Album Title: Second Life Syndrome

Album Artist: Riverside

Year of Release: 2005

Genre: Progressive Metal

Tracklist

1. After (03:31)
2. Volte-Face (08:40)
3. Conceiving You (03:40)
4. Second Life Syndrome (15:40)
5. Artificial Smile (05:27)
6. I Turned You Down (04:34)
7. Reality Dream III (05:01)
8. Dance With The Shadow (11:38)
9. Before (05:23 )
total 63:34

In 2005, the Polish band Riverside caused an eruption in the static genre of progressive metal that has heard the same sounds for years. After one and a half decade of bands with style comparable to Dream Theater, an exception amongst few appeared with Riverside’s first release Out of Myself but it was another two years before they really managed to turn the heads of progressive metal fans.

2005 saw the release of Second Life Syndrome, second part of the Reality Dream trilogy, which became an instant genre classic and I can wholeheartedly agree with the praise the album got. It is a rare occasion that a record is of such perfection and beauty that one is at a loss of words when it comes to describing it.

First of all the band’s sound is unique – the way they manage to merge the instrumental sounds together is something I have never heard in this way before – this is pure art of musicians who have a tremendous feeling for what they do. It is not important whether they use a broad front of sounds or stick to a few guitar accords and slow drums – the atmosphere is breathtaking. Atmosphere is the most important trait of music – it is the soul of the music, so to say and Riverside managed to express the soul of music in a most beautiful shape.

Secondly, the music feels like a constant flow. The sounds merge into each other, weaving a dense fabric, metaphorically speaking. There are no uncomfortable or unnatural breaks that divide the tracks into separate fragments.

Thirdly, I advise you to just sit back and close your eyes. There is no helping in getting goosebumps while listening. Every note embraces you and never lets you go – you are dragged deeper into the music as it progresses. Starting with the melancholic After, the stage is set for the masterpiece to unfold. Volte-Face is the first encounter with the potential aggression, which bubbles below the surface of every moment – a constant build-up towards bursting out. This facet is then shut down for the gentle Conceiving You, a ballad of fragile beauty.

Second Life Syndrome, the title-giving key element of the album, is the longest and best song on the album. From soft to hard, the progression is continuous and oscillating. Both instruments and vocals go beyond every scale of sheer beauty I have ever ear-witnessed – it defies every textual description.

Artificial Smile is a straightforward song which acts as a structural counterpart to the aforementioned core longtrack – although more simplistic, it does not lack quality. The driving interplay of vocals and instruments will be well-memorized by the listener.

I turned You down is the second ballad of the album and the pinnacle of melancholic feelings. It is a song more powerful than the first ballad Conceiving You – meaning that even more melancholic emotions are allowed to roam free on the waves of sound. Reality Dream III, the third part of the instrumental series on the Reality Dream trilogy. Musicianship and atmosphere are beyond criticism – flawless, so to say.

Dance with the Shadow plays its role as the little brother of Second Life Syndrome. Equally complex in structure, it is heavier in nature. With this song, I found the only point of criticism on the whole album: Although it builds up to a peak of aggression (like Volte-Face), it never erupts and therefore leaves the listener behind a wee bit dissatisfied. A speck of dust on a shining monument, in comparison – it does not belittle beauty of the song.

With Before, the album fades out in an again mellow way. Like After began it, Before ends it – it closes the circle, making it whole and perfect.

This is no objective review of the album but you will soon find out why. I have recommended this album to numerous people and have yet to find one not enchanted by the beauty of its sound. For every friend of progressive metal, this is a must-have – for every friend of music in general the same applies. Since 2005 I have yet to find an album that masters Riverside’s masterpiece.

Conclusion: A timeless masterpiece and essential to every lover of music.

Rating: 10 points (out of 10 points)

Album Title: Unreal
Album Artist: Spheric Universe Experience
Year of Release: 2009
Genre: Progressive Metal
Tracklist
1. White Willow (6:28)
2. Down Memory Lane (3:58)
3. Lakeside Park (5:37)
4. 3rd Type (7:24)
5. Near Death Experience (1:46)
6. Lost Ghost (6:17)
7. Dragged (6:05)
8. O.B.E. (3:59)
9. Tomorrow (8:08)
Total: 49:42

The French progressive metal quintet heads for the release of their third album in 2009. After two heavy records (Mental Torments (2005) and Anima (2007)), the question was and is: Will they finally be able to leave the smothering shadow of genre greats like and especially Dream Theater, upon whose style they relied heavily on their sophomore release Anima?

After listening to this record numerous times, there still cannot be a distinct answer if they did or did not. Their musical style still is classical progressive metal in the way Dream Theater coined it at the beginning of the 90s – although they heavily rely on modern effects to distort the soundscape of their release. Whether they do this to sound modern or just because they like the sound is irrelevant to the listener – the ever-dominating keyboard atmospherics are something you have to like in order to like this band. As for me, I love this type of sound and therefore have a special affinity for bands like Spheric Universe Experience.

