OUT OF MYSELF

Out of Myself is the debut album from the progressive metal band Riverside, and also represents the birth of one of the most original, complex, and musically interesting groups of the 2000's. The band seems to have found a niche in Progressive Metal, yet their sound transcends even the genre, as is exemplified by their flawless integration of their influences from bands in both progressive rock and metal. The band takes the more atmospheric and ambient sound of Pink Floyd, the complex and upbeat nature of Dream Theater, and the heaviness and darker mood of Opeth to form an unusual, but interesting sound. Out Of Myself, in this instance, seems to carry the most Pink Floyd sound, something which slowly deteriorates across future albums for a heavier sound.

Besides the influences, a few things I noticed about the album are the deep ambient atmosphere on almost every track, in addition to great attention to bass and guitar, the latter of which has plenty of moments to shine throughout the album in the form of soulful solos. These are in part due to the pristine mixing and production of the album.

Song-wise, the album is quite varied. The opening 'The Same River,' is arguably the best. It opens with a deep, atmospheric crescendo that slowly develops into some great instrumental parts with vocals superimposed, and ends in a softer, more soulful nature. A beautifully structured song this is, for sure.

'Reality Dream,' 'Reality Dream II,' and the title track are probably the more metal tracks on the album, the first also showcasing a great melodic touch near the end. While 'I Believe,' 'Loose Heart,' 'In Two Minds,' carry a softer, almost ballad like touch in parts, with acoustic guitar playing a prominent role.

'The Curtain Falls' and 'Ok' are probably the deepest songs in terms of atmosphere. Consequently, the Pink Floyd influence is massively obvious on both, with keyboard playing a more supporting role, in addition to brief interspersed guitar solos not unlike David Gilmour, along with some rhythmic guitar parts similar to 'Run Like Hell' in the former.

Out Of Myself is truly the perfect melting pot of its influences, and has the compositional prowess to make perfect use of this sound. Perhaps original would be the wrong term after all, but this album is too great to pass up based on that alone.

8/10