Riverside

I've spent about a week working out what I should write in this post, I've wanted to write about this band for a long time, so hopefully I do them justice! Any comments on my writing or on your own opinion on the band are welcome!

Riverside
Similar Bands include Porcupine Tree, Wolverine, Spoke's Beard


Formed in 2001 by Piotr Kozieradzki and Piotr Grudziński, Riverside are a polish, progressive band who have released 3 successful albums and have made a great impression on the progressive rock scene. However, although they have clearly made a big impact on most of Europe, I have seen very little of them over here is the UK. So I've decided to write a little bit about them in the hope of promoting them over here a little bit.

History (Referenced from Official website, http://www.riverside.art.pl/en/biography)

Riverside currently consist of Mariuzs Duda- Bass, Vocal, Piotr Grudzinski- Guitar, Piotr Kozieradzki- Drums, Michal Lapaj- Keyboards. Riverside released a self titled EP in March 202, the recording and issue was self funded. This EP consists of some of, in my opinion, the best tracks the band has released including “Out of Myself” and “The Curtain Falls”. This is where the band started to build an identity for themselves and developed a very individual sound. They then went on to release their first album “Out of Myself” in April 2004 through Mystic Production and Laser's Edge. “Second Life Syndrome” was released in 2005 witch was followed by “Rapid Eye Movement” and then “Anno Domini High Definition” in 2009. The band have also released several singles and EP's over the years including “Loose Heart” (2003) and “Panic Room” (2007).

Both Piotr Grudzinski and Piotr Kozieradzki were part of small time metal bands for many years before they decided to form Riverside in 2001. Both men had ambitions to play music that were more melodic and ambitious but still with some metallic sounding groves. Mariuzs Duda has a very broad taste in music, and has never believed in restricting himself to one particular style. Duda joined Riverside with an impressive musical portfolio, having previously played keyboards in progressive band Xanadu, Duda was also skilled on the Bass, guitar and had an excellent singing voice. As soon as he demonstrated these skills the band new that he would be an invaluable asset to them. Mariuzs Duda also has his own solo project, "Lunatic Soul" witch is definitely worth checking out.

Music

Riverside have a very distinctive sound. There is never a time in any of their tracks where an instrument or part is redundant. Even if they are not always in the fore ground, everyone of the musicians knows their place in the music and how they fit and, and each part is equally as important as the next. The band have experimented with many different styles ranging from quiet, ambient, instrumental pieces to angry, emotional and melodic metal tracks. This is certainly a mix that is uncommon in today's music scene, but Riverside have found a way to make this unorthodox mixture work in an incredible fashion. Every album taking you on an epic emotional adventure starting with anger, moving to despair before taking us to hopefulness and joy. And this is why I think they are a band should have more promotion in this country, they are an excellent band with some crazy and yet brilliant ideas about music.

Second Life Syndrome is one of my personal favourite albums. This is because the music in this album is so diverse, and emotional, not just in the lyrics, but in the music, in the sounds used and the vocal technique. Every track in this album tells its own story, and when you listen to the music you feel like you are a part of that story, that you are there with the band, sharing their experiences, their angry, their sadness and their happiness. This is something that is common with many other progressive bands, bands like Rush and King Crimson also use music to tell stories often folk story's and ancient myths. What separates Riverside from these bands is that although the band took influence from these bands, Riverside do not sound like these bands. I think that this is mostly down to modern technology, and the bands own personalities. Riverside use a very clear and electronic sound on the guitar during their heavier songs, along with a hard but distinctive distorted sound witch gives them their edge and aggression. The keyboard sound is very modern and flowing, often used as an atmospheric background to some of the band's more sinister tracks, but also taking some amazing lead lines in some of the tracks. I really enjoy listening to Second Life Syndrome as a whole album, one of the harder tracks of the album “Artificial Smile” really demonstrates what I am trying to get across about the anger and aggression in some of Riverside's tracks. The track opens with a fast tempo guitar riff before the whole and join in to make a huge sound to almost a violent feel to the song. Although Duda started the track with a melodic vocal line, the emotion is clear in his lyrics and as the track continues his voices hardens into a furious growl. In the middle of the track there is a soft instrumental part where Piotr Grudziński takes the lead. “Conceiving You” is one of the softer tracks on the album. It starts with a slightly eerie sounding piano line with Duda singing over the top. The song appears to be about someone or something that causes the character great pain, but and the same time, loves them very deeply. The track gives a very ambient feel, and it is very easy to just sit back into this track and to just feel the music.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Riverside are a unique and very talented band, they are well worth listening to if you are a fan of prog- rock, or are just in search of something new to listen to. Ill leave you with this music video of “Panic Room”. This track will give you a feel for the band better that I ever could! Enjoy.