RAPID EYE MOVEMENT

Listening to this CD is full of joy and happiness although the music is basically dark. How come? Well, it's not the nuance that makes make happy but the fact that the music flows excellently from one passage in a song to another passage and from one song to another song. All in all, the collection of songs in this album makes the it a cohesive music whereby the transitions from one passage to another is done smoothly so that the listeners feel like being brought in a joyful musical journey. The music of Riverside has been consistent from its debut album until this one.

The opener "Beyond The Eyelids" kicks the album with great passages in relatively medium tempo style with ambient nuance. You might think the style is like a combination between Pink Floyd and Pain of Salvation. The shouts of lead vocalist sound like the shouts of Daniel Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation). This opening track opens a window for listeners in a kind of music which I believe it's a combination of symphonic as well as slow tempo progressive metal. Looking at the guitar riffs it's quite clear that this song has a very strong metal roots. It's an excellent opening track.

"Rainbow Box" starts wonderfully with tight basslines augmented by keyboard effects followed with guitar riffs and drums which bring the music flows nicely with good vocal line. "Panic Room" starts wit drum followed by tight bass guitar lines followed with Floydian guitar solo on slow tempo music. The keyboard at the background reconfirms the symphonic nuance the band wants to demonstrate. The main rhythm section is built from tight bass lines and drum beats. "Schizophrenic Prayer" is a though provoking title name and it contains music in mellow style at opening with simple guitar fills, long sustain keyboard work at the background. The music flows in ambient nuance excellently with a dragging vocal line augmented with music in psychedelic style.

"Parasomnia" starts with powerful vocal line without music followed by keyboard and then bass guitar lines and female chanting enrich the music and make it more symphonic in nature. The guitar riffs are quite raw and generate metal nuance. One thing that I like about this track is the mixed use of guitar sounds. At first, there are heavy riffs with raw sounds but as the music moves, it has evolved into howling guitar style.

"Through The Other Side" starts excellently with acoustic guitar work followed with nice vocal line. The song moves with mellow style. The acoustic guitar fills seem like repeated but it creates good nuance of this unplugged song. "Embryonic" continues acoustic guitar work as main rhythm section accompanying good vocal line.

"Cybernetic Pillow" kicks with guitar riffs and followed by a full blast music and vocal that gives a chance for guitar to play its solo. The solo that accompanies the singing style is also a nice part. The concluding track "Ultimate Trip", which seems like an epic, concludes the album with a music of beautiful flow from start to end. The keyboard solo in about the middle of the track is truly great and enjoyable.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this album to those who have not been familiar with Riverside because I believe you will love this album because it easy to digest. The strength point of this album is its ability to create an ambient nuance and great flow from one part to another part of the music. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

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