Tag: Inside Out Music

Frost* to Release New EP on June 5, 2020

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rockLeave a comment

This just in from the fine folks over at Inside Out Music:

FROST* – announce release of “Others – EP” on June 5, 2020


With FROST*’s latest album, “Falling Satellites”, dating back to 2016, it was about time mastermind Jem Godfrey teamed up with Nathan King and John Mitchell to continue forging daring and dynamic progressive music.

Completed already back in 2019, FROST* now announce the release of the stunning 32 minutes long “Others – EP”. Jem Godfrey states:
“Others” is a 6 track EP containing 6 songs that were written at the time of the “Falling Satellites” album. Initially the idea was that “Falling Satellites” would be a double album, but it felt more focused and concise as a single album by the time we’d finished making it, so these half completed songs were put to one side. Now finished and mixed, they are ready to see the light of day!”

The EP will be released digitally on June 5, 2020 and will be released as part of the limited “13 Winters” anthology-artbook physically later this year.

A first track from the “Others – EP” will be released on May 22!
The track-list is below:
1. Fathers
2. Clouda
3. Exhibit A
4. Fathom
5. Eat
6. Drown

Furthermore, FROST* are putting finishing touches to their highly anticipated new studio album which is tentatively scheduled for a September release through InsideOutMusic.

Haken Announce New Album

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rockLeave a comment

Haken announce new album ‘Virus’

Launch first single “Prosthetic”
Progressive rockers Haken are excited to reveal their new studio album ‘Virus’, the follow-up to 2018’s acclaimed album ‘Vector’, will be released June 5th, 2020. By way of introduction, the band have recorded a special video message to give some background to the record: https://youtu.be/_XMWVUQ93io

Today also sees the launch of the album’s first single and opening track ‘Prosthetic’, with a video directed by Vicente Cordero. Watch & listen to this punchy opening salvo here: https://youtu.be/4EmbYo65Pbs

The band comments: “Prosthetic was the first song we completed during the ‘Virus’ writing sessions and we always felt it would be the perfect opener for the album. It’s a very guitar heavy track with its roots in 80s thrash riffing, but with the unconventional rhythmic twists and turns we often like to explore in Haken. We sadly never had a Jeff Hanneman and Robert Fripp collaboration, but this song at least draws on inspiration from them both!

Lyrically the song is a bridge between our two albums Vector and Virus. The message was brilliantly brought to life by video director Vicente Cordero, who also beautifully captured the live energy of the band in a way that both enhances the song, and perfectly sets the scene for what’s to come.”

Since releasing ‘Vector’ in October 2018, Haken have completed headline tours the world over, played sold-out shows across Europe and North America as support for Devin Townsend and picked up a Prog award for their efforts too! All the while, they have been quietly, secretly working on the follow-up album, entitled ‘Virus’.

Drummer Ray Hearne reveals, “since releasing ‘The Mountain’ in 2013, one question has been asked of us time and time again, ‘who is the Cockroach King?’. This is something we were interested in exploring more deeply too, so we essentially did that through our music; elaborating and expanding upon the intervallic, harmonic, rhythmic and lyrical themes of that song. The end result is in an arc which spans across two albums: ‘Vector’ and ‘Virus’”.

 Once again, Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood has mixed what is perhaps the most eclectic Haken album to date, with the 7 tracks revealing hints of influences from multiple genres, all intertwined with Haken’s own recognisable sound. Guitarist Richard Henshall had this to say about the production, “Using Nolly again was a no-brainer, as we wanted the two albums to be sonically connected. But having just spent a day mixing with him in his studio, it’s obvious that this album will be an evolution of the ‘Vector’ sound. These songs seem to allow a lot more freedom of creativity with the production, so we’re excited to see where it leads”.

Longtime Haken collaborators, Blacklake, have designed the visuals and artwork and the album will be available as a Limited 2CD, Standard CD, Gatefold 2LP + CD & as Digital Album. Pre-order now here: https://haken.lnk.to/Virus

The track-listing is as follows:

1.     Prosthetic
2.     Invasion
3.     Carousel
4.     The Strain
5.     Canary Yellow
6.     Messiah Complex i: Ivory Tower
7.     Messiah Complex ii: A Glutton for Punishment
8.     Messiah Complex iii: Marigold
9.     Messiah Complex iv: The Sect
10.  Messiah Complex v: Ectobius Rex
11.  Only Stars

‘Virus’ is the culmination of a musical thought experiment which started with the ‘Vector’ writing sessions in 2017 and holds intriguing potential for the band’s future, as vocalist Ross Jennings explains, “whilst ‘Virus’ can absolutely be enjoyed as a stand-alone work, it is thematically and conceptually linked with ‘Vector’, so our intention is to perform both albums back to back for a special performance someday”.

