RIVERSIDE — Anno Domini High Definition (review)

RIVERSIDE — Anno Domini High Definition album cover Album · 2009 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Sleepwalker
Riverside's most recent release and fourth full-length studio album is Anno Domini High Definition. The album shows the heavy side of the band more than on previous releases, which means that there is less focus on creating atmosphere. This is probably my main issue with the album. It isn't bad though, not at all. The album shows excellent musicianship and does really feature some great music.

The album opens with the haunting piano playing of "Hyperactive". This will soon change in menacing metal that's very rich of synths. The song is very powerful, like most songs on the album, though it isn't a masterpiece. The same goes for "Driven To Destruction"; a good song, but nothing more. The following songs are longer ,more progressive, and also more interesting. "Egoist Hedonist" features some cheesy melodies but in the end is a very nice song. "Left Out" is probably the most atmospheric song on the album and in my opinion the best. It shows some excellent musicianship and I can't really say much bad about it. The closing track, "Hybrid Times" starts with a piano intro, like "Hyperactive". Soon the song will burst out into the heaviest track on the album, that isn't much less good than "Left Out".

There aren't really bad songs on here, though none are really overwhelming. All songs are incredibly powerful though, and while that might sound positive I don't think it is. The album sounds a bit unbalanced because of this, which I think really is a shame. The bonus DVD, which is recorded at the Paradiso in the Netherlands is a nice feature. The performance is excellent, and much more atmospheric than the album itself. This is because it features songs from the previous albums. This live performance also shows the excellent musicianship of the band.

Three stars seems like a very good rating for this album. It isn't bad by any means, but just lacks the atmosphere that is so defining for Riverside's sound. I'd recommend this to anyone liking some powerful prog metal with psychedelic influences and not minding a bit of cheese here and there.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

For Those Who Breathe From Darkness Metalcore
OATHSWAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Terror Butcher Goregrind
TERROR BUTCHER
Buy this album from MMA partners
About Life Sludge Metal
THROATSNAPPER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Bag Seeker Sludge Metal
BORER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Stygian Rose Traditional Doom Metal
CRYPT SERMON
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Throatsnapper - Brilliant Insane (official video)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Throatsnapper - Getting even (official video)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 1 day ago
From Wood To Gallows (official)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Throatsnapper - Why (official video)
THROATSNAPPER
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Median - Turn Back Time (Official Music Video)
MEDIAN (TRE)
Bosh66· 1 day ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed