Anno Domini High Definition

Riverside has been on my musical horizon ever since the issue of Second Life Syndrome. Since that time, I have acquired and enjoyed all of their recordings to date. But for some reason, the special edition of Anno Domini High Definition has proven extremely elusive at what I consider to be a reasonable price for something that is newly released. First, I pre-ordered from amazon and months later, as the price steadily increased, I was informed that they were unable to obtain it. So I was forced to obtain it from a partner at nearly double the initially advertised price. That remains a sore point, but it does not impact my review of the quality of the music within. On this album, the listener will find Riverside trending away from prog and deeper into metal. There are even a couple of tentative electric jazz excursions which add to the musical excitement. Here's what I like best: the great piano intro on Hyperactive; the intro on Driven to Destruction which to me evokes Al DiMeola's Electric Rendezvous; the driving, pounding, and very cerebral Egoist Hedonist; and the mellow beginnings of Left Out. Buyers of this special edition also get a DVD which features the band live in Amsterdam in 2008 and a folded insert that features pictures and album info. Is it worth it? Well, stateside buyers may find it to be as getting this edition may be their only chance to enjoy Riverside live. I quite enjoyed it and found that it just about justified the price I paid. The studio CD is rather short and is available at a much lower price. But if you want a longer and louder sample of the band's music, you'll either have to knuckle under and pay the price now, or risk being faced with a much higher tariff in the future.

The first thing I will say about this album is that the production quality is excellent, which for me is extremely important. Nothing irritates me more than hearing really good music that is not mixed well in the studio (not too common these days, but I have a very critical ear.) Anyway, each insturment is crystal-clear and easy to pick out, yet the individual performances gel together very nicely. The music itself is very dynamic - a good blend of aggressive, punchy passages and a few softer, atmospheric moments. As mentioned previously, this latest release from Riverside is a little heavier than what we've heard in the past from these guys, but it's not overbearingly "METAL." Many of the guitar parts are a little crunchier, with some cool sounding wah pedals and maybe a bit of phase shifting. Another new twist is the prominent use of organ sounds that really adds a little extra dimention. Each song is easy to listen to with some nice hooks and melodies, and yet it does not get boring. There are many changes in time & key signatures, and lots of interesting little details that makes you keep coming back. Many good albums need to heard several times before they can truly be appreciated. Not so with this one - it starts out good and just keeps getting better. Initially I was going to rate this album with 4 stars. But honestly, there's just not much to complain about here. If you like Riverside, or progressive rock in general you will like this album. If you're not familiar with progressive hard-rock & would like to expand your musical horizons, this album would be a good starting point.

Not the best offering, yet nicely done. Not the best (as heard it all before, by other groups) yet nicely done (as they pull off all of it masterfully) Well conceived progression of songs pretty much follow a tried and true progressive rock album outline. A nice addition if you'd like to hear what others are doing by this band. Love the band, don't get me wrong, just the writing of new material has been left to the backseat, for a seemingly copied approach. Please don't kill me, guys. But this stuff sounds like someone else.

Upon first listen this CD didn't impress me as much as Second Life Syndrome and Rapid Eye Movement but, in recent memory, I can't think of a better example of "That one REALLY grew on me!!" Now it's tied for 2nd with 2nd life, though I still think REM is their best effort to date. But this CD definitely proves one thing if nothing else, their song writing skills are growing by leaps and bounds. And it's also hard to pick a favorite at this point, I don't think I've NOT listened to the entire thing, even on my MP3 player. Though the last ones, "Left Out" and "Hybrid Times" (the long ones), pack a heck of a 1-2 punch!! At this point I think it goes without saying to get the version with the bonus DVD. Since spring me & my buddies have been complaining (on message boards and in chat rooms) about the lack of a live DVD, guess they heard us!!! :) While the DVD doesn't have my single favorite song, Cybernetic Pillow, it does have 3 of my top 5: Beyond the Eyelids, 02 Panic Room and Ultimate Trip (Rainbow Box being the fifth) so....how can I lose?!?! And, while it's only stereo, no 5.1, it sounds just fine, very well produced! If you like Riverside there is NO way you'll be disappointed, especially a month later. And if you like powerprog, progmetal, symphonic metal (whatever they're calling it this week) and want to check out Riverside, I'd say start with this because of the DVD. I still think REM is their best album.....by a hair. Now...if we could just get them to tour over here, preferably opening for someone like Porcupine Tree or Tool...I'd be a happy man!