HAKEN are:

Ross Jenning
Richard Henshall
Charlie Griffiths
Diego Tejeida
Conner Green
Ray Hearne

 

INSIDEOUTMUSIC Spotify Playlists:
Best of Haken – InsideOutEssentials
Prog Rock Essential
Prog Metal Essential

Riverside to Release Special 2CD+DVD Edition of “Wasteland”

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock1 Comment

RIVERSIDE – Announce special 2CD+DVD edition of ‘Wasteland’ album and new Digital EP!

Final leg of “Wasteland” tour started!
Polish progressive Rock masters RIVERSIDE are pleased to announce a special edition 2CD+DVD version of the “Wasteland” album, scheduled for release on November 29th, 2019 via InsideOutMusic.

The ”Wasteland – Hi-Res Stereo and Surround Mix” 2CD+DVD will be released as Digipak format with Slipcase and includes a DVD bonus disc of “Wasteland” as Hi-Res Stereo 24bit version and as Surround Mix (4.1), plus 3 video clips. This special edition also contains 5 previously unreleased acoustic tracks/versions on a separate CD. Here is the exact tracklisting for the 3-Disc release:

CD 1 – “Wasteland” Album (50:58 min.):

1. The Day After (01:48)
2. Acid Rain (06:03)
3. Vale Of Tears (04:49)
4. Guardian Angel (04:24)
5. Lament (06:09)
6. The Struggle For Survival (09:32)
7. River Down Below (05:41)
8. Wasteland (08:25)
9. The Night Before (03:59)

CD 2 – “Acoustic Session” (26:48 min.):

1. Vale Of Tears – Acoustic (05:18)
2. Out Of Myself – Acoustic (03:57)
3. 02 Panic Room – Acoustic (03:26)
4. River Down Below – Acoustic (05:01)
5. Wasteland – Live Intro (09:00)

DVD (122:20 min.):

“Wasteland” Hi-Res Stereo (50:58 min.):
1. The Day After (Hi-Res Stereo) (01:48)
2. Acid Rain (Hi-Res Stereo) (06:03)
3. Vale Of Tears (Hi-Res Stereo) (04:49)
4. Guardian Angel (Hi-Res Stereo) (04:24)
5. Lament (Hi-Res Stereo) (06:09)
6. The Struggle For Survival (Hi-Res Stereo) (09:32)
7. River Down Below (Hi-Res Stereo) (05:41)
8. Wasteland (Hi-Res Stereo) (08:25)
9. The Night Before (Hi-Res Stereo) (03:59)

“Wasteland” Surround Mix (50:58 min.):
1. The Day After (Surround Mix) (01:48)
2. Acid Rain (Surround Mix) (06:03)
3. Vale Of Tears (Surround Mix) (04:49)
4. Guardian Angel (Surround Mix) (04:24)
5. Lament (Surround Mix) (06:09)
6. The Struggle For Survival (Surround Mix) (09:32)
7. River Down Below (Surround Mix) (05:41)
8. Wasteland (Surround Mix) (08:25)
9. The Night Before (Surround Mix) (03:59)

Video-Clips (20:24 min.):
1. Lament (Official Video) (06:11)
2. River Down Below (Official Video) (05:40)
3. Wasteland (Official Video) (08:33)

The 5 previously unreleased acoustic tracks/versions of the “Acoustic Session” will also made available as separate Digital EP on November 29th, 2019 as well.

RIVERSIDE checked in with the following comment about the upcoming releases:
”And so we’ve been talked into this yet again 🙂 It’s our second encounter, after LFTM, with the surround sound. We’re hoping that revisiting this release in a different dimension will bring you a lot of joy and positive feelings, especially that we’re still touring with this material. As a bonus, we have prepared a few acoustic tracks in quite surprising arrangements. We’re hoping it will be an interesting experience :)“
The pre-order for both upcoming RIVERSIDE releases starts today and here:

“Acoustic Session” Digital EP:
https://Riverside.lnk.to/AcousticSessionEP

”Wasteland – Hi-Res Stereo and Surround Mix” 2CD+DVD:
https://Riverside.lnk.to/WastelandHi-ResStereoAndSurroundMix

