SHRINE OF NEW GENERATION SLAVES

Much can be said about Riverside but not that they repeat themselves. They indeed progress with every album and the newest record, whose name's gracefully abbreviated to SONGS, is not an exception.

Riverside have already made an album eclectic to the extent of being inconsistent (Rapid Eye Movement) and while Shrine Of New Generation Slaves may be their second most eclectic release, they didn't make the same mistake again. There's a certain feel that makes itself noticeable from the first seconds of the opening track until the last notes of "Escalator Shrine". In the very core of the record resides the spirit of the 70s eclectic rock in the vein of King Crimson and Gentle Giant. Glowing with Deep Purple sparkle, the core was furthermore enriched with a big shard of Lunatic Soul (Mariusz Duda's side project) and some modern neo prog-pop elements known from 00s albums by Porcupine Tree. Not to mention some themes reminiscent of the band's debut release, Out of Myself. So, all in all, from these well known ingredients something quite unique has been created and the band deserves a big round of applause for what they pulled off here.

Riverside is first and foremost about music imbued with genuine emotions and true beauty that comes with it. This is what's been disarming me since their first album, something I've never felt while listening to Porcupine Tree, the band they're often compared to. I've even been able to turn a blind eye to occasional pretentiousness or overlook some more or less obvious similarities to Pink Floyd, Dream Theater or Opeth. They play stuff they love and this unparalleled, spontaneous affection for music has become their trademark. That's why they never fail to deliver.

TRACKS BY RATINGS: 9/10[fantastic!]: The Depth of Self-Delusion; Escalator Shrine; Deprived (Irretrievably Lost Imagination) || 8/10[great]: New Generation Slave; Celebrity Touch; Feel Like Falling || 7/10[very good]: We Got Used To Us || OVERALL = 83/100

-- Originally written for Metal Music Archives [www.metalmusicarchives.com] --

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