Riverside – Out of Myself

Piotr Grudziński

Two weeks ago the progressive rock world has suffered a terrible blow with the untimely death of Piotr Grudziński, guitar player for the Polish band Riverside. For over ten years the band has consistently been producing excellent music. I had the luck of witnessing them live as headlines at ROSFest a few years back and they delivered a great performance. The band’s music is a killing combination of personal and emotional lyrics, complex rhythms, long atmospheric passages, great bass playing, and the guitar solos of Piotr Grudziński.

I love their first album, Out of Myself, from 2003. It was this album that introduced me to the band, at a time when my love to progressive rock was dwindling due to lack of great prog artists since the heyday of the genre in the 70s. This album, along with some great music by Porcupine Tree, made me realize that while the prog scene shifted, there is still great music being produced for people who seek complex and melodic music.

Here is a great example of Riverside and Piotr Grudziński’s guitar playing.

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

Light shines in the darkness

I don’t wanna go

Wish I could turn back time

Oh my Guardian Angel

Take me away from here

I think I’m ready now

But still can’t make up my mind

Memories of yesterday

Hopes left behind

I have to fade away now

There’s no other way out

The curtain falls…

Riverside

Riverside