Or order “Wasteland“ in its various formats here: https://Riverside.lnk.to/Wasteland

Check out the singles launched for RIVERSIDE’s “Wasteland” here:
“Lament”: https://youtu.be/4Wqlts7QWA8
“River Down Below”: https://youtu.be/ZS1crIkpnwc
“Vale Of Tears”: https://youtu.be/001IMO53JwY
And watch a live clip for “Wasteland” here: https://youtu.be/-ygv3BBqv3U

After a string of all sold-out shows in Poland, RIVERSIDE have now started the final leg of touring in support of their latest album “Wasteland”, which covers 8 dates across Germany and Luxembourg with Iamthemorning as support. Don’t miss out:

RIVERSIDE live 2019:
19.09 – Neuberinhaus, Reichenbach, Germany
20.09 – Freiheiz, Munich, Germany
21.09 – Jovel Music Hall, Münster, Germany
22.09 – Hirsch, Nürnberg, Germany
24.09 – KUZ, Mainz, Germany
25.09 – Kulturfabrik, Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
26.09 – Substage, Karlsruhe, Germany
28.09 – Waschhaus, Potsdam, Germany
Tour trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnstBLqM8U0

A Conversation with Brett Kull of Rise Twain

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rock4 Comments

Rise Twain, Rise Twain, Inside Out (2019)

Tracks: Everspring (3:22), Golden (6:11), The Range (4:42), Lit Up (5:03), Death of Summer (6:29), Oh This Life (3:12), Prayers (4:48), Falling Skies (05:49), Into A Dream (5:39), That Is Love (5:03)

 

On September 6, Rise Twain will release their first album on Inside Out. Made up of singer-songwriting duo Brett William Kull (of Echolyn) and J.D. Beck (The Scenic Route), Rise Twain’s self-titled debut brings emotion, gentleness, and powerful songwriting to a year that has been filled with excellent music.

From JD’s soulful voice, which instantly reminded me of the Casey McPherson or Matt Bellamy, to his wonderful piano work and Brett’s excellent guitar, this album delivers without overpowering. As Brett and I talked about in the interview below, this album has a lot of dynamic range, which makes for a very enjoyable listening experience. It has its heavy moments, but the quiet moments often steal the show. This is a great rock album in the tradition of lyric-oriented popular rock songs. The lyrics have great depth to them. They keep me engaged on repeated listens, and I’m sure they will for many listens to come. Rise Twain are not to be overlooked – check this group out when the album drops in a few days.

I had the great opportunity to speak with Brett Kull via Skype on August 21. Unfortunately I’ve been very busy, so it has taken me a while to transcribe everything. Originally I was supposed to speak with both Brett and JD, but JD’s son had an emergency tooth surgery come up at the last minute – we certainly wish JD and his son the best on his recovery for that.

I had a great time talking with Brett. I found his passion for his craft to be incredibly inspiring, and I hope all of you do as well. Our conversation ranged from discussion of the album to their writing process to the more technical side of producing music. We even talked about the very nature of progressive rock itself, which is always a fun ongoing conversation in our little corner of the music world.

Continue reading “A Conversation with Brett Kull of Rise Twain” →

Riverside Announce Vinyl Re-releases

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rockLeave a comment

From the fine folks at Inside Out:

RIVERSIDE – Announce vinyl re-releases out soon; Next touring campaign starting soon!

Polish Rock masters RIVERSIDE are happy to announce a string of long awaited vinyl re-releases for their second, third and fourth albums “Second Life Syndrome” (2005, 2-LP), “Rapid Eye Movement” (2007, 2-LP + bonus tracks) and “Anno Domini High Definition” (2009, 1-LP) out March 15th, 2019 via InsideOutMusic.

The albums will be available on 180gr. vinyl and come in Gatefold sleeves, with the standard album on CD as bonus. Next to the standard Black vinyl version, there will be limited editions of coloured vinyl runs as follows:

RIVERSIDE – “Second Life Syndrome (Re-issue 2019)” – 2LP+CD:
Black: Unlimited
Transparent Orange: 200x (via IOM Webshop Europe)
Tansparent Sun Yellow: 300x (via IOM Webshop & CM Distro Europe)
Dark Green: 100x (Exclusive from the band!)

RIVERSIDE – “Rapid Eye Movement (Re-issue 2019)” – 2LP+CD:
Black: Unlimited
Transparent Orange: 200x (via IOM Webshop Europe)
White: 300x (via IOM Webshop & CM Distro Europe)
Transparent Blue: 100x (Exclusive from the band!)

