Riverside: Memories in My Head (EP)

To celebrate the band's 10th anniversary, Poland's Riverside have returned to the label that gave them their start, the Laser's Edge, and have delivered this 3-song, 33 minute EP titled Memories in My Head. Containing prog, metal, and space rock styles, Memories in My Head is about as perfect as you can get these days, as Riverside have delivered a collection of music that bridges the earlier sounds of Out of Myself with the more recent Anno Domini High Definition, throwing in some Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, and Pink Floyd influences in for good measure. Despite the short length of this EP, it's 33 minutes of progressive music bliss that shows just how remarkable this band is.

Opener "Goodbye Sweet Innocence" kicks off with layers of spacey synth blips and guitar feedback, like a head-on collision between Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream, before Mariusz Duda's bass & vocals signal the arrival of a very catchy, powerful, and emotional prog rock song with a modern edge. Lush, melodic, and haunting all at the same time, this song is destined to be a Riverside classic. The guitar work, keyboards, drums, and vocals are simply outstanding here. Sultry Hammond organ, synths, tricky drum patterns, and tasty guitar solos lead in the stunning "Living in the Past", a song that goes from atmospheric prog to heavy rock quite quickly, as the crunchy riffs and stabbing synths fight for supremacy with Duda's emotional vocals. Lots of solo spots here to sink your teeth into (including some killer Hammond passages), making this one another heavy prog classic in waiting. Duda's thick, acrobatic bass riffs on "Forgotten Land" have an almost Geddy Lee feel, but the soaring vocals, Mellotron, and searing guitar lines bring to mind Porcupine Tree at their most dramatic & epic. This one builds and builds, as Duda's vocals get more aggressive and gruff, keeping pace with the steadily growing bombast as the song draws to conclusion, then quietly going out in full space rock mode just as the CD began, with chirping synths and waves of guitars echoing in the distance.

Mariusz Duda, Piotr Grudziński, Piotr Kozieradzki, and Michał Łapaj have a lot to be proud of here on Memories in My Head. This is prog rock of the highest order, slightly less 'metal' than their last release, but heavy enough in spots to keep those into that style perfectly happy. Stunning, and highly recommended!

Track Listing
1. Goodbye Sweet Innocence
2. Living in The Past
3. Forgotten Land

Added: June 30th 2011
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 3470
Language: english

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