Riverside
Rapid Eye Movement

THE REVIEW

To consider progressive as a genre, in my view, is somewhat reductive for such a widespread attitude in music.

Progression, the evolution of a piece, is to be found in all those artists who believe they have something new to say in a field like music, which thrives on innovation. However, convention, let's call it that, has stamped this label on a limited number of artists with common characteristics. Among these stands the remarkable technical ability, a quality that has turned into a double-edged sword. Especially in the metallic version of prog, one often hears avalanches of notes played without rhyme or reason, certainly difficult to imitate, but decidedly incapable of communicating new emotions or sensations. The technique, which should have allowed for greater expressive ability and a wider range of solutions, has turned in on itself, communicating nothing but great confusion and diverting the audience's attention away from individuals who could have made a decidedly interesting contribution to art.

Fortunately, however, there are those who have managed to make instrumental skill a means and not an end, thus allowing themselves to paint their soundscapes with vibrant and varied colors, without mixing it all into an inextricable chaos. One of these entities is called Riverside, a Polish quartet that has reached its third studio album with this interesting "Rapid Eye Movement". The album appears decidedly less heavy than the previous one, more electronic and relaxed, surrounded by a subtle melancholic vein perhaps indebted to the latest Anathema and the more intimate Opeth, but it's never a copy, rather a personal reinterpretation of evocative sound choices for lovers of the melodic.

The musical journey opens with "Beyond the Eyelids"; 8 minutes of variations always supported by an ethereal and enveloping keyboard and the soft, nostalgic voice of mastermind Mariusz Duda. Great importance is given in the mix to his bass which stands out particularly in the less conventional passages, those that will surely remind you of the Tool of "Lateralus". We must not forget the guitar work of Piotr Grudzinski, always present in weaving delicate and evocative phrases in the best Pink Floyd tradition, no ultra-fast solos, just extremely sensual passages, sometimes repetitive, but always of great emotional impact. It continues with "Rainbow Box", an interesting and lively track that very much recalls the Porcupine Tree of "Stupid Dream". "02 Panic Room", the single from which a video was also extracted, seems instead to return to the debut album "Out of Myself" but with a decidedly more electronic and modern flair. The keyboards always play a fundamental role and accompany the other instruments in the various movements with great mastery, without ever becoming invasive. The following "Schizophrenic Prayer" is much more agitated, schizophrenic indeed, a feeling emphasized by a repetitive and rhythmic bass riff. "Parasomnia" is in my opinion the best of the bunch, mysterious throughout its duration, it remains enclosed in itself until the end where it explodes in a glimpse of relaxation, perhaps the only one of a dark and reflective platter entirely focused on the lyrics on the inner search. Simplicity and beauty instead with "Through the Other Side", where a delicate guitar arpeggio supported by a disconsolate and never so evocative voice accompany us in "Embyonic"; a few chords of acoustic guitar, a backdrop of airy keyboards, and the magic is done. The final solo only cuddles us while waiting for the last two tracks where it returns to the winning formula of the open track, perhaps losing itself a little in the excessive length of the pieces.

In conclusion, an album delicate and dreamy played by great musicians which, however, apart from some splashes of electronics, says nothing new compared to what the band has done in previous years. Beautiful songs, easy to listen to but still built for a more demanding audience as well. A confirmation without the bang in short, but I would say that it's perfectly fine this way given the already high level these Poles have accustomed us to. Recommended for fans of the more intelligent and melodic progressive, whether of rock or metal derivation.