RIVERSIDE – “Anno Domini High Definition (Re-issue 2019)” – LP+CD:
Black: Unlimited
Transparent Orange: 200x (via IOM Webshop Europe)
Transparent Yellow: 300x (via IOM Webshop & CM Distro Europe)
Red: 100x (Exclusive from the band!)

Pre-sale for the re-releases started as of today from the IOM Webshop here:
https://www.insideoutshop.de/Artist/Riverside/20863?Page=1&PageSize=25&Sort=13

RIVERSIDE will also soon continue the promotion of their current album ”Wasteland” by embarking on their next touring of Europe (with newly announced support act Lesoir) and North America, as well as some festival appearances for 2019 as follows (Updates marked *):
RIVERSIDE – Wasteland European Tour 2019
06.03. Prague (Czech Republic) – Palac Akropolis
07.03. Bratislava (Slovakia) – Majestic
09.03. Budapest (Hungary) – A38
10.03. Bucharest (Romania) – Quantic Club / Soundart Festival
12.03. Sofia (Bulgaria) – City Stage
13.03. Belgrade (Serbia) – Dom Omladine
14.03. Ljubljana (Slovenia) – Kino Šiška
16.03. Rome (Italy) – Largo
17.03. Milan (Italy) – Magnolia
18.03. Toulouse (France) – Le Rex
19.03. Cognac (France) – Les Abattoirs
21.03. Bristol (UK) – SWX
22.03. Leeds (UK) – Stylus
23.03. Glasgow (UK) – SWG3
24.03. Birmingham (UK) – The Mill
26.03. Zwolle (The Netherlands) – Hedon
28.03. Copenhagen (Denmark) – Viften
29.03. Gothenburg (Sweden) – Stenhammarsalen
30.03. Oslo (Norway) – Cosmopolite
31.03. Stockholm (Sweden) – Kraken
02.04. Helsinki (Finland) – Nosturi
03.04. Jyväskylä (Finland) – Lutakko
04.04. Tampere (Finland) – Olympia
05.04. Tallinn (Estonia) – Rock Cafe
Tickets: https://riversideband.pl/en/gigsRIVERSIDE – Wasteland North American Tour 2019‪
05/03‬ Atlanta, GA, City Winery
‪05/04‬ Lake Park, FL, Kelsey Theater
‪05/06‬ Carrboro, NC, Cat’s Cradle
‪05/07‬ Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Soundstage
05/09 Jersey City, NJ, White Eagle Hall
05/10 Philadelphia, PA, World Cafe Live
05/11 Brooklyn, NY, Warsaw
‪05/12‬ Cambridge, MA, The Sinclair
‪05/14‬ Quebec City, QC, Imperial Bell
‪05/15‬ Montreal, QC, Club Soda
‪05/17‬ Toronto, ON, Mod Club
‪05/18‬ Detroit, MI, Magic Stick
‪05/19‬ Chicago, IL, Chop Shop &1st Ward
‪05/20 St.‬ Louis, MO, Delmar Hall
‪05/22‬ Dallas, TX, Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
‪05/24‬ Boulder, CO, Boulder Theater
‪05/25‬ Salt Lake City, UT, Metro Music Hall
‪05/27‬ Phoenix, AZ, Crescent Ballroom
‪05/28‬ Pomona, CA, The Glass House
‪05/29‬ San Francisco, CA, Slim’s
‪05/31‬ Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theatre
‪06/01‬ Vancouver, BC, The Rickshaw Theatre
‪06/02‬ Seattle, WA, The Crocodile

RIVERSIDE – Live 2019:
04.-09.02. Tampa to Key West & Cozumel – Cruise To The Edge
20.07. Maidstone (UK) – Ramblin’ Man Fair Festival
24.07. Worpswede (Germany) – Music Hall
25.07. Zoetermeer (The Netherlands) – De Boerderij
27.07. Breitenbach (Germany) – Burg Herzberg Festival
17.08. Bonn (Germany) – KUNST!RASEN Classic Rock Night festival + Jethro Tull & Fish

RIVERSIDE’s Mariusz Duda checked in with the following comment:
“Soon, on March 6th, 2019, in Prague, we’re starting another leg of the “Wasteland Tour”, which promotes the album that’s extremely important to us. We know that a lot of you like it too, and we’d like to thank you here once again for putting “Wasteland” on your “best of 2018” lists. Riverside, however, are mostly a live band and we make up on stage for what was not quite as successful in the studio 😉 Therefore, we would love for you to see us during the upcoming spring leg of the tour!“

And check out a newly launched video trailer for the “Wasteland Tour“ here:
https://youtu.be/8_k-vtzLv7g

Next to the standard edition as Jewelcase CD and Digital Album, “Wasteland“ is also available as limited edition Mediabook CD (with extended booklet, a bonus track radio edit version of “River Down Below“ and a set of 3 stickers) and as Gatefold 2LP (on 180gr. vinyl with the album on CD as bonus and an Etching of the D-Side).

