Sharp, modern and full of bite. ID.Entity is Riverside’s 2023 album: a dynamic, contemporary statement from one of Poland’s leading prog bands.

The short version

The 2023 eighth album by the Polish band Riverside, led by Mariusz Duda, with guitarist Maciej Meller in the line-up. Sharper, grittier and more direct than much of their recent work, it wraps the band’s trademark melody and mood in a punchy, modern sound touched by new wave, electronics and hard-edged prog. Loosely themed around identity in the digital age — division, technology and the search for the self in a noisy, connected world — it reached number two in Poland and the top five in Germany. Bold, timely and dynamic, it is one of the band’s most immediate recent records.

A new chapter

After a run of atmospheric, often melancholy albums, Riverside returned in 2023 with renewed energy and a settled line-up. ID.Entity features guitarist Maciej Meller, who is credited as a guest on Wasteland, alongside founder Mariusz Duda on vocals, bass and guitars, drummer Piotr Kozieradzki and keyboardist Michal Lapaj. Produced by Duda, the album drew on the band’s classic strengths — strong melodies, dynamic arrangements and Lapaj’s rich keyboards — while pushing towards a grittier, more up-tempo and contemporary sound. It felt like a band re-energised, tackling the confusions of modern life head-on.

The sound

ID.Entity is sharp, modern prog rock, gritty and dynamic. It pairs the band’s melodic, atmospheric core with a punchier, more direct attack, weaving in new-wave textures, electronic touches and even a flash of eighties synth-pop alongside heavier, riff-driven passages. Duda’s warm, expressive vocals and melodic bass remain central, with Meller’s guitars and Lapaj’s keyboards trading colour and drive. The songs range from tight, hook-laden singles to a sprawling, jazzy epic, all bound together by a strong sense of purpose. Contemporary, muscular and rich in melody, it is Riverside sounding refreshed and relevant.

The songs

‘Friend or Foe?’ opens the album in style, a bright, driving single that fuses new-wave energy with classic prog. ‘Self-Aware’ is a punchy, melodic highlight and another strong single. And the thirteen-minute ‘The Place Where I Belong’ is the album’s sweeping centrepiece, moving through heavy, jazzy and delicately beautiful passages to a moving finish.

Reception and legacy

ID.Entity was warmly received, praised for its energy, its melodies and the way it refreshed the Riverside sound with a sharper, more modern edge. It reached number two in Poland and the top five in Germany, and was widely welcomed as a confident new chapter. Critics and fans alike highlighted its blend of accessibility and depth, and its timely reflections on identity and connection in the digital era. It stands as one of the band’s most vital recent albums and a strong entry point into their more contemporary sound.

The verdict

ID.Entity is Riverside sounding renewed: sharp, modern prog rock built on gritty guitars, rich keyboards and Duda’s soulful voice. Come for the driving ‘Friend or Foe?’ and the epic ‘The Place Where I Belong.’ Dynamic, melodic and thoroughly of its moment, it is essential listening for anyone who likes their progressive rock modern, punchy and rich in feeling — and a confident, timely statement from one of European prog’s most reliable bands — that, in short, is the ID.Entity Riverside album.

Browse the bookshelf in the footer →