WASTELAND

After a recent compilation and two Lunatic Soul solo albums in quick succession from their bassist/frontman Mariusz Duda, 2018's `Wasteland' is Polish heavy prog band Riverside's first proper album since they vowed to carry on in the wake of the passing of their longtime guitarist Piotr Grudzinski. While the core trio remains in place, their sound is bolstered on their latest work by Maciej Meller and Mateusz Owczarek's added guitar solos, as well as Michal Jelonek's evocative violin, and the combination of the musicians help to make `Wasteland' one of Riverside's most lavish, daring and sophisticated discs to date.

Somewhat surprisingly, `Wasteland' is not only their heaviest work in parts since 2009's `Anno Domini High Definition', but despite remaining highly melodic the tunes have an added weight again after the stripped back approach the band took on their previous disc `Love, Fear and the Time Machine'. While not presenting a narrative-driven concept, many of the album lyrics allude to a recurring focus on survival in a world that has ended, that also doubles with the band reflecting on their own career and identity in the wake of their departed guitarist, and despite the return of some guitar grunt, their latest is actually quite ballad heavy, sometimes resembling the moody restrained approach that British band Anathema have headed in lately. But Riverside here still find time for longer multi-part compositions and even purely instrumental tracks to ensure that there's plenty to keep the proggers satisfied!

`What if it's not meant to be?' asks Mariusz starkly on short introductory lament `The Day After', his plaintive voice echoing around slowly emerging gloomy droning synths and orchestral slivers, but within less than two minutes the band enter properly with the two-part, six minute `Acid Rain'. Instantly it kicks in with power by way of grumbling riffing heavy guitars, snarling bass and a brooding chorus, even holding a touch of gothic menace with Duda's menacing purr and symphonic synth/organ washes. Its finale adopts a more hopeful atmosphere with sparkling electric piano, rousing group-vocal cries and Pink Floyd-like slow-burn guitar embers.

There's a gnarling guitar swagger and spacey metal touches to `Vale of Tears' that is met with mellow chorus breaks, Duda adopts a deeper raspy croon for introspective acoustic ballad `Guardian Angel' that's flecked with light dusty country flavours, and `Lament' blasts fragile acoustic passages with harder chugging guitar drama back and forth around a contemplative vocal, and some soothing group multi-part harmonies and searing violin add plenty of elegance. But it's the three-part, near-ten minute instrumental `The Struggle for Survival' that will have metal fans foaming at the mouth! After an ambient intro, it morphs into a relentless dash of twisting-turning guitar rages and strangled soloing, driving drumming, giddy electronics and slithering bass, and in parts it's perhaps the closest the band have come to delivering something more along the lines of the somewhat Dream Theater-modelled `Second Life Syndrome' album all the way back in 2005 - and damned if it doesn't groove like a mother-effer in parts too!

`River Down Below' proves a nice respite to the previous instrumental tour-de-force, a gorgeous and romantic Anathema-like acoustic ballad/soft-rocker that's beautifully sung with embracing words, and the instrumental backing is restrained and full of warmth. Some expanded versions of the album also include a radio-edit of the piece that only highlights what a great song it truly is at its core, and it has a good chance of becoming Riverside's equivalent of Porcupine Tree's `Trains' or `Lazarus' by appealing to a wider range of listeners. The title-track `Wasteland' starts as a ballad of rousing bluesy acoustic guitars and a scratchy parched vocal being before battered with wild stalking riffing and delirious synth wig-outs but still finding time for more subtle mysterious interludes of expansive bone-dry country presence. The band then close on a final classy ballad `The Night Before' that is probably the most straightforward moment of the disc, highlighted by sparkling piano that brings a defiant air of hope to wrap on.

Fans who embraced Riverside's harder-hitting earlier period may still be a little disappointed (it's heavier again, but still pretty far removed from `heavy metal'), and perhaps the over-reliance on ballads might bore a few listeners, but `Wasteland' is another superb addition from a band that hasn't put a single foot wrong, who continue to offer intelligent, mature and excitingly epic works, and it only hints at the potential and possible directions this renewed trio might still head in from this point.

Four stars for another big step up for the band, with an effort that's sure to be a favoured album of 2018 for many prog-rock fans.

After the sad passing of the guitarist Piotr Grudzinski, I'm sure that Wasteland was not an easy album to make.

For this reason, I consider this record a transition one while they let another guitarist to take part (hopefully) on their next record and bring some new ideas and sound. Because one of the first facts that we can clearly hear in Wasteland is that a true guitarist is missing. It's obvious that Mariusz Duda is not a professional guitar player, and because of that in almost all the songs the complex guitar work of previous albums is sadly gone, and the pedals used are also not the most adequate, making the guitar riffs sounds hollow and cheap.

And curiously the same can be said for the drums, which sounds too high pitched, lacking the deep and strength that the heavier parts of the album so desperately need! Why? I just don't know, because the Piotr Kozieradzki's drumming is awesome in other records from the band.

But apart from the production, the musical quality of the album is also a bit irregular. Some outstanding songs like Acid Rain, Veil of Tears and River Down Below are mixed with other average tracks like the not so exciting Guardian Angel, the repetitive The Struggle for Survival and the risky but not really successful Wasteland (I love the western influences though!)

