I always enjoy seeing something really great, from overseas, make a splash here in the states. So much really good import music goes virtually unnoticed here and it's really a shame. It's not that American musicians aren't capable of producing music of the quality of Riverside's Out of Myself, it just seems like they can't be bothered, because American buyers will line up, no matter what they peddle.

Out of Myself is being touted by many Progressive Rock aficionados as the best prog/rock album of 2004. I don't know about that but it is an exceptional album and I do enjoy it more than recent releases by Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree and Pain of Salvation. Their music is atmospheric blend of aggressive prog metal and a smoother prog rock style and it is overwhelming. Their opening track, "The Same River" is a classic and may indeed be the Prog/rock track of the year. Twelve minutes of a haunting, predominantly instrumental masterpiece. It starts with special effects, a radio tuner spinning along the dial, static and all, leading into some Floydian guitar work. After a couple minutes we settle into a contagious, continuous guitar rhythm which permeates the song throughout, while ethereal vocals and soaring guitar solos run their course. There are some lyrics but they are near the end of this monster song: "I am your fear, hope - I am your grief, joy - I am your deed, word - I am your hate, love - I know... I can... Wanna stay..."

Next, the title track, "Out of Myself" is shorter but an equally potent track. Again the guitar is the main instrument, sometime soft and often heavy and crunchy. This is a busy song with lots happening and the singer, Duda is excellent singing lyrics like: "I don't feel quite myself. I think I'm losing heart. I'm sick and tired of all those words. Voices in my head"

The title track is followed by a very good easy going song, "I Believe" featuring an acoustic guitar and double track singing. This song reminds me of one of Mikael Akerfeldt's milder endeavors. Then comes another five star number in the six minute "Reality Dream," another hard driving number, sort of like an instrumental version of the title track. Track Five, "Loose Heart" is like an atmospheric power ballad but it gets real heavy including screaming vocals right at the end: "Raise me up. Don't let me fall. Cause I don't get myself. I feel like I felt before. But can't find my way "

"Reality Dream II" is a heavy guitar laden instrumental reprise of "Reality Dream" I, albeit shorter. "In Two Minds" Duda has an ambient melancholy sound with an accompanying, first acoustic then electric guitar. A synth plays a good part in the slow easy going number as well: "But if you lose your faith. Know that I am still your friend. And if the sky falls down. Know that I will still support you."

Track Eight, "The Curtain Falls" starts slowly with a sort of steel guitar flavor leading into Dud`s soft vocals. At first it sounds like something Chris Rea would sing but it does pick up nicely at the three-thirty mark, with some excellent progressive movements: "I know what I'm really like...I'm bleeding... I don't mind... That was very foolish of me. I can do nothing now

"

Ok, "OK", is my least favorite song but on this album that ain't bad. It is very slow and moody. It is a simple but effective song of heartbreak: "There's sadness in my mind - ok. There's darkness in my mind - ok. Thoughts echoing in my mind - ok. Everything is gonna be..."

Line-up

- Piotr Grudzinski / guitar

- Markus Duda / vocals, bass & guitar

- Piotr Kozieradzki / drums & percussion

- Jacek Melnicki / keyboards

Conclusion

Out of Myself is an album for those of you who appreciate good guitar playing. When I listen to this album I hear influences from all the masters but Riverside bows to no band. Their work is both original and wonderful. Yes I hear Floyd and Pain of Salvation and Porcupine Tree and Anathema and even Opeth but what I hear most is Riverside.

The music tends to be dark and dreamy. It's progressive but there are songs that could be right at home on the radio. Singer Markus Duda is an superlative singer and guitar player. His voice is a little like Opeth`s Mikael Akerfeldt. There is no question that the first two songs are the highlights but the remaining songs all stand on their own merits. For a debut album this is amazing. If you like great progressive rock/metal music dig out seventeen bucks and splurge. You won't be disappointed. Final Rating 4.5 Stars, rounded up.

I would have given this album 3.5 stars if it were possible. That is NOT to say it isnt a good album. Actually, its an excellent album and a terrific freshman prog-rock effort by these boys from Poland. This album was a great listen and highly recommended as a wonderful new group with good instrumentals and sound, but they are not breaking any "new" ground here and parallels to others are inevitable and rather obvious. I wasnt "blown away" but did find myself swaying in the wind by this album.

There are clear influences by Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Opeth and Porcupine Tree , to name just a few of the quintessential names that pop to mind as one listens to Riverside.

The guitar playing is very cool and they break out into clean solos which are very well played and has an excellent ambient sound. "Reality Dreams II" stands out a song with a nice guitar and drum ending.

The vocals are clean and the singer Duda has a nice range. Not influencing the listening pleasure but, I felt that a non-native English "accent" is clearly noted on most of the songs. This again is not to define any way that the language should sound (given that Brits and Americans differ on most words as well) but I guess I would hear a deviation from a "neutral" accent that seems to characterize most music vocals. As other reviewers have pointed out, the lead singer sounded a lot like Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth on many an occasion. I also found him sounding like Gavin from Dredg (especially on the song "loose heart"). This is purely a chronological phenomenon as one tends to compare with predecessors in the same genre.

One thing I would note though is comparisons to Floyd (or most great prog rock bands for that matter) are premature and definitely lacking from a purely lyrical perspective. The music is pretty cool, but they really need to work on their lyrics. They could easily be mistaken for some teen-angst ravings about lost love (which seems to be the theme of all the songs). "As you know/ I've always loved you and I know I will always love..."

All in all, this is a very promising band with an amalgam of sounds that seems to be influenced by all the greats and yet manages to have a sound of their own. Give it a listen and keep a ear out for future efforts from them.

I regularly survey the progressive rock/metal scene hoping to find some decent new progressive talent. I have been appreciating prog since the seventies and even late sixties. In comparison to virtually all prog before it I can confidently state that Riverside is a phenomenon. There music is deliciously complex, crisp, intelligent, musically compelling and unexpected - the last of which is the best possible thing I could think to say of progressive music. The musicianship is top shelf. In a nod to Dream Theater, Riverside is clearly influenced by them but has one advantage - a decent vocalist. No, not decent, extraordinary - although decent would be enough to trump DT. Not only the lyrics, but the vocal melodies are well thought out and musically interesting. Riverside, with Out of Myself and Second Life Syndrome, is the band I have been waiting for since the mid eighties when When Dream and Day Unite came out.

For context, other contemporary prog artists I find to be quite good include, of course, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Green Carnation, Transatlantic, Spock's Beard (pre-Morse departure), Blackfield, and Siege's Even.

This is a masterpiece. If you love intense, complex, hauntingly beautiful progressive music then you can not dislike this work. I have never given a 5-star review before. This well deserves it. Congratulations Riverside, and keep the music coming!

This CD has already been released in Europe and the only thing I can say about it is that it absolutely ROCKS. The music is an amazing combination of progressive rock and heavy metal. If you like Queensryche, early Rush, Sylvan or Dream Theater, you're gonna love this. It's hard to name the best tracks on the album, because they're all great.

I bought this CD after their second effort,Second life syndrome, so its hardly surprising that this is not quite as assured. Now that does not mean it is not a good CD, it still contains heady, intelligent rock with just the right amount of melodies, all out brash riffs, stunning "musicianship" all round. They each play their instruments with great accomplishment and tenacity and are worthy of being rated next to Porcupine tree, Pink Floyd, and thoroughly deserve such acclamations. If the improvement continues with each CD these guys release they may find a huge popularity and an eager audience for live shows! I recommend this to any prog fan and suggest you listen to the samplers on amazon or the prog archives, feast your ears!!