2016 was a black year for the Polishs with the death of their guitarist 'Piotr Grudziński' and it was not clear at that time what would be the future of the group. 2 years passed and after the release of 'Eye of the Soundscape' which was a double album of instrumental tracks illustrating the experimental side of the group and out of step with what 'Riverside' used to offer us but which was a tribute to the memory of Piotr (see here), 2018 sees the release of a new album 'Wasteland' which sees 'Riverside' return to a more clean style that was known in the first opus of the group, one of the reasons being certainly the need to mourn after Piotr's death. At first, we cannot do more stripped than 'The Day After' with 'Mariusz Dudo' which gives us goosebumps and serves as an introduction to 'Acid Rain', a title between rock and progressive metal that is d an exceptional emotional level alternating rage and serenity. With the following titles, the musical level remains at its peak with 'Vale of Tears' and with the ballad 'Guardian Angel' in which we are caught by the melancholy that emerges and 'Lament' continues in this register by adding a alternation even more marked between powerful parts and acoustic parts and a final that involves ropes in a remarkable emotional intensity. The second part of the album brings us back to progressive rock with the long instrumental 'The Struggle of Survival' and then, the 'River Down Below' which still takes us on a small cloud with a 'Floydian' solo of great beauty and then, the almost instrumental eponym of the title track rock / folk that mixes ambiances as far as film music to the 'Enio Morricone' and more classic progressive rock (pure happiness !!) to end with 'The Night Before’ which responds to the introduction for a last very strong title which gives you one last goose bumps. In summary, 'Wasteland' is certainly one of the most intense albums of 'Riverside' and if we refer to their discography, we find ourselves in the style of a 'Second Life Syndrome' which is for me the must of the group; I'm sure that Piotr who looks at them from the beyond is very proud of his friends because this kind of album is to put away in the box of essential albums which are good for the soul and at the end of the year will certainly be for me on the podium of the albums of 2018... | |