This irregular songwriting makes the hearing of the album on its integrity a bit dull sometimes, and that's the first time that I feel something similar with a Riverside record. Is not a drama, but talking about one of the best prog-rock acts of the last decades, is some kind of a letdown.

Best Tracks: Acid Rain, Veil of Tears, Lament, River Down Below.

Conclusion: I must admit that the band has managed to overcome the death of their guitarist with a good album, which shows both the heaviest and mellowest sides of the band while maintaining the spirit of innovation that this musicians always had, diplaying some very good new ideas like the gothic and obscure Lament and the cinematic but flawed title track.

But in comparison to works like Second Life Syndrome and Anno Domini High Definition, Wasteland just pales.

My rating: ***

Riverside returned after a hiatus following the sad passing of guitarist Grudzinski. The trio continued on relentlessly with new guitarist Owczarek and Meller, but the evident missing ingredient of Grudzinskis magic guitar prowess is a factor. However the album is well executed and has some of the more melodic melancholy songs from Riverside. The beauty of Lament is hypnotic and graced with heavy chorus and instrumentation. Guardian Angel is gorgeous in its simplicity and Duda has a passionate vocal. Acid Rain has a metal riff driving it and a melody that is catchy and infectious throughout with wonderful guitar augmentation.

The album has a sadness flowing through every song due to the themes of alienation of the lost and lonely embedded in the lyrics. Vale of Tears has a heavier vibe but still embued with the soft impassioned vocal of Duda. The Struggle for Survival is an instrumental workout of blazing guitars and tempestuous drumming and bass, the longest track at 9 and a half minutes. The time signatures fluctuate and it builds with soaring guitars into a cacophonic prog explosion of sound. The lead guitar screams in pain at 6 minutes in and then is released to the main melody that is haunting. The diving guitar sustained notes are glorious, definitely a grand instrumental to savour.

The balladic River Down Below is absolutely mesmirising with Duda in fine voice and some heartfelt lyrics that sink to the depths of sorrow. It was a successful single for Riverside and has a lyric video that is very effective.

Wasteland has a raspy vocal and odd meter with guitars that follow the lyrics. There are some nice harmonies that add a depth to the layers, and eventually it merges into a heavy guitar riff with complex polyrhythms and ascending cadence. The discordant melody is joined by more complicated guitar riffs that interplay with the drumming. The glissando guitar reverb has a spacey feel that chills the atmosphere. There is some beautiful guitar picking and keyboards and it locks into a pretty melody. The distortion and riffs return towards the end and a few theremin spirals augment the ethereal soundscape. Riverside are definitely back at their best on this treasure.

The Night Before is another quiet ballad with sweet piano melodies and soft, raspy vocals. The dreamy atmosphere is enhanced by reflective lyrics and simple piano lines.

Overall, while this album is not a masterpiece by any standards it features some of Riversides most melancholic, infectious ballads and some masterful tracks such as Wasteland and The Struggle For Survival. The songs grown on the listener over time and it has a powerful atmosphere with gems such as River Down Below which is beautiful and will resonate with many who will be able to relate to it.

I give this band a lot of credit for making an album all about their recently departed guitarist Piotr Grudzinski. How difficult this must have been, especially for Duda who writes the lyrics and sings them. This record is bursting with emotion. Even the song titles, but especially the opener and closer which are just so meaningful. It opens with "The Day After"(Piotr's passing) and the closer "The Night Before"(his passing). I have not felt emotion like this since THE PINEAPPLE THIEF's "Little Man" and to a lesser extent GREEN CARNATION's "Journey To The End Of The Night". Both dealing with the death of a child.

This feels like a record that needed to be made and really it's a one-off in the sense they are a trio not replacing Piotr yet because the three remaining members need to do this together. Yes they brought in three guests with two adding guitar on some tracks and one adding violin on a few songs. Duda's vocals are rough at times, a different style for him but only when he's singing in a reserved manner. These guys are in mourning. Travis Smith nails the art work and we get nine tracks worth 51 minutes.

I do feel this is a four star effort, I mean they really hit some highs here but it's also inconsistent in my opinion. Also it's just too sad for me to even want to play it again. "Little Man" at least had those uplifting moments while "Journey To The End Of The Night" is about as dark an album as I have heard. No light, no hope but they would follow that up with "Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness" an incredible record. Those two are like ying and yang.

So I do have two tracks that stood out for me on this RIVERSIDE record. "Vale Of Tears" for one is just so interesting and I love when it turns heavy 3 minutes in. The next track "Guardian Angel" gives us some light at least early on but eventually I'm reaching for the kleenex. "The Struggle For Survival" is interesting in that it's a 9 1/2 minute instrumental and after 8 minutes I'm thinking PORCUPINE TREE. I feel like there is a ton of meaning in the lyrics for "River Down Below". The lyrics are so emotional on "Lament" and the violin offers that too late to end it.

I love the way the remaining three members honoured their guitarist here on "Wasteland". They certainly dealt with it head on. ONE SHOT decided to make a live album bringing back their original keyboardist but not replacing guitarist James Mac Gaw. A night of emotion no doubt for all in attendance. Keep in mind ONE SHOT is an all instrumental band. A solid 4 stars for album number 7.