RAPID EYE MOVEMENT

I discovered this good Polish band some three years ago and I was fascinated by "The Same River" which was the opening number of their debut album. Although this song has never been superseded so far, "Riverside" continued to produce good quality music.

This album is not really a prog-metal one IMO. More on the spacey side. The link with "Porcupine Tree" is obvious to me and even if "Riverside" fans might be surprised, I think it is a nice experience to listen to. This comparison might have something to do with the harder "PT" sound which is noticeable in some of their later work.

"Rapid Eye Movement" is also more acoustic-oriented than previous "Riverside" works. Both "Through The Other Side" (rather atmospheric, ambient but uniform) and "Embryonic" are perfect examples. They do not belong to my faves from the band but it contributes to give a more diversified angle to this album. We are indeed far from the true metal music from their previous album "Second Life Syndrome ".

There will also be some strong numbers to balance a too soft mood, don't worry. "Parasomnia" is a dark, scary and highly energetic piece of music while "Cybernetic Pillow" is a classic "Riverside" song : great and hypnotic riff and great guitar play from Piotr (I really like his approach). It has an Eastern flavour which is rather pleasant.

I would have hoped a more "prog" structure for the long "Ultimate Trip". Instead it is a good prog-metal song with a more dominant keyboards sound. It is at times rather heavy but always upbeat. Piotr on the guitar does again a fantastic job (but this is familar by now). The typical whispering from Mariuz are there to comfort you. And if not ultimate, it is a nice trip indeed.

All in all, this is another good "Riverside" album. A good mix of metal (but not too much) and space-rock. Three stars.