by John A Wilcox
The River – Both Sides Of The Story (Marco DeAngelis)
The River is the brainchild of Marco DeAngelis. Out of Italy, DeAngelis is a very talented composer and multi- instrumentalist. Drummer Cristiano Micalizzi and vocalist Marcello Catalano round out the ensemble. Both are top notch.
If I were to give River’s sound a “tag,” I would call it progressive with strong melodies and interesting rhythms. Not out of place with Riverside or Porcupine Tree minus the crunch. Throw in a pinch of recent era Fish. A very nice blend. Songs like Tell Me Why, Black Stare, and Regrets are full of emotion and strong melodies.
Performances are immaculate. Very well crafted compositions with interesting lyrics. Radio friendly yet with an exotic tinge. Sonically incredible – the album sounds like it was recorded in the best studio you’ve ever heard! Quite a pleasant surprise and very much worth a listen!