RIVERSEA

Let's keep this rather short and sweet. So much can be said about Riversea's debut album "Out of an Ancient World", but I feel that this would all be in vain. One must experience this album in order to appreciate its greatness.

Riversea is a two man band that features a broad and eclectic range of guest artists. Brendan Eyre (keys) and Marc Atkinson (vocals and acoustic guitar) started Riversea as a pet project, but it has matured into something truly special. Musically, this album is neo-prog: In other words, lots of synth, wonderful melody, a slow to medium tempo, and influence from the likes of Marillion, etc. Riversea perfectly balances these components and even masters them. Marc's voice is rich and warm, and is one of the best voices I have ever heard. Period. On the other hand, Brendan's keys soar and pierce through the rather melancholy atmosphere to produce emotional highs and lows. Finally, the guest artists provide a range of excellent drums, awesome guitar solos, and backing female vocals. Each and every song is a masterpiece that you will be singing to yourself later: I cannot even pick a favorite because they all fall into place so well. This is definitely an album to listen to in one sitting. Overall, the music is rich with layer after layer of beauty and emotion and masterful composition.

Yet, I'm not so sure all of this is what makes Riversea's debut album so great. Riversea has crafted some of the best neo-prog I've ever heard, but that is not what makes this album so addictive. The addiction comes from the theme. This is a concept album that, in the words of the men themselves, is a spiritual journey. However, I cannot begin to tell you where this journey leads. "Out of an Ancient World" starts out with one of my favorite songs ever, called "In the Beginning": a truly remarkable piece about the existence of God before He created us. The album then goes on to speak about the God-given connection we all have; how we are all part of the song of God. Yet, the world is a dreadful place sometimes, and Marc's emotive voice captures the feelings so well when he begs "Take us back to Eden". We are all Fallen Stars that have forgotten how valuable we are; how blessed we are; and how interconnected we are. In all honesty, I'm still analyzing the last few tracks, but this concept intrigues me greatly (not to mention that I completely agree with it).

Riversea has presented a debut album that truly tugs at the spiritual and emotional strings of my inner being, and Marc's voice and Brendan's keys are the perfect vehicles for their message. I cannot possibly give any higher praise to this absolutely incredible work of art, and I have faith that Riversea will not disappoint with their next release. Until then, I will still be pondering, "Is that what God wants"? Buy this album.

A great album of smooth, mellow Neo-prog with Marc Atkinson's gifted voice and some very nice, consistent arrangements by Brendan Eyre, as performed by quite a cast of friends. Great production and sound throughout. Just lacking the hooks and gut-wrenching emotional passages that NINE STONES CLOSE's One Eye on the Sunrise had. Only one song really grabbed me and made me want to push repeat: the finale and title song, "Out of an Ancient World" (10/10) Sounds like a great tune from SEAL's second album (eponymously titled, of course). If you like more stuff like this try JENSEN CODE on Soundcloud.com.

4 stars for great sound, great production and overall consistency.

Riversea from UK with their first studio album from 2012 named Out of an ancient world really makes some ripples around them. This is one of the best melodic neo prog albums I've hered lately with some fascinatting and in same time warm vocal parts in this genre. This is a relative a young band born since 2006, Marc Atkinson / vocals, guitars and - Brendan Eyre on keyboards the heads of the game make a very solid album to my ears. Great are the guitar and vocal parts with help from lots of musicians involved here one of them is Paul Cusick. Melodic passages, with warm arrangements, maybe sometimes to mellow but with more spins the album surely delivers great atmosphere in the end. Here are no very up tempo arrangements or duels between guitars and keys, but every thing is done calculated and with grat orchestrations. Well done guys I really enjoy this alot, 4 stars. No weak moments, all 12 pieces are winners, with a plus on The fallen, Falling stars, Wiser, etc.

— First review of this album —

Riversea are basically the British duo of keyboardist Brendan Eyre and singer/guitarist Marc Atkinson.The two of them started writing songs at the fall of 2006, most of them were completed with the help of Paul Cusick on guitars.The next year Riversea promoted the work on their first songs releasing the 5-track ''The Demo EP'', followed by a presentation of this effort as a supporting act to The Reasoning in October.

This short EP is not actually that representative of Riversea's full abilities.It is a collection of electric and acoustic short tracks with a ballad-esque still very sensitive atmosphere, where the focus relies mostly on Atkinson's excellent vocals than on the music.There are resemblances to the soft moments of Nine Stones Close, a band where Atkinson took over the lead vocals, and the overall approach comes like a combination of British Rock and Neo Prog.Calm piano-based soundscapes, background electric guitars, lots of acoustic guitar work and even some mellow orchestral strings accompany the beautiful voice of Atkinson, producing a dreamy and ethereal line of very warm ballads.

Nothing to do with rich Progressive Rock or energetic Neo Prog.This EP seems mostly as an evidence that Riversea are alive and ready to kick off and a good introduction to one of the best British singers of the new era than a presentation of Riversea's sound.Nice background music but nothing more.