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Rating: Entering the new millennium, the progressive metal scene continued to bestow upon us the masterpieces it had already gifted us in the '90s. However, the feeling among the genre's supporters was probably that of a genre that had become too stereotyped, with a strong notion that a stylistic renewal was necessary to restore the genre's allure and interest. Bringing this touch of freshness was a band hailing from Poland, a country relatively unknown musically to the general public, but which proved capable of producing talents that could rival those from more recognized countries. The band is Riverside, putting aside virtuosity, tight rhythms, and long instrumental sections to offer us a music richer in sentiment, more delicate, yet at the same time also darker.
Riverside debuted in 2004 with an album, "Out Of Myself," nothing short of splendid and steeped in dark atmospheres and cold sounds, effectively giving progressive a new face. And in 2005 they returned with an even more mature and sophisticated album destined to remain forever the band's absolute masterpiece, "Second Life Syndrome."
Once again, it's the atmospheres that take center stage, with the ever-present keyboards creating exquisite backgrounds capable of transporting the listener beyond the mists of what is unseen, unleashing their imagination. Yet, more space is given to the more metal component, which was scarcely present in the first album, offering the listener a stronger alternation between lighter and heavier tracks. Even the intertwining of melodies seems further improved, and the bond between the various sounds is, once again, impeccable!
If you love new things you've never heard before, I think this album should captivate you quite quickly. Of course, it takes a few listens to absorb it, but then you'll consider it an absolute masterpiece! Right from the first track, you'll realize this band is not just any prog-metal band but one that, despite including various influences (Opeth and Porcupine Tree above all), manages to have an extremely personal and distinctive sound. "After" is indeed a short keyboard piece characterized by a dark and suffocating atmosphere sung with warm and shadowy voices... here, you breathe a fresh air, seriously! Track no. 2 "Volte-face" offers direct and abrasive guitar riffs while maintaining a rather smooth rhythm, but everything here is also enveloped in a relaxed yet tense atmosphere, with keyboards alternating more delicate backgrounds with harsher, distorted highs. "Conceiving You" is a very delicate piece instead, nicely opened by the piano, capable of emotionally engaging the listener with great rationality. And thus, we arrive at the longest track of the album, the title track "Second Life Syndrome" which, in its 15 minutes, encapsulates everything Riverside can offer, from extremely relaxed moments made of delicate guitar passages, warm keyboard backgrounds, impeccable bass riffs but also heavier moments. With "Artificial Smile", we face a more direct and overtly metal track with growl inserts as evidence that this band knows how to be aggressive when necessary. "I Turned You Down" is another track with light and delicate tones characterized by relaxed bass touches and pleasant guitar passages, always supported by a good keyboard background. And could an instrumental track be missing? Of course not, and here we have the excellent "Reality Dream III" which continues the previous two instrumentals contained in the first album. Here, you breathe the air of more standard prog-metal with complex guitar and keyboard passages, but Riverside presents them without imitating, always using great personality. "Dance With The Shadows" is another long-duration track which, with its over 11 minutes, offers here too a wide variety of melody alternations: maintaining a fairly smooth rhythm, we witness always perfect keyboard backgrounds, heavier guitar passages, and some slightly more complex guitar and keyboard passages that the band doesn't fail to include, albeit doing so in the most necessary moments. And we close beautifully with "Before", a delicate and dark track that becomes heavier towards the end, well guided by bass and guitar, as always authors of impeccable interweavings of calm and serene melodies, always capable of giving the listener a breath of fresh air.
And thus closes an authentic masterpiece, which owes nothing to anyone, which is a debtor to none, but is instead the product of a group that makes personality its trademark! Undoubtedly the future of prog!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Volte-Face (08:40)
I have spent all my previous life
Waiting for something else to start
Now I see that I have felt so numb
To everything that passed me by
Need to go land on my own two feet
Need to change my life this way
Need to free my mind of memories
Watch them how they screw my brain
The time that has come
Convinced what I feel inside
In darkness I float
How far is the light?
Inside – fearland
Don't want you to know
Outside – fearless
I do want you to watch
Do you mind?
Would you step aside
Make way for me
Can't you see I'm dead set on doing this
Enough of dreamless nights
Enough of sleepless nights
I'm the way I am
Get out of my sight
DO YOU MIND?
You can put me in the lion's cage
You can take my soul
Give a second name
But I don't intend to stop my fight
And I'm not afraid
NOT AFRAID
03 Conceiving You (03:40)
I've been watching you
Waiting for the right
Moment to make
The first move
Do you wanna know
Why I keep avoiding your eyes
And why I'm running away
It's crazy, I know
I've been conceiving you for too long
Or maybe I'm
Destined to be alone
Or maybe there's someone who
Will understand
That I'm not able
To share my world
I'm still running away
It's crazy, I know
I've been conceiving you for too long
If only I could change all things around
Still conceiving you all along
Still conceiving you
I've been conceiving you for too long
If only I could change all things around
I've been conceiving you for too long
I've grown used to that
Still conceiving you all along
Still conceiving you ...
05 Artificial Smile (05:27)
Hi my friend
Shake my hand
Tell your lie
With your artificial smile
Don't be mad
I just want to help you
To say these words out loud
I don't like you cause they like you
I hate you cause they love you
I wish you ill cause they wish you well
I'm so happy when they f you
Strike a blow
For my fall
Crush me down
And just say these words out loud
I don't like you cause they like you
I hate you cause they love you
I wish you ill cause they wish you well
I'm so happy when they f you
And this is what we do
And this is who we are
Why don't you want to stop
You always see my life up against your life
I don't like you cause they like you
I hate you cause they love you
I wish you ill cause they wish you well
I'm so happy when they f you
Tell me your lie!!!
06 I Turned You Down (04:34)
I turned you down so hastily
And it's tearing me apart
In my heart of hearts I'm screaming
In my heart of hearts I cry
And it's cold
So cold
I turned you down
Oh, I turned you down so thoughtlessly
And it's tearing me apart
In my heart of hearts I'm screaming
In my heart of hearts I cry
How I wish you told me that
I wish you'd told me that before
I wish you'd told me that before
I wish you'd told me that before
I turned you down
08 Dance With the Shadow (11:38)
Pull myself together – holding on
Standing at the point of no return
Keeping on the right side of my heart
And the moment of truth is falling on me now
I don't care if what I want
Is written in my eyes
You can think of me what you feel
I don't really mind
How about laughing at my habits
At my needs
I'm afraid I'll stay unmoved
Know I have to be
Before you come and tell me who I am
Before you try to make me someone else
Step out of your line, out of line
Step out of your line
I don't care if what I want
Is written in my eyes
You can think of me what you feel
I don't really mind
How about spitting venom in my face again
I'm afraid I'll stay unmoved
You just waste your breath
Before you come and tell me who I am
Before you try to make me someone else
Step out of your line
Step out of line
Shall we dance my friend?
Join in the shadow dance
Join in the shadow dance
Join in the shadow dance
Join in the shadow dance
I'm standing on the edge, about to fall
In the middle of the point of no return
Trying to forget those days I failed to act
I'm not going to back out
I've come too far
I can almost see the light
Feel its warmth
And touch the moment I was waiting for so long
I carried all before me
Now the die is cast
With open arms I'm standing out against my past
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