Poland’s pioneering and leading progressive rock band RIVERSIDE has shared a new single from their recently announced 8th studio album entitled “ID.Entity”. The record will be released on January 20th, 2023 via InsideOut Music/Sony. Check out the album’s first track “Friend or Foe?” in its ‘Single Edit’ version and with an entertaining video clip animated and directed by Thomas Hicks below.
RIVERSIDE’s Mariusz Duda checked in with the following comment: “’Friend or Foe?’ is one of the key songs on the new RIVERSIDE album. Not only is it the opening track but, musically, it is possibly also the most courageous and intriguing one. One of its strong points is the lyrics which talk about how we’re perceived by others, especially these days, when pretending to be someone you’re not on social media has become the norm. Can we still be ourselves or do we have to keep adapting to the requirements of new algorithms? Perhaps we’ve already lost our identities and we’re only waiting for instructions from a Siri or Alexa?
“Who do you pretend to be?” are the first words of the song and the listener has already started searching for that 80s band it reminds them of. Is this a mere inspiration or is it provocation? Is the writer of the song pretending to be someone else or is this who he really is? Who is behind it all? The artist himself or a producer churning out music for many other artists? Is what I’m writing now a reflection of what I’m feeling or am I writing it because I want to put the song on a higher recommended playlist? And if we apply it to politics, who are the candidates? Are they credible? Trustworthy? Will they keep their promises? And finally, will we be able to trust each other one day, hear each other out and understand, or will we still keep our distance and suspicions? Perhaps there is a chance to build a better world, but how to recognize who is a friend and who is a foe?”
“ID.Entity” can be pre-ordered HERE.
Succeeding 2018’s widely acclaimed “Wasteland” album, which entered the charts in Germany at # 13, The Netherlands at # 28, Switzerland at # 23, Austria at # 39, UK at # 83, Finland at # 30, France at # 97, Czech Republic at # 59 and Poland at # 1, their new album “ID.Entity” extends and expands RIVERSIDE’s characteristic sound, but all in a revamped and more dynamic formula.
Recorded and mixed in two studios (The Boogie Town Studio in Otwock with Paweł Marciniak and in Serakos studio in Warsaw with Magda and Robert Srzedniccy), the album was mastered by Robert Szydło and produced by RIVERSIDE’s Mariusz Duda himself.
“ID.Entity” kicks off the third decade in RIVERSIDE’s career in a remarkable way and will be available in the following formats:
- Ltd. Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook (Disc 1: Album, Disc 2: All 4 bonus tracks, Blu-ray: All main 9 album tracks in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 and 24bit HighRes Audio mix versions)
- Ltd. 2CD Mediabook (Disc 1: Album, Disc 2: All 4 bonus tracks)
- CD Jewelcase
- Deluxe Digital Album (Including all 4 bonus tracks)
- Digital album
The album’s vinyl version comes as Gatefold 2LP (With the bonus tracks “Age of Anger” and “Together Again” on Side D) in the following variants:
- Black vinyl: All outlets
- Orange vinyl: All outlets
- White vinyl: 500x copies via JPC & Burning Shed
- Yellow vinyl: 500x copies via EMP & Just For Kicks
- Sky Blue vinyl: 600x copies via Laser’s Edge & CM Distro/Webshop Europe
“ID.Entity” Album Artwork
“ID.Entity” Track-listing:
CD 1 – Album:
1. Friend or Foe?
2. Landmine Blast
3. Big Tech Brother
4. Post-Truth
5. The Place Where I Belong
6. I’m Done With You
7. Self-Aware
CD 2 – Bonus Material
1. Age of Anger
2. Together Again
3. Friend or Foe? (Single Edit)
4. Self-Aware (Single Edit)
RIVERSIDE have recently also announced their return to North American stages in February/March 2023 in promotion of “ID.Entity”. Check out the band’s upcoming confirmed live-dates below.
RIVERSIDE also launched a “Riverside Heavy” playlist featuring “I’m Done With You” as well as many other heavier tracks from the band’s comprehensive catalogue, which you can check out HERE.
