RIVERSEA

Not to be confused with a certain heavy Polish act with a very similar name, UK melodic song- based Neo-proggers Riversea return with their second album `The Tide' in 2018, and an endlessly tasteful and sophisticated follow-up it is. Instead of drawn out show-boating soloing, core and founding members Brendan Eyre (keyboards) and singer Marc Atkinson offer elegant song-writing carried by strong vocals and dramatic little bursts of instrumental colour in and around the tunes, reminding of Canadian band Mystery or something like a punchier version of the Steve Hogarth- fronted version of Marillion (especially their more tightly written albums like `Season's End', `Afraid of Sunlight' and `Radiation', less so the mumbling rambling ones!).

`The Tide' ponders everything from modern terror acts, social observations, spiritual belief and looking back on ones life, so lyrically it is reflective and perhaps gently melancholic, yet frequently retaining traces of hope and optimism. Many of the performers from the first album are back for this second effort - David Clements and Alex Cromarty are here on bass and drums, and there's contributions from guitarists Peter Aves, Paul Cusick, Galahad's Lee Abraham, Cosmograf's Robin Armstrong, Tinyfish's Simon Godfrey and Cloud Atlas' Martin Ledger, alongside flautist Tony Patterson and backing vocals courtesy of Mostly Autumn's Olivia Sparnenn and others.

Opener `The Tide' is just the sort of piece every Neo fans like to hear pop up on albums of this kind. Ice-cool synths, crisp guitars and a melodic yet not commercial edge with an emotional chorus of Marc's silken and charismatic voice, and its recurring piano melodies are sublime. `Shine' adds a touch of modern Arena-like toughness and slinking electronic danger, and while another standout `Blasphemy' refuses to divert into big bold soloing, it still lifts in a tightly dramatic build around news soundbites. The solemn `Your Last Day' reflects on mortality with several urgent guitar solos, `Drowning In Vertigo' contains hypnotic luxuriant harmonies, and the lush Marillion-like chorus of the refugee-themed `Strange Land' offers the deeply compassionate lyric `Take us in, feed us love, give us hope...'

There's a strident energy to `The Design' with its glistening keys and burning guitar soloing, a darkly weary jazzy shuffle to the sombre `Fall Out Warning', and the beautiful `Goodbye My Friend' is a touching yet gently wistful ballad that still finds moments for livelier and uplifting bursts. `To Those That Are Left Behind' is a short pensive interlude, and the lyrically defiant `Uprising' works in a pleading vocal, chiming guitar wisps and shimmering electric piano tiptoes full of mystery before the disc concludes on a final send-off reprise of the opening title-track.

While there's perhaps just a couple too many songs here, the majority of the pieces drift along in a fairly similar mid-tempo manner and some will wish the instrumental passages were longer, `The Tide' is still an extremely classy and polished work of supreme taste and great dignity performed with impeccable skill, and it makes for an endlessly enjoyable and undemanding light prog listen full of an admirable humanity that more albums in this genre should have.

Four stars.

Riversea enlist a small army of guitarists to add their talents to this collection of mellow Floydian compositions. Whilst Brendan Eyre is the sole keyboardist involved, fellow Riversea co-founder Marc Atkinson displays a knack for integrating all sorts of different performers on the guitar side of the equation, with the album's decent production standards doing a good job of making sure the sound feels consistent. Although it's not an album to set the world on fire, and might not catch the attention of many outside the prog community, it's a competent enough effort which makes me interested to hear where the band will go next.

UK project RIVERSEA was formed by Marc Atkinson and Brendan Eyre in 2006, and in the years that followed they slowly but surely wrote material, enlisting the aid of numerous friends when the time came to record their compositions. The end result became the album "Out of an Ancient World", self released by the band towards the end of 2012.

As far as band projects go, Riversea comes across as a fairly traditional one as far as compositions go. The material is rather straight forward, without any structural surprises to speak of and the arrangements pretty much unfolds as expected to. This is a band that sticks to well known territories throughout, taking on the challenge of creating memorable music within a context that doesn't give them too many strings to play upon.

It is a challenge Riversea masters quite nicely too. The mostly tender compositions that unfolds are strong in mood and atmosphere, both when sticking to tender ballad-oriented compositions from start to finish as well as when slowly developing their creations to end up as majestic constellations sporting smooth but rich symphonic backdrops in jubilant harmony with melodic guitar motifs. A token few excursions into harder edged territories appear as well, like the short but brilliant Fallen, and we're also treated to a somewhat surprising lead motif in the initial phases of Fallen Stars. But by and large this is an album that wanders from one ballad oriented construction to the next one, and more often than not in a rather predictable manner.

The key elements that elevates this production are twofold. The minor of these are the keyboards, Eyre knows his way around frail piano motifs just as much as symphonic backdrops and deliver both of them in a high quality manner. But the star of the show is vocalist Marc Atkinson. He's got a beautiful, emotional voice that is just as much at home in delivering the most tender of frail moments as he is when opting for higher impact and forceful use of his vocal talents. At all times with a certain longing tenderness in his voice, of the kind that will mesmerize many and especially those with a strong affection for high quality lead vocals. And just to have mentioned this too: Pitch perfect delivery throughout as far as I can tell, and perfect choice of vocal style and delivery on all occasions too as far as I'm concerned.

If you're looking for boundary breaking, demanding and challenging progressive rock Riversea is a band you can safely pass by. But if lead vocals of the highest quality perfectly used to elevate and emphasize compositions with tender, frail and emotional qualities sounds like something you might enjoy, "Out of an Ancient World" is an album that you should investigate. In particular if symphonic backdrops and harmonic guitar details neo progressive rock style are descriptions you regard as positive ones.

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.

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.