Review Summary: Visions of Tomorrow sees The Riven continuing to be one of the strongest hard rock bands today
While The Riven’s musicianship has stayed true to their blues rock foundation, it’s felt like their songwriting has been pushing gradually into heavier ground with each album. Their third installment, Visions of Tomorrow may still be shy of being full-on metal but you’ll certainly see some metallic sparks fly with the even greater emphasis on faster tracks. Beyond the murky lumber of the opening “Far Away From Home” and the occasional psych tangent halfway through a song, you won’t find much in the way of a debut-era slow burn jam.
The approach makes the playing even more electrifying than it already was. Vocalist Charlotta Ekeverg’s ‘what if Janis Joplin was Swedish’ performance has always been the band’s strongest asset but bassist Max Ternebring ends up drawing the most attention with a persistent gravel that lends itself to beefing up the riffs and gallops. I also appreciate how the guitars plays along nicely while still shaping the mood with bold chords, winding leads, and the occasional swirl and warp effect.
Perhaps taking a page from the Lucifer playbook, the songs also come with a certain rock star pizzaz that makes the hooks even more eye-popping. “Killing Machine,” “Set My Heart on Fire,” and “Seen It All” stand out for the backing vocals that boost the impact of their choruses while tracks like “Traveling Great Distance,” “On My Mind (Tonight),” and the Swedish-sung “En Dag Som Aldrig Förr” pack some extra fuzz in their Thin Lizzy-style romps. “We Love You” is the sort of song I’m surprised KISS never wrote with a live-ready chorus and the sort of shenanigans surrounding the rock show storytelling that’s easy to imagine coming from Paul Stanley.
Contrary to whatever temporal confusion the title may suggest, Visions of Tomorrow is another argument for The Riven being one of the strongest hard rock groups out there today. While the increasingly more direct could make it easier for the band to get grouped in with their peers, their strong playing is enough to make them distinct along with a great ear for catchy songwriting. As much as I retain my soft spot for their bluesy debut, part of me wonders if they could get even heavier.
