ALBUM REVIEW: Heal – RIVIẼRE
RIVIẼRE, Basick Records’ fresh blood, have created their debut LP, entitled Heal. The French rockers take influences from post-rock, prog, and electronic to name a few, which sounds like a delectable concoction for the pallet of any music appreciator. With so many influences under their belt and with their nature of crossing genres together to make a new sound, we gave Heal a listen to see how it fares up.
Right off the bat, you pick up the plethora of influences in the first track, New Cancer. A prominent bassline accompanies a progressive introductory guitar piece as drums kick in and the band comes together. Once the vocals come in, the track is simply complete. While initially heavy, the mood changes through the vocals, both smooth yet powerful, which take the rough edge off the track and pair well with guitar melodies and a fantastic bassline.
Slightly different to New Cancer, the second track, Golden Wounds, has a more post-hardcore feel to it, while sticking to a more melancholic feel throughout as opposed to the somewhat energetic nature of New Cancer. The vocals sound totally different in this track, and truly shines in the chorus (and the chorus of every track on this record).
Symbol is a track with a touching intro, keeping to a slower pace momentarily and putting a real focus on vocals along with a slapping bassline that provides the backbone of this track. Satin Night is arguably the most post-hardcore influenced track, but there are still elements of the grace of post-rock in there, making for a beautiful mix of sounds. Spanning at almost 10 minutes, Satin Night’s changes in pace and atmosphere truly demonstrate RIVIẼRE’s ability to take you on a musical journey.
Mid-way through the album, the band’s electronic influences are more prominent in Cobalt, a nearly 3-minute ominous interlude that builds up suspense and intrigue for the remainder of the album, especially the heavy riff-laden intro to Binary Love. Finishing off the album is Yosemite, where their post-metal sound really comes through and makes for the highlight of the record.
What must really be mentioned is RIVIẼRE‘s ability to feel as if each song is telling a story, slowly winding down a form of narrative in their musical ability. Fading from ethereal melodies and harder riffs, each track feels like a whole new experience and each weaves beautifully to the next. While the record sticks to a generally melancholic tone with uplifting moments here and there, you can’t help but feel lifted in spirit upon listening to it. Everything sounds and feels fresh, and their experimentation with multiple musical styles really pays off in Heal.
Heal is one of those records you’ll just want to listen to repeatedly. It’s astounding to think that this is RIVIẼRE‘s debut. The way all members of the band mould together to create a unified, incredibly polished and beautiful sound so seemingly effortlessly is a true sign of talent. It’s hard to find flaws or places to improve in a piece of music that’s so well refined and thought through, especially when executed as well as Heal. If this is their first full offering to the world of rock and metal, RIVIẼRE are a true force to be reckoned with, and have a long and prosperous future ahead of them.
Rating: 9/10
Heal is set for release on January 20th via Basick Records.
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