OUT OF MYSELF

Polish band Riverside released their debut album 'Out of Myself' in late 2003, one of the very intriguing musical gems from the period of the early 2000s. This first taste of the band provides a fascinatingly soothing mixture of atmospheric rock with progressive elements and occasional metal leanings, all engulfed in a very melancholic, dark and even desperate atmosphere, sitting quite well what bands like Porcupine Tree, Marillion, or Pain of Salvation had been doing at the time. A great offering with plenty of memorable and intense tracks, 'Out of Myself' showcases an even wider range of influences, one of which has to be the more urban-style music of the 1990s, for example, as similar sounds are intelligently embedded all throughout the record. And this comes as no surprise, as band leader Mariusz Duda had been interested in Radiohead, Massive Attack and Dead Can Dance, all very appealing and inventive acts for their times.

Armed with such an array of influences as well as with a desire to put out a work that is impactful and memorable, one could see Riverside's debut album as one of the very brilliant atmospheric rock albums of the early 2000s, also displaying a tendency for a very lush heavy sound, as the band juggles between heavy and light quite engagingly. The record fits very well the overall dark and heavy musical zeitgeist, especially for what concerns progressive music, and the examples are many, including the albums released by the bands mentioned previously. Standout tracks are the 12-minute opening song 'The Same River', a great piece that sets a beautiful tone for the entire catalogue of Riverside, in my opinion, the heavier title track as well as the two parts of the 'Reality Dream' suite are quite satisfying, while the more cathartic pieces like 'Loose Heart' or 'OK' could hardly be overlooked. A splendid debut album, deservedly one of the most celebrated ones from 2003/04!