RIVERSIDE ID.Entity | Weekly Heavy Metal Album Review

Released by InsideOutMusic on January 20th, 2023

Quick Background

Riverside are a progressive rock band from Warsaw, Poland. They were founded in 2001 by friends Mariusz Duda (vocal, bass, main songwriter), Piotr Grudziński (guitars) and Piotr Kozieradzki (drums) and soon after Michał Łapaj(keyboards), who shared a love for progressive rock and heavy metal. On February 21, 2016, guitarist Piotr died of a pulmonary embolism. 

Wasteland, their seventh studio and first album without founding guitarist was released on September 2018. The album was released as a trio, meaning without a replacing guitarist, but Maciej Meller contributed with 4 guitar solos. In 2020, Riverside announced that Meller had now become an official member of the band.

ID.Entity

The group’s 8th studio album features seven new tracks in 54 minutes and marks the return to Riverside’s heavier roots that defined their 2000s output: theatrical keys, maximalist songwriting and metal-inspired riffing as opposed to more moody and atmospheric direction from recent albums. "I’m Done With You", the album's first single is a good example of a track that revisits that energy and aggression. Duda began writing ID.Entity while on the tour for Wasteland. But the band worked together in the studio so final arrangements were a team effort. Lyrically, ID.Entity sees Duda questioning his own place in the world and, also, Riverside’s place in the prog scene. 

The opening track, "Friend or Foe?," sets the tone for the album in the sense that you don't know what's coming next. It's not a typical opening track. It's impossible not to think of  the song "Take on me" by a-ha. So it takes some spins to get used to it, but then you can appreciate how cool the vocal melody sounds. Moreover, the song builds up and delivers some heavy riffs. I really enjoyed the overall result. One of the standout tracks on the album is the 13-min long "The Place Where I Belong". It features a long intro with acoustic guitars then a very cool instrumental interlude, amazing bass lines, bluesy guitars and cool Deep Purple-like keyboards. And then the mid section with this amazingly beautiful melody, not to mention the melodic guitar solo that closes this masterpiece of a prog song.  Other cool tracks are the short and catchy "Landmine Blast" and the riff driven "Post-Truth".

The musicianship on this album is truly great. Each member of the band showcases their talents and abilities throughout the album, from the intricate bass lines to the heavy riffs. I also love the keyboards in here going from Deep Purple to Pink Floyd and brining a lot of flavor and texture to their music. Riverside are able to seamlessly blend different styles and instruments, creating a cohesive and immersive sound. The bass work is particularly noteworthy, with the instrument often taking the front stage. The pop rock elements of the album are also expertly executed, adding a catchiness to the music without loosing the heavy elements. Overall, the band's musicianship is top-notch and it is clear that they allowed themselves to go where their imagination led them.

The Picky Guy

While I don't think "Big Tech Brother" and "Self-Aware" are by no means bad songs, I do think that for me they have some ups and downs. Therefore they do not captivate me from start to finish like the other songs on the album. And that's my only criticism of this album. 

Wrap Up Opinion 

ID.Entity Riverside's latest album is a masterful blend of hardrock and experimental prog rock. The band takes the listener on a journey through a variety of moods and emotions. Overall, ID.Entity is a must-listen for fans of prog-rock. The band has truly allowed themselves the freedom to create something unique. It is a testament to their skills as musicians and composers in this newly open new phase for the band. To me except for a couple of missteps it's a very good album deserving 83/100. 

SCORE: 83/100

Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal

Released by InsideOutMusic on January 20th, 2023

Rating System

99 - 100 Perfect
94 - 98 Excellent
87 - 93 Great
82 - 86 Very Good
77 - 81 Good
66 - 76 Mixed
58 - 65 Bad

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