ID.ENTITY

3.5 stars. RIVERSIDE hit us with studio album number eight in 2023 after their longest break between albums and I'm sure the emotional toll of creating 2018's "Wasteland" was a part of this. Where do we go from here? This is a concept album about technology and how it affects us all in negative ways. I have said many times that I'm just not into concept albums and the lyrics here don't "cut it" overall for me. Why am I tired of this?

Right from the first spin I have been on the fence about this record. I remember how connected I felt with this band when I first got into Prog in the mid 00's. That FLOYD-like space contrasted with the heaviness and aggression, but then add a vocalist and guitarist who would become among my favourites so yes maybe I hold them to a higher standard but these guys have always delivered the goods. Until now. This is the first record of theirs I have not given 4 or more stars to.

There's so much good music here but I just find the album to be inconsistent. And for me this is a big drop-off from "Wasteland" their previous record. So a lot of my feelings have to do with comparing this to what they've done in the past and I feel it's left wanting. I do have a top three though and that begins with the opening track that got me excited the first time I heard it. I like the keys and heaviness early on then some electronics with bass and beats. Catchy as the guitar arrives and synths followed by vocals after 2 minutes. There's more passion on the chorus and some riffing later.

"Big Tech Brother" doesn't get off to the best start with those spoken words but then a fast bass line arrives as it builds. Steven Wilson comes to mind here as he did on the previous track "Landmine Blast". Awesome sound after 2 minutes with those powerful synths. I like when the heaviness returns at 5 minutes. "I'm Done With You" is my final top three and starts out great with the electronics and riffs. It settles with vocals and the only time we get some brief aggressive vocals is on this song. I like the heaviness of this one. I'm not into the closer "Self-Aware" like most seem to be but find it inconsistent like some of these other tracks. Great start to it though. I actually thought of THE TANGENT at one point later on. The longest one "The Place Where I Belong" also sits in that category but some amazing stuff on it. A fairly moving second half at times on that one.

So yeah sad to not be fully into this one even though it has it's highlights.