LOVE, FEAR AND THE TIME MACHINE

I've enjoyed Riverside for quite some time now. They've been right on the edge of being in with my favorite bands. Each album has been worthy of several plays, and I would go back to them on occasion. But now. Now that has changed. With this album, LOVE, FEAR AND THE TIME MACHINE, they have moved into my inner circle.There are not many albums which has no duds among the songs. Each song is really, really good.

They've created a heavy prog sound that revolves around the amazing talent of Mariusz Duda. It's his amazingly melodic vocals that are the centerpiece of the music and most of the songs are driven by his bass guitar. This is no ordinary bassist - he plays that thing like a concert violinist. The guitar of Piotr Grudziński remind me of DAVID GILMOUR - high on expression and emotion. The drums of Piotr Kozieradzki are precise and not cumbersome and the keys provided by Michał Łapaj create the atmosphere behind it all.

Duda said that he allowed himself to be influenced by the 80s for this album, and it shows - this album is what some bands like TEARS FOR FEARS, THE CURE, and PETER GABRIEL might have sounded like in the wake of the influence of PORCUPINE TREE, OPETH, and DREAM THEATER. But they most remind me of 80s PINK FLOYD. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the highest praise of all.

And the lyrics. For a person who admits that English is not his fluent language (Riverside is from Poland), these songs pack an amazing punch emotionally. Duda puts his feelings out there and I'm glad for it. Five Stars.