Riverside – I.D. Entity
Riverside – I.D. Entity
Inside Out Music
Release Date: 17/01/23
Running Time: 53:11
Review by Paul Hutchings
9/10
Deep, thought provoking and utterly absorbing. The latest album by Polish progressive legends Riverside has arrived and it’s another special piece of work. Where do you start with the band who have been making quality music for over twenty years. If you are already a fan of them, then trying to explain their combination of ambient rock, electronica, progressive rock, and new wave synth is probably wasted on you, for the band have a unique style that reaches each fan in different ways. If you are new to Riverside, then there is a whole host of music to explore and what better place to start than their eighth full-length release, “I.D. Entity”.
Riverside have ridden turbulent waters, rocked to the core with the death of guitarist Piotr Grudziński who passed away in 2016. The band’s response was dignified, as they sought to remember their founder member and battled with the challenges of continuing the musical journey without him. It took until 2018 for seventh album “Wasteland” to arrive. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, it continued in the melancholic vein of its predecessors “Love, Fear and the Time Machine” and “Shrine of New Generation Slaves”. With “I.D. Entity” Riverside have returned to a style and sound that is more reminiscent of their first decade together. As band leader Mariusz Duda comments, “we really wanted to say goodbye to the decade of sadness and melancholy, which dominated our recent releases”.
It’s evident that the band are now in a happier place, the grieving process complete, time having healed those raw wounds. That’s not to say that this is a happy album in any way, for the subject matter is definitely a mirror on our broken and fractured world. “We live in times of huge lack of trust, social divisions, uncertainty, lies, propaganda, and invigilation,” says Duda. “We live in times of anger and helplessness. In times dominated by Big Techs, populists, conspiracy theories, hatred, greedy corporations causing the planet and human nature to die at an accelerated speed. We live in times when one country can attack another out of the blue just because they think they are more deserving of something. These days it’s simply hard to sing only about love, friendship, and escapes into imaginary worlds”.
The opening song ‘Friend or Foe’ brings together the very essence of Riverside. With guitarist Maciej Meller, an official member of the band since 2020 but contributing to his first album with the band, Riverside are a highly cohesive unit. Their organic sound is captivating, from the clever lyrics that Duda crafts with such apparent ease, to the high level of keyboards and synths of Michał Łapaj through to the live sound of Piotr Kozieradzki’s drumming rhythms. Opening with an uplifting keyboard riff which is balanced by Duda’s bass and some deeper synths, the words classic are already forming before the band fully launch into their first song. The electro beat combines with a thumping bass line before the Depeche Mode feel of the song kicks in. From there it’s a joyous musical journey that you can bob along to, or deep dive into the more meaningful lyrical content. Either is acceptable – you take your choice.
At 53 minutes running time, and only eight songs, one expects some longer tracks. Riverside have managed the balance well, blending shorter songs like the punchy ‘Landmine Blast’ ‘Post Truth’ and ‘I’m Done with You’ alongside some more extended pieces. Now, if you want to experience Riverside, then you must accept that their kaleidoscope of musical interplay will be expansive. Indeed, it’s expected and even demanded. Diving deep is part of the experience with this astonishing band, and you are invited to do so on ‘Big Tech Brother’, with its brass section intro that switches to a darker, sinister feel presenting yet another new dimension to their sonic soundscapes. Aptly capturing the dread that most of us feel about the world of technology, the tracking and monitoring that we have generally accepted without challenge, Duda’s lyrics are chillingly accurate.
Standing as the central pillar of the album, ‘The Place Where I Belong’ is a compelling 13-minute piece. It opens with a calm, acoustic passage, Duda’s haunting vocal enhanced by some subtle keyboard work. You sense that the song is slowly going to increase in tempo, passion, and emotion. It takes a while, the build-up tight, the art of capturing the tension perfected as the band launch into an almost 1970s prog workout. It’s not as raucous as might be anticipated, with subtle guitar licks part of the overall composition, whilst Łapaj’s keyboards play a central part. There are fleeting soaring moments, reflective segments, and an overall beauty that few can craft. Just sit back and listen.
It’s an album that is thought-provoking from start to finish. How do you explore the concept of identity in one album? Riverside are provocative, they want their fans to think and consider. ‘I’m Done with You’ does just that, and it’s a song that’s most typical of the “Riverside sound”. And then the album concludes with ‘Self-Aware’, which initially bounces along with a hook and riff that will hang around for days. It bears similarity to REM’s ‘The One I Love’ but works fabulously. As it progresses it takes many twists and turns; it’s the epic finale that this album threatened.
I’m about a dozen plays into “I.D. Entity” and I’m still only a fraction into unpacking the complexities that are hidden away. I’ve not fully got to grips with the overall meanings; that’s going to take more time. But what a joy that task will bring. As 2023 slowly grinds into gear, Riverside have set the bar mighty high. It’s an album of stunning quality. And will remain on the playlist for many months to come.
‘Self Aware’ Official Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Friend or Foe?
02. Landmine Blast
03. Big Tech Brother
04. Post-Truth
05. The Place Where I Belong
06. I’m Done with You
07. Self-Aware
LINE-UP:
Mariusz Duda – vocals, basses, electric and acoustic guitars
Piotr Kozieradzki – drums
Michał Łapaj – keyboards and synthesizers, Rhodes piano and Hammond organ
Maciej Meller – electric guitar
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Paul Hutchings and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