Rapid Eye Movement était le dernier album annoncé d'une trilogie de qualité. On devait peut-être s'attendre à quelque changement avec ce ADHD. Le changement le plus marquant est dans la durée du disque, 44.44 minutes, une durée quasiment vinylesque! Pas étonnant d'abord car il n'y a que 5 morceaux pour 9 morceaux dans les précédents. Ce serait suffisant pour expliquer les 20 minutes de moins... mais pas seulement : et je pense que le changement le plus significatif est la construction des morceaux. Nous avons 2 morceaux assez longs (10 mn) et si on les analyse par rapport aux opus précédents on s'aperçoit que ce sont les solos de guitares de L'excellent Piotr Grudzinski qui ont été écourtés. Celui-ci semble s'être démarqué de ses influences "Frippiennes" et "Gilmouriennes" pour arriver à un style plus concis, un format plus "rock" pour tout dire dans un style toujours classique (pas de shred, de tapping, d'harmoniques artificielles) et les solos ne dépassent pas les 15 secondes. Ce n'est donc pas la priorité du disque et il faut reconnaitre que ces longs solos ne pouvaient peut-être intéresser que les guitaristes, au détriment d'une cohésion et d'un équilibre du groupe qui sont ici magnifiquement présents. Le finale des 3 derniers morceaux sont typiques de cette orientation: le solo de guitare se termine rapidement pour laisser place à une partie instrumentale dans laquelle tous les musiciens sont bien présents, et surtout dans une cohésion mélodico/rythmique rarement atteinte dans les disques précédents. Rythme est le maître mot de ce disque qui démarre sur les chapeaux de roue avec les brûlot "Hyperactiv" introduit par une section de piano maladif. Le premier moment de calme suvient dans la partie centrale de "egoist hedonist". Il y en a très peu d'autres, sinon les belles intros des 2 derniers morceaux. Exit aussi la guitare acoustique de REM et ici la guitare électrique se fait peut-être un peu plus énorme en distorsion mais avec des riffs qui rappellent plus le hard rock que metal ('driven to destruction'). Des riffs superbement soutenus par l'orgue Hammond de Michal Lapaj qui en outre expérimente quelques sonorités nouvelles de bon goût. Le rythme est bien sûr soutenu par l'énorme basse de Mariusz Duda qui est vraiment excellent bassiste et dont le chant est peu-être un peu mixé en retrait mais toujours très expressif. Le batteur n'en fait jamais trop (on est loin de Portnoy!) et tient sa place de manière très efficace. La courte partie cuivre sur un rythme groovy de "driven to destruction" est excellente et on se dit que l'idée aurait pu être développée. Il semble que ce soit le disque de la maturité et les choix paraissent excellents. Ce groupe a un caractère fort, même si on sent parfois toujours l'influence de Porcupine Tree, mais en moins glacial. Il n'y a pas une seconde à jeter sur ces 5 morceaux qui condensent tout le savoir-faire du groupe qui excelle dans ces rythmiques de 'transe" parfois reconstruites à l'infini ("hybrid times") avec un petit côté "oriental" dans les mélodies. Assez fascinant, jamais lourdingue. Les paroles aussi valent le détour et l'esprit torturé de Duda me fait parfois penser à Hammill dans son écriture. Le thème de cet opus est la folie de frénésie de vitesse de nos sociétés "modernes" et de leur paradoxe : "here you have to run as fast as you can to stay in the same place". Encore une bonne surprise de Pologne après le fabuleux Nostalgia de Satellite . Et dire que ce disque est en tête des ventes en Pologne!! Imaginez Nemo en tête des ventes en France... Inimaginable, non? Inimaginable malheureusement.....

