"Schizophrenic Prayer” is the second single from the latest Riverside album, released in fall of 2007, entitled “Rapid Eye Movement”. The fact is I don't really pay much attention to that kind of initiatives which can be blamed on the lack of "single culture" in our country. It’s yet another musical move Riverside’s made in their career, this one, however, is more of a “mini album” than an actual single.
This release is a tribute to Polish audience, tracks like „Behind the eyelids” or „Rapid Eye movement” could previously only be found on a double cd album that's available only outside of Poland. The album includes 5 tracks and a video clip to “02 Panic Room” providing the listener with a total of 30 minutes of music. In the cd’s opening number „Schizophrenic Prayer" also known from the LP one can hear an unusual mixture of sounds starting with the melody line with a touch of oriental add ins to interesting arrangements of Mariusz Duda’s vocals. The next track, an unknown before, „Rainbow Trip” has undoubtedly taken a place among my personal favourties in all of Riverside’s compositions. It has to it this developement and slow acceleration that makes me want to listen to it over and over again. If the band chose to go in the direction of trance playing, dominated with those kind of keyboard and pulsing guitars I wouldn’t have anything against it. The track’s title itself seems to be referring to two compotions from the LP, namely “Rainbow Box" and “Ultimate Trip”. Another track, „Behind The Eyelids”, a calm, sobered answer to the LP’s “Beyond The Eyelids”, is completely rearranged, the lyrics, however, left exactly the same create a completely new emotion based on the same lyrical form. „Rapid Eye Movement", last year's Riverside's tour opening number is another trance embodiment of Riverside which entangled me so much. Piotrek Gruziński,who certainly knows how to handle the guitar, Mariusz Duda - undoubtedly one of the best Polish bass players, background drums of Piotrek Kozieradzki with foreground keyboard of Michał Łapaja are a mixture that delivers us a tune that cannot be passed unnoticed. Last but not least Oleck Bobrov’s remix of “Schizophrenic Prayer” is complimenting the cd as a whole in an interesting way.
Of course there are those who might not share my point of view. As far as I am concerned, though, Riverside's creations are more and more appealing. Video clip to „02 Panic Room” is a great addition to the cd which should be on the first place of the "to do" list of those into progressive climates.
Track list:
01. Schizophrenic Prayer (Album Version)
02. Rainbow Trip
03. Behind The Eyelids
04. Rapid Eye Movement
05. Schizophrenic Prayer (Remix)
Label: Mystic Production (2008)
