Dance with the shadow (Riverside) (LP 3643 - 3650)

Riverside  Out of Myself (CD, Laser's Edge Records, 2004) ****  

Riverside  Second Life Syndrome (CD, InsideOut Records, 2005) *****

Riverside  Voices in My Head (CD, InsideOut Records, 2006) ****

Riverside  Memories in My Head (CD, The Laser's Edge Records, 2006) *****

Riverside  Anno Domini High Definition (CD, InsideOut Records, 2009) ****

Riverside  Shine of New Generation Slaves (CD, InsideOut Records, 2013) ****

Riverside  Love, Fear and the Time Machine (CD, InsideOut Records, 2015) ***

Riverside  Eye of the Soundscape (CD, InsideOut Records, 2016) ***

Genre: Prog rock, Prog metal

Places I remember: Fives, Fopp, HMV

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Artificial Smile (Second Life Syndrome)

Gear costume: Celebrity Touch (Shine of New Generation Slaves) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: Riverside, from Poland, are one of my favourite prog metal/ prog bands. The brainchild of Mariusz Duda (composer, bassist, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist) - Riverside combine atmospheric sounds with prog and metal elements to an extent that is right up my street. Brilliant! A band made for me! 

Out of Myself was a terrific debut. At this point, apart from Duda, Riverside was Piotr Grudziński – lead and rhythm guitars, Jacek Melnicki – keyboards (he'd be leaving soon and was replaced by a revolving door of keyboard players), and Piotr Kozieradzki – drums, percussion.

Second album, Second Life Syndrome turned up the guitars and so, wasn't as laid back and atmospheric as the first album. It's a long album, but extremely rewarding. The heavy moments tip the sound into prog metal at times.

Around the same time an E.P. - Voices in My Head, was released (my version is on Inside Out Records and came out just after Second Life Syndrome). It has five new songs and live versions of three songs from Out of Myself. The style of the studio tracks is the meditative one that predominates on Voices in My Head.

Memories in My Head is another E.P. from that earlier time, so it reflects the reflective style of the first two albums and the previous E.P. The three tracks clock in at 30 minutes, so roughly what an old L.P. would be. The tracks are in the form of a suite - very prog!

Sadly, I have yet to find a copy of their third LP - Rapid Eye Movement from 2007. So, we jump to Anno Domini. My copy has the bonus DVD, filmed during a December 2008 live performance at Amsterdam's Paradiso club.

There are five tracks on Anno Domini High Definition (ADHD), to give it its full title. It feels like one continual piece. Suites are again the chosen method. Nothing says prog like a good suite. In this case the tracks segue into each other seemlessly to great effect.

On Anno Domini the influences are quite apparent. Probably Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater with some Pink Floyd on the side, I'd say. There is a real intensity about the energy on this album. The old quiet and loud dynamic is substituted here for just LOUD.

Shine of New Generation Slaves (SoNGS) is the fifth studio album. There is a new confidence and swagger about Riverside on this album. Seems they needed to get the noisenik Anno Domini out of their system. SoNGS is a diverse mix of songs with some jazzy moments along the way.

Love, Fear and the Time Machine was their final album to feature guitarist Piotr Grudziński before his tragic death (pulmonary embolism) on 21 February 2016. It's a much more mellow, atmospheric, album - acoustic guitar is even present on a few tracks. The synth touches are not to my taste however.

It's one of their albums that I haven't listened to much, but each one is rewarding in its own way and this one is no exception.

Wasteland was their next studio album and I have reviewed that earlier (while I was living in the UK). You can find it here.

Eye of the Soundscape is a compilation album - made up of older experimental instrumental pieces in addition to four new tracks: Where the River Flows; Shine; Sleepwalkers and Eye of the Soundscape. The style of music is instrumental, and ambient; progressive electronic music according to Duda.

I am a fan of ambient sounds, so this one is a lovely addition to the collection. Great to mark student work to, as well.

Where do they all belong? Always on the lookout for a physical copy of Rapid Eye Movement, and I have yet to buy their latest album ID.Entity.