Polens Progressive Rock Export kenne ich seit ihrem Album Second Live Syndrome. Und auch anno 2009 haben sie nichts von ihrer Klasse verloren. Der Versuch den Bandsound neu zu definieren und gleichzeitig absolut Riverside zu bleiben ist den Herren meiner Meinung nach völlig gelungen. Anno Domini High Definition stellt mit seinen fünf Songs und kompakten 45 Minuten Spielzeit das bisher beste Album der Band da. Auch wenn es diesmal keine Story in dem Sinne gibt drehen sich die Texte alle um unsere kurzlebige hektische Zeit und deren unangenehme Begleiterscheinungen. Die Produktion ist die bisher beste aus dem Hause Riverside. Im Zentrum steht wie gewohnt der Bass der diesmal auch wirklich Bass hat. Auch bei den anderen Instrumenten wurde klangtechnisch ordentlich nach gebessert. Riverside spielen auf ADHD eine Mischung aus Heavy Rock(mit zum Teil deutlichem Hang zu den 70' gern), modernem Progrock sowie leicht futuristischen Sounds. Das Ergebnis ist eine zugegeben deutlich härtere und energiegeladene Musik die aber trotzdem vor allem sehr viel Atmosphäre hat.(Ganz verschwunden sind die alten Riverside eben doch nicht) Einen ganz großen Schritt macht im Zuge dieser Entwicklung der Keyboarder der Band. Egal ob Klaviersounds, Soundscapes, verzerrte Klänge oder retro-mäßige Orgel, alles findet seinen Platz. Die Gitarre beschäftigt sich mehr denn je mit kraftvollen Riffs aber auch mit Solos und zurückhaltenden Spielweisen. Passend zum Thema der Platte ist der Gesang noch ein bisschen kühler ausgefallen als auf den Vorgängern löst aber bei mir immer wieder eine Gänsehaut aus. Obwohl die Tracks bis zu 13 Minuten dauern ist von Langeweile keine Spur. Riverside haben ein gut funktionierendes Gefühl dafür wie lang eine Passage den Song trägt. Das man dabei hier und da auch ganz offen zeigt was man kann, tut dem Spass bei diesem Album keinen Abbruch. Riverside haben sich mit ADHD ein gutes Stück neu erfunden und klingen frisch und unverbraucht. Mit heavy Metall hat das ganze dabei allerdings nichts zu tun. Alle die gerne Bands wie Opeth, Porcupine Tree oder Anathema hören und keine Problem mit langen Songs und einer deftigen Portion Rockpower und Groove haben sollten hier mal reinhören.

I've been a fan of Riverside since their 2003 album "out of Myself". This album sees them change their style a bit, without losing their identity. Compared to their earlier albums, this one is a bit more "metal" and a bit more technical, but still has the more atmospheric elements reminiscent of Pink Floyd. Anno Domini High Defnition is relatively short, at 44:44, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There are no filler tracks on this album or songs extended for no reason other than to make them longer - every song is excellent in itself. Overall, this is probably the best album I've heard this year, and highly recommended for anyone who likes Riverside, as well as fans of groups like Porcupine Tree, or progressive metal in general.

Riverside, un nome che fin quando non è uscito questo album, era sconosciuto. Ad ogni buon conto da qui in poi è il momento per questa band di essere considerata fra quelle di maggior calibro; essendosi meritati a pieno titolo l'ingresso fra le stelle del prog hi-tech. "Anno Domini", riesce senza ombre e scetticismi, non solo ad essere l'album dell'anno, ma al tempo stesso, un precursore di new-sound progressivo che non era mai stato realizzato. Ogni brano, dai tempi superiori ai 6 minuti, mescola sapientemente ritmiche, atmosfere e liriche ed appunto effetti senza mai scendere dal livello di eccellenza. I brani, hanno tutti la stessa ricetta: ottime composizioni, ben arrangiate, cambi di atmosfera dai tempi semplici ai dispari e viceversa senza eccedere, buone liriche, riff melodici e innovativi, al punto da rimpiangere della scarsa presenza di band così addirittura durante l'ascolto del disco. L'acquisto è caldamente raccomandato, non può mancare nella teca degli estimatori di categoria.

Bought as part of a three CD deal - along with ' Love Fear and the Time Machine' and 'Shrine of New Generation Slaves' - to complete my Riverside collection. 'Anno Domini HD'' is the least liked of the three but maybe a 3.5 star rating. Their musicianship and lyric writing would only improve after this early effort and I'm pleased I did not start my journey into 'Riverside' here as it may not have continued and I would have missed out on some great music. This band has become my new obsession.