Order “Wasteland“ in various formats from the IOM webstore here:
www.insideoutmusicshop.com
Or from other locations here: https://Riverside.lnk.to/Wasteland

Check out the three singles launched so far for “Wasteland”:
“Lament”: https://youtu.be/4Wqlts7QWA8
“River Down Below”: https://youtu.be/ZS1crIkpnwc
“Vale Of Tears”: https://youtu.be/001IMO53JwY

“Wasteland” entered various international charts upon release, including the following highest positions:
Poland: # 1, Poland / Vinyl: # 1, Germany: # 13, Germany / Download: # 42, The Netherlands: # 28, The Netherlands / Vinyl: # 12, Switzerland: # 23, Austria: # 39, UK: # 83, UK / Rock: # 2, UK / Vinyl: # 38,
Finland: # 30, France: # 97, Czech Republic: # 59, Belgium / Wallonia: # 79, Sweden / Physical: # 13, Sweden / Vinyl: # 8, USA / Current: # 106, USA / New Artist: # 17 and USA / Overall: # 147

The Night Siren: The Peaceful Resistance of Steve Hackett

On By Bryan MoreyIn progressive rockLeave a comment

Steve Hackett, The Night Siren (InsideOut, 2017)

Tracks: Behind the Smoke (6:58), Martian Sea (4:41), Fifty Miles From the North Pole (7:08), El Nino (3:52), Other Side of the Wall (4:01), Anything But Love (5:56), Inca Terra (5:54), In Another Life (6:07), In the Skeleton Gallery (5:09), West to East (5:14), The Gift (2:45)

I think we all know by now that Steve Hackett is a genius. Over the last several years of this current wave of progressive rock, it seems that everything Mr. Hackett has touched has turned to gold. Indeed, he recently told the fine folks over at Prog magazine that he is currently in one of the most creative phases of his life (Prog 73). Considering his remarkable musical catalog, that is saying a lot. It rings true, however, when The Night Siren and his previous album Wolflight are concerned. They are some of the best albums of his solo career.

Both of these albums include a lot of what some might call “world music.” He features instruments and musicians from all over the world, including Azerbaijan, Scotland, Iceland, and Israel. He even includes both Jewish and Palestinian singers from Israel on the same song. Throughout all of this mix, Hackett’s message is clear: if we can have peace through musical collaboration, why can’t we have world political peace? This is certainly an excellent question to which it seems world leaders have no answer.

One might think that this conglomeration of disparate instruments and styles would create an off-putting wall of noise, but nothing could be further from the truth. Hackett masterfully blends these different influences with his signature guitar licks. The result is truly breathtaking.

Continue reading “The Night Siren: The Peaceful Resistance of Steve Hackett” →

Insideout Music News: Big Elf

On By bradbirzerIn progressive rock musicLeave a comment

Just received some fine news from Insideout Music.

Prog metal wizards BIGELF have been through tough times during the past years including the tragic death of former guitarist A.H.M. Butler-Jones resulting in a “spontaneous hiatus” in 2011 as mastermind Damon Fox calls it.

Marking the BIGELF debut of drum god Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) the Californian band’s fourth album “Into The Maelstrom” is also the first for new label home InsideOutMusic and takes their melodic prog-doom to new heights profiting from an inspired and reinvigorated Fox: ” Making the record has been a certain kind of journey. A few years ago I had to completely let go of BIGELF, which was painful but it came back with force and vision. As such, the music began to shape from a different perspective and I have been able to see an alternative way of accomplishing my goals. To me, ‘Into The Maelstrom’ is a genesis, a bridge between the band and a larger audience. Strap yourselves in ladies and gentlemen, you’re in for a wild ride.”

