RIVERSIDE — Voices in My Head (review)

RIVERSIDE — Voices in My Head album cover

EP · 2005 · Metal Related

3/5 · 2017-07-23
siLLy puPPy

After RIVERSIDE released their debut album “Out Of Myself,” they were met with unexpected critical acclaim and became the next best thing in the progressive rock world with their Steven Wilson / Porcupine Tree inspired take on emotional atmospheric rock with the extra oomf of metal elements popping in from time to time. The band set out to release what they called the “Reality Dream Trilogy” which would conclude with their second and third albums “Second Life Syndrome” and “Rapid Eye Movement.” Tucked in between the first two album though the band decided to slip in a little EP called VOICES IN MY HEAD which is a collection of things to come as well as things that have been. While originally released in 2005 through Mystic Production, the band soon became singed to InsideOut Music where it has been released ever since.

VOICES IN MY HEAD contains five studio tracks and three live tracks from their “Out Of Myself” debut release. The studio tracks are mostly acoustically played with a few electronic and distorted guitar effects added in from time to time making this one a lot mellower of an experience than even the already chilled out debut. The tracks “Us” and “The Time I Was Daydreaming” would be reworked and partially reappear on “Rapid Eye Movement.” On later releases there is also a video for the song “Acronym Love.” Despite emerging in the middle of the “Reality Dream Trilogy” series, VOICES IN MY HEAD is not officially considered a part of this sequence but instead can merely be deemed a supplemental fan extra for those who can’t get enough of this stuff.

Four of the tracks are in a mellow acoustic mode with clear inspiration from Porcupine Tree with progressive rock melodies and those tricky vocal counterpoints with the instruments. Mariusz Duda while sounding distinct in his own right nails the Steven Wilson stylistic approach as does his guitar combo effect with Piotr Grudzinski who at any given moment could easily slip any of these tracks on any Steven Wilson solo offering and no one would blink an eye. The track i find most interesting is the downtempo a la Massive Attack’s “Mezzanine” album sound as heard on “Dna ts. Redum or F.Raf” which means who knows what but has a cool chilled interplay between the hypnotic groove, strong guitar riffs and Duda’s rollercoaster ride of emotional vocalizations.

The live tracks show how easily RIVERSIDE connected with audiences and that their charisma wasn’t limited to the studio. All those vocal harmonies and syncopated progginess were just as powerful in a live setting. The title track to “Out Of Myself” is by far the strongest track of this lot with that infamous stellar bass groove and strong melodic hooks that give RIVERSIDE their own sound if only for a while and should rightfully be called “Out Of Porcupine Tree” territory. Personally i find this music beautifully performed with a superior production job that allows every little swish and swirl to be heard in a crystal clear haze. My main gripe with VOICES IN MY HEAD is that it unfortunately prognosticates the fairly early burnout of creativity with the band and points to the day when they would slowly remove the heavier elements and fall completely within the derivative sounds of Steven Wilson, which is completely admirable in how well they accomplish that no small feat, but just not want i want to hear another band pulling off. One Porcupine Tree is fine, thank you. Overall a decent EP but i really only find their first two albums essential and then they lose my attention.