On Unreal, they do not really have evolved from their former releases. Altogether, I would even go as far as to conclude that the record is a step back from where they have already been. The technical work still is outstanding, guitar and keyboard soli are – without a trace of doubt – top notch, but musicianship as a whole is somehow fragmented – the songs sound like pieces put together not entirely correct – their elements may sound great, but the complete work has a mediocre touch.

Criticism certainly has to go towards the vocalist of the band, Franck Garcia. Although he pulls off a solid performance, he never is able to really convince the listener of his qualities. He sounds just like one amongst many – with little individuality (which can also be said about the band as a whole). Three albums are enough to prove that they are technically able to be amongst the best bands in the genre but still they lack what it needs to really stand out of the crowd.

As for the songs themselves, White Willow is a rather weak introduction, a song without soul. From there on, the band progresses – Down Memory Lane is ok, although not too creative – heavy sounds, but no real catcher. With Lakeside Park, while the refrain really sticks; the sound still is the same.

From 3rd Type on, the album really gets into gears – this song is longer, has more internal structure and variability. Near Death Experience is a short opportunity to catch ones breath – piano and a bit of drama – leading over to Lost Ghost, which is easily the song with the tightest atmosphere on the whole record – aside from the instrumental part, which somehow does not fit entirely. Dragged sounds very electronic at the beginning and evolves to a classic prog song – nothing to special, although the intro was promising. With O.B.E. the inevitable instrumental is placed as semi-ending of the record. This one is far less complex than the instrumentals on the former records – it does well on the atmosphere part, nonetheless. Tomorrow finally is the longest song on the album – another one highly atmospheric. Even the vocals fit into this song that closes the album in a just fine way.

A point of criticism that is valid against most progressive metal bands is the overexcessive use of instrumental parts – and Spheric Universe Experience is no exception. I feel they could do better if concentrating on the song as a whole, not on how to create a technically complex piece of music. This record suffers heavily under this burden – I hope the French guys wake up and will remember that they are able to write great songs without instrumental madness – like Echoes of the Stars on Mental Torments – but for now I will have to wait patiently.

Finally, the judgment over Unreal is not an easy one to do. Technical brilliance and good atmosphere on the one side, lack of song structure and instrumental narcissism on the other. Conclusively it can be regarded a good album – everyone interested in progressive metal should give it a try – it can be either loved or regarded as uninteresting.

Conclusion: Solid progressive metal album with genre-typical flaws and a lack of uniqueness.

Rating: 7 points (out of 10 points)

Album Title: Ocean Machine: Biomech
Album Artist: Devin Townsend
Year of Release: 1997
Genre: Progressive Metal
Tracklist
“Seventh Wave” – 6:50
“Life” – 4:31
“Night” – 4:45
“Hide Nowhere” – 5:00
“Sister” – 2:48
“3 A.M.” – 1:56
“Voices in the Fan” – 4:39
“Greetings” – 2:53
“Regulator” – 5:06
“Funeral” – 8:06
“Bastard” – 10:17
“The Death of Music” – 12:15
“Things Beyond Things” – 4:47 (bonus track)
Total 1:13:53

When it comes to progressive metal, Devin Townsend is not amongst the best-known artist of the genre. If genre primus Dream Theater announces to release a new album anytime soon, it stirs so much rumor that a new record release by Devin Townsend will go by comparably unnoticed. This holds true especially for this album, released in the second half of the 90’s, when progressive metal still was not gaining the momentum it has today. I would go as far as to say, that this album has been completely overlooked in the history of 90’s music.

Ocean Machine is the first solo album released by Devin Townsend in 1997, the same year he released his band Strapping Young Lad’s critically acclaimed sophomore album City. This album hence falls into the same frame of time and musical evolution of Devin Townsend – it is the more mellow version of the extremely straightforward record by Strapping Young Lad – and has a completely different personality.

Styles range from aggressive industrial parts (Regulator) to spheric ambient sounds (Sister), the music varies from high complexity (The Death of Music) to almost sing-along-songs (Life). I argue that this record contains it all – it is a complete toolbox of music how it should be done.

The name is program on this record – the sounds are like the ocean, enveloping you in a soundscape you cannot escape – it’s not like you will ever want to. A quotation (Seventh Wave) sets the perfect beginning for a journey into the deep waters of sound. The very nature of the ocean is that it sometimes is perfectly silent while it can also be ruthlessly aggressive. The waves can splash onto the seashore brining a sense of freedom and happiness, but they can also trigger fear of extinction – a cold blue grave. Either way, it is an impressive sight, memories carved into your brain forever. It’s like humans are hardwired to lose themselves in sensations like this one. The ocean is the perfect metaphor for this album.

What I especially respect about this record is the fact that there in fact is rarely a note misplaced – the whole arrangement is near perfection and Devin Townsend sounds like he does something he has done forever – albeit being his first album of this kind. The whole sound structure is very homogenous, the songs flow into each other and thereby create the impression that this album is not only consisting of great songs but can also be considered as craft of art as a whole.

