Review: Riverside - Memories In My Head

In 2001, four guys from Poland came together and formed a band. They were no other than Riverside. Now, in 2011, for their 10^th anniversary, they recorded three brand new songs for an EP that can only be bought at their concerts. “Memories In My Head” is the fifth endeavor of the band, and although it includes only three songs, it gives the impression of a full-length album, as it lasts 33 minutes give or take.

Riverside, up until now, have never disappointed their audience, and they're not willing to do so now. Checking their course, we can easily see that they steadily evolved their sound, making it a bit heavier and heavier on each release. But “Memories In My Head” is quite a surprise. Instead of having more metal elements, it takes us back to the first two albums, “Out Of Myself” and “Second Life Syndrome”. And interestingly enough, this seems quite suitable, as every song here is about the past. So I would say that this EP could be a tribute to what they have succeeded until now, and generally to the music that got them started.

What I really like about “Memories In My Head” is that it has a soundtrack-like feeling to it. It's like Pink Floyd meeting a lighter version of Dream Theater. In there you can find great melodies, clean guitar work with a few intense solos, solid, right drumming and a nice bass tone. But the focus is the emotions. The vocals are soft and emotional and at times even a bit aggressive. And the keyboards and hammond work miracles. The first song, “Goodbye Sweet Innocence”, has a two minutes intro, with the keyboards creating ambient, space rock sounds. Then the bass and the vocals kick in, with a very mellow melody, which turns into a more uplifting chorus. The second half of the song is more intense with strings samples and guitar solos. “Living In The Past” is the most powerful song here, starting immediately with a nice rhythm section and with the smallest oriental touch. Around the middle things get interesting, as we listen to a soft music, like it's coming from a music box, interrupted by heavy guitar chords. In “Forgotten Land”, the first half is quite normal, with Mariusz Duda singing a bit harsher, but the second half is full of effects and electronic sounds.

Overall, Riverside have given a great sample of progressive rock, which shows the potential of the band. And they prepare us nicely for their upcoming release, in 2012.

Label: ProgTeam Management

Mariusz Duda: vocals, bass, acoustic guitar

Piotr Grudzinski: guitar

Piotr Kozieradzki: drums

Michal Lapaj: keyboards, hammond