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Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition CD (album) cover

ANNO DOMINI HIGH DEFINITION

Riverside

 

Progressive Metal

4.22 | 1425 ratings

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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
4 stars RIVERSIDE can do no wrong as far as i'm concerned. This is their fourth studio album and they all rate between 4 and 4.5 stars in my opinion. The first three albums really drew me in with the atmosphere and those warm vocals and guitar leads, but this is a new chapter for the band and I like where they're heading. What stood out for me on this latest disc was the drumming and chunky bass. This one really kicks ass, and besides all that they've kept it under 45 minutes ! The art work is still done by Travis Smith but with a new trilogy comes a new direction in that area as well. The songs seem to get better as this album plays out and they certainly get longer. I still think "Left Out" is the best track though.

"Hyperactive" is a song that's been the hardest for me to get into simply because it's so different from what they've done in the past. Piano intro before it kicks in around 1 1/2 minutes. Vocals after 2 minutes. I like the guitar 2 1/2 minutes in. Synths come and go. "Driven To Destruction" has such a good bass intro before everyone joins in. It settles before a minute. Love the guitar after 1 1/2 minutes. Vocals and riffs trade off then join forces wreaking havoc. Classic RIVERSIDE right there, especially the guitar 3 1/2 minutes in. Great sound before 5 minutes then it kicks back in.

"Egoist Hedonist" opens with some crowd noise as drums, bass, guitar and vocals come in. Growly bass a minute in. Riffs 3 1/2 minutes in as contrasts continue. I like the drums and guitar 3 1/2 minutes in and later at 6 1/2 minutes. It's nice and heavy after 8 minutes with some excellent sounding synths late. "Left Out" really reminds me of "Damnation" for the first 2 minutes. Lots of atmosphere with fragile vocals, it's amazing. It kicks in after 2 minutes, settles then kicks in again before 4 1/2 minutes as contrasts continue. I like the keyboards and atmosphere 7 minutes in then we get some huge bass followed by guitar. Nice. "Hybrid Times" opens with piano before vocals then the whole band around a minute. The guitar is grinding it out after 3 minutes. It settles 6 minutes in with vocals then it starts to build. A warm guitar solo after 7 1/2 minutes before settling again 9 minutes in. There's a powerful undercurrent still as this plays out to the end.

It's too early for me to say how this rates when compared to their other albums, all I know is it's another successful recording from this great band.

Mellotron Storm | 4/5 |

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