For everyone interested in progressive metal, I highly recommend listening to this album. In a time when most contemporary progressive metal greats were still small or not even founded, Devin Townsend already set a milestone in the development of progressive music beyond instrumental soli and extreme longtracks. History proves not to reward those who deserve it – but in music it never is too late to give a man the credentials he is worthy of. Ocean Machines crux was that it was quantum leaps ahead of its time in 1997 and probably is up to now.

Conclusion: If you are in search for a flawless album with creative content, I wholeheartedly recommend buying Ocean Machine. This is not perfection, but back then it was something, whose greatness was yet to be comprehended.

Rating: 10 Points (out of 10 Points)

Album Title: Anno Domini High Definition

Album Artist: Riverside

Year of Release: 2009

Genre: Progressive Metal

Tracklist

1. Hyperactive (5:46)

2. Driven to Destruction (7:06)

3. Egoist Hedonist (8:56)

4. Left Out (10:59)

5. Hybrid Times (11:53)

total:  44:44

After their 2007 release Rapid Eye Movement, the Polish progressive metal combo Riverside is finally free to live out their ideas and emotions without being bound to a dedicated concept – and to incorporate new flows of style which were missed throughout the last release by the band. Riverside became increasingly known after their sophomore release Second Life Syndrome, which is – up to now – regarded as one of the classics of progressive metal post 2000 and in general. They have set the bar extremely high and for the second time they are on to best their up-to-now masterpiece.

Anno Domini High Definition is the name of their newest release – the age of high definition video streams, of crystal clear audio files, of permanent media exposure – a hectic time where standstill is prohbited – which is in particular the theme the album is built up around. The abbreviation of their fourth album – ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – also merges nicely with the theme and the total album lenght of 44:44 is a take for the trivia – they only miss out on doing only four tracks on the album, otherwise the numbers would have fit perfectly.

The music reflects the lyrical theme just perfect – from the emotional and moody sound of the predecessors, they evolve further towards hectic sounds and breaks, dominated by spacy keyboard solos, a loud hammond organ and the ever-present guitar magic of Piotr Grudziński. The vocals of Mariusz Duda, which are the amongst the trademarks of the band, do use up too much audible space, although they are present most of the time – the range of his vocals is again tremendous – from sensitive and hurt to aggressive shouting – an improvement over the relatively monotonous predecessor Rapid Eye Movement. The whole sound landscape seems to be thoroughly filled, the overall impression of a very dense production cannot be overheard – a very welcoming feature, Riverside did not try to stretch out the album’s total length unaturally and focused to place the notes just where they are right.

The album itself starts with a piano solo, which leads over into the highly electrifying modern sound of what Riverside is anno 2009. Start-stop is the mentality of the vocals, harsh shouts tear harmonies apart – this is what Hyperactive, the opener, sounds like. Driven to Destruction offers a very groovy side, combined with classical Riverside style, overall a very pleasant experience. The real innovation dawns with the inclusion of trumpets on the so-far longest track Egoist Hedonist - also the first track to offer a real moment of the sound magic, Riverside has become famous for – amid the song. Sadly, the instrumental leading out of the tracks seems to go nowhere – and leaves the track without conclusion –  a flaw I hadn’t expected from Riverside.

The second half of the album consists of two longtracks – Left Out and Hybrid Times. The former lets you catch your breath after the racing sound of the first three tracks – melancholic soundscapes flow naturally into hammond harmony, growing harder and increasingly epic – truly a longtrack in its dimensions. The finishing track gets back into gears instantly – high tempo and insane rhythms drive the ultimate anthem to the title-giving hybrid times – a wild rollercoaster of progressive sound elements. This has to be amongst the creative highlights in the history of the band – or does it only sound like it’s refreshingly new?

Lyrically, Riverside are beyond criticism. The words to ADHD are impressive and flow perfectly into the song structure, reading and singing along to the lines won’t go without a shiver or two, the atmosphere is just so dense and the whole impression makes me think about what the world is like today. I feel that music has to be very good to deliver such a state of awareness.

Anno Domini High Definition does not reinvent the wheel, but it is a distinct refreshment of a band that was endangered to be confined in a sound universe that limits their capabilities. It’s like Riverside has finally broken free and the musicians pour themselves on the tape. The concept is hardly noticable but ever-present in the style of the record – these are hyperactive times and Riverside naturally go with this flow – it is new, it is refreshing and there are no objection towards musicianship and quality of lyrics.

Does this mean, we have a new, perfect masterpiece which will best Second Life Syndrom in the second attempt? Listening to ADHD a lot in the last months, I doubt it. ADHD, without any shadow of doubt, is a terrific record and masterfully crafted but it lacks something a record needs to have to be a remarkable masterpiece – magic. Aside one moment during Egoist Hedonist, I won’t find too much traces of this magic. It is already too modern to be a classic – and therefore probably condemned to be forgotten all too soon.

I recommend this record to anyone interested in progressive music. This is – up to this point – one of the best records released in 2009 and shows what Riverside are capable of. However, if you are particularly interested in discovering Riverside, I suggest you try out Second Life Syndrome first.

Conclusion: Riverside have reached the modern ages, with all their advantages and setbacks. This is the nature of this record.

Rating: 8.5 points (out of 10 points)