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Riverside - Rapid Eye Movement CD (album) cover

RAPID EYE MOVEMENT

Riverside

 

Progressive Metal

3.80 | 979 ratings

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progrules
Prog Reviewer
4 stars This was the anxiously awaited successor of the brilliant Second Life Syndrome and I was both curious and anxious because it was hard to top the great SLS. As I said in that review: Riverside is like a Jekyll and Hyde band with their atmospheric ballads (Voices in my head) and their metal-like outbursts like on many other songs. I said there that the second Riverside (Hyde ?) is my favourite by far. Their ballads are fine but don't impress me really. There are also a few on this album like Schizophrenic Prayer and Embryonic but it's the same story as on the EP and their former two albums: nice but I can't go overboard by them.

There are also the heavy songs, sometimes even with grunts and there are the epics which occasionally have these elements. I keep asking myself: what do I like better, the metal moments and songs or the epics ? Well, that's a tough call. I enjoy both extremely much. This album for instance starts with Beyond the Eyelids, if there was ever an example of what I mean, it's this one. It's almost as if it's written for me, that's how much I like it. Riverside to perfection, period. After this three much less impressive songs until it's epic time: Parasomnia, well ok half an epic. But a really terrific composition, almost as good as the opener and of the high standard of SLS.

Part two (Fearland) starts with three shorter songs, again not mindblowing really (with exeption of Cybernetic Pillow) and I have to sit them out for my next highlight: Ultimate Trip. I get the feeling with this one Riverside wanted to do another supersong like Second Life Syndrome. I can say they came pretty close with it. I never understand why people get negative when it sounds like things they did before as if they are not innovating and original enough. I have no problem with it, okay it all may sound like half a copy of SLS, but why bother ? SLS was almost a masterpiece ! I think it's a great achievement if they do a similar job with their next. In fact it was actually what I hoped for. I'm truly grateful to Riverside for this product. By the way, there was also the bonus disc with the great Title track, another super song of masterpiece quality !

The only critical notes I have are the shorter songs, but that's not even a justified criticism, it's ok for the variation. Besides, Riverside have also Jekyll-fans and they have to please them also, so I understand and accept. The other pity is the fantastically starting Back to the River and after that disappointingly ending in a Pink Floyd cover. WHY ??????????? Because it could have been a smashing song if they continued it in the original way. It could have been a masterpiece track, a real classic and now it's (almost) nothing. A real shame !!

These critical notes deminish the album and therefore the rating. But the 4 highlights are so absolutely fabulous to me that I still give it 4*.

progrules | 4/5 |

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