific part of a song or to create tension/release within a larger piece. A good example of that is the song "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" by Porcupine Tree, it's not remotely metal for most of the tune but in the mid-section there is an almost thrash-like bridge that really captures your attention because you aren't expecting it and there isn't anything else like it on the album. It creates drama in the song.

The approach Dream Theater has (write a metal song and try to make it seem proggy by adding in overly-complex parts) just doesn't work for me as "prog".

S.D. wrote:

These days I like bands that use "metal" as an occasional ingredient, for a specific part of a song or to create tension/release within a larger piece.  A good example of that is the song "Arriving Somewhere But Not Here" by Porcupine Tree, it's not remotely metal for most of the tune but in the mid-section there is an almost thrash-like bridge that really captures your attention because you aren't expecting it and there isn't anything else like it on the album.  It creates drama in the song.  

The approach Dream Theater has (write a metal song and try to make it seem proggy by adding in overly-complex parts) just doesn't work for me as "prog".

I'm with you on that.. Especially with the more modern day DT. I still enjoy their music but there are bands that are just doing it better IMO. PT is a great band as well and I rly enjoy their albums  

We actually agreed on something, the world is going to end.

 

I like anno domini HD the best out of the catalog. To me its the perfect mix of everything they have done.

exact33 wrote:

I like anno domini HD the best out of the catalog. To me its the perfect mix of everything they have done.

I think that one's my favorite too. Although it's probably more because it was my intro to the band. That happens allot with a new band. Their first impression usually sticks with me even if it isn't their strongest release.

Mariusz is back in the studio recording the next Lunatic Soul album which will be released in the fall.

I've never been able to get into this, not much for the ambient side or whatever it's called.

The first Lunatic Soul album is more song-oriented, the second album and Impressions are more atmospheric and primarily instrumental. I love this style and think Mariusz has a fantastic voice so I'm excited for this one.

Checking out the first one, i'd really only listened to Impressions, and I could get into it.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Checking out the first one, i'd really only listened to Impressions, and I could get into it.

Impressions was leftover instrumentals that were recorded during the first two albums so it's not really indicative of the usual sound.

Dark Horseman wrote:

I've never been able to get into this, not much for the ambient side or whatever it's called.

Same here. I'm not into ambient music. Tried it, but not my thing.

Riverside have finished writing their new album which will be titled "Love, Fear and the Time Machine". The band will be be entering the studio in March to record and the album will be released around August or September (TBD).

From their Facebook page:

"Our sixth album, six words in the title, sixty minutes of new music, that's about how long the new release will be. And we won't be playing hard rock any more", Mariusz Duda laughs. "There will be many more melodies dressed in completely different shades. We're changing and evolving as a band, we're growing up but most of all we want to keep recording different albums which are simply great to listen to. And the new one will be like a deep breath of fresh air, very different to what we'd done before."

Nice, i'm hoping for a more Pink Floyd sound.

Here is the album cover for Love, Fear And The Time Machine.

Cool. Looking forward to it. While the last album was a bit of a grower for me, I've enjoyed everything I've heard from these guys. I hope this new one will be no exception.