The band just released a first track, „Control Freak”, in form of a lyric video. Check it out below in the media section. ‘Into The Maelstrom’ will be available on a limited 2CD digipak which includes exclusive re-mixes & demo versions, as well as a gatefold 2LP vinyl edition which includes the full album on CD. The full track-listing is as follows:

1. Incredible Time Machine
2. Hypersleep
3. Already Gone
4. Alien Frequency
5. The Professor & The Madman
6. Mr. Harry McQuhae
7. Vertigod
8. Control Freak
9. High
10. Edge of Oblivion
11. Theater of Dreams
12. ITM
I. Destination Unknown
II. Harbinger Of Death
III. Memories

bigelf_header

Riverside, ADHD (2009)

On By bradbirzerIn Uncategorized4 Comments

As I prepare to give the new Riverside a spin (it is arriving much later in the U.S. than in other parts of the world), I thought it would be worth offering my thoughts on the previous work of Riverside, in particular the last full album, ADHD.Image

Five songs at 44 minutes and 42 seconds.  The intrepid Carl Olson (of Ignatius Insight fame and now fellow Progarchist) first introduced me to this post-Communist Polish band, and I’ve been more than a little fond of them since our first encounter.

Brilliantly, their first three studio albums–collectively known as “Reality Dream”–form one story.  Though I’ve listened to the albums too many times to count, I’m still not exactly sure what that story is about.  It follows a man who is either a saint and having endless mystical visions, or else he’s insane and trapped in an asylum.

Either way, I like the story.

ADHD appeared at an important moment for me, musically speaking.  Compared to some of the other “big” releases of 2009, ADHD towered.

Dream Theater’s album that year, “Black Clouds and Silver Linings,” served as an incoherent exercise in notes chasing notes and embarrassingly written lyrics.

Even more disappointing, Pure Reason Revolution’s “Amor Vincit Omnia” offered nothing but miserable sexual decadence and ridiculous Euro dance-type music.  The title should’ve been Lust Conquers All, not Love Conquers All.  How this could have been the same band that released the captivating “The Dark Third,” I have no idea.

Riverside’s ADHD redeems them all.  Labeled “harder” and “heavier” by several reviewers, ADHD is nothing if not insanely intense.  Is it hard?  Yes.  Do notes chase notes?  Yes.  Is there sexual deviance in the lyrics?  Yes.  But, unlike the music of Dream Theater’s most recent cd, or the lyrics of Pure Reason Revolution’s new album, Riverside’s heaviness, notes chasing notes, and lyrics all have a purpose; they each serve the entirety of the album.  Indeed, nothing in this short 44plus minutes is in vein; every aspect of the album has its purpose and knows its place.

Indeed, Riverside expresses intense anger and frustration about the state of the world—the “liquid modernity” identified in the first track, “Hyperactive.”

Modernity destroys real community. “In the mass of different runners/Different lies/We can’t make time to realize/How the same we are.”  And, modernity results in isolated, insecure (“hatred for my inner chaos”), and self-centered individuality.

We’ve lost the flow of generations, and we wallow in our subjective realities.  “I used to be one of you/With the same spark in my eyes/And now I don’t belong to this place/It’s a matter of merciless time/I wholly vanish.”  So far gone are we as a people, that we obsess about our own created gadgets, the products of our will and ingenuity, and our immediate fame, here and now.  “Come to me now/I will cure your soul/I’m the savior of our times/I know exactly what it needs/You’ve let yourself go/You’ve felt so down/So my hi-tech salvation is just for you.”

Properly, progressive rock reviewers love their tradition and the heritage of the music.  Reviewers always compare releases of Riverside to Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd, and Tool.  These are fine comparisons, but Riverside–from the opening note on their first album to the ending note on this most recent release–are very much their own band.  Frankly, while building on what Pink Floyd offered, Riverside has topped Pink Floyd in terms of musical ability and atmosphere.  More than anything else, Riverside has confidence its in its own abilities and direction, it understands the parts each member of the band plays in the band as a whole, and it recognizes the importance of voice (human and instrumental) in its music.

While each member plays exceedingly well here, the keyboardist, Michal Lapaz, stands out the most.  From the opening note to the end of the album, his work defines ADHD.  No keyboardist has played this well since Steve Winwood on “Blind Faith,” Greg Allman on “Fillmore East,” Rick Wakeman on “Close to the Edge,” or Mark Hollis on “Spirit of Eden.”  I can’t even put my admiration in words.  Every time I listen to him play on ADHD, I can only provide a rather sincere but inarticulate “phew.”

I give Riverside’s ADHD one of the highest rankings I can.  This album is simply exemplary.  Thank you, Riverside.  Thank you, Poland.