RIVERSIDE — Anno Domini High Definition (review)

RIVERSIDE — Anno Domini High Definition album cover Album · 2009 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
The Crow
After the slightly disappointing Rapid Eye Movement, Riverside returned to top form with one of their best albums to date!

Based on a concept which talks about uncommunication and isolation in modern society given by technology, hedonism and egoism, Riverside managed to create five wonderful songs in the vein of Second Life Syndrome (not so dark like Rapid Eye Movement) but even heavier, making this album their hardest to date.

The album is more guitar oriented than their previous three and the keyboards are also rockier, with extensive use of Hammond, making this album sound a bit less symphonic and more straightforward heavy prog. The drumming is also fantastic and so are the incredible bass lines and mellow (and sometiemes really harsh) singing of Mariusz.

Best tracks: all of them! But Left Out is a marvelous melancholic classic.

Conclusion: Anno Domini High Definition is one of the highest peaks in Riverside's career in terms of quality, and it's also their heaviest record. All five tracks are just an outstanding sample of modern prog rock at its best, making this album one of the most prominent of the last decade.

A masterpiece of music in general and an absolute must for every prog lover!

My rating: *****

P.S.: this review was originally written for ProgArchives.com
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The Crow wrote:
more than 2 years ago
UMUR... If you not like Anno Domini High Definition, then I recommend you Shrine of New Generation Slaves, much more atmospheric and 70's sound influenced. Or Love, Fear and The Time Machine, their softer album to date and pure prog-rock too.
more than 2 years ago
All right! I'm sold. I was thinking to get a third Riverside album and your review convinved me that this is the one!
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
This one always seem to be highly rated, but personally this is were I left the bus. Too much metal on this one. I enjoy Riverside much more when they are prog rock than when they play heavy. That´s when they shine IMO.

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