poland

North - Na Polach Bitew

Pamięć Przeszłości Pagan2006 Not only does the cover of Na Polach Bitew recall Graveland’s Creed of Iron, Rob Darken contributed artwork to the release. Add the song title “Symbol of the Sun,” as well as the fact that North appears on the upcoming Eastern Hammer split with Graveland and Nokturnal Mortum, and my NSBM alarm […]

Non Opus Dei - The Quintessence

Gdy Imperium Upada…Kolejny Obrót Koła Pagan2006 I must admit, this album took a while to grow on me. At first, it went by, feeling dreary and colorless. But after further listening, I realized that’s not the case. Darkness has many hues, and what I mistook for dreariness turned out to be subtle, varied, and, yes, […]

Azarath - Diabolic Impious Evil

Anti-Human, Anti-GodDevil’s Stigmata Pagan2006 It’s tough not to laugh at song titles like “Baptized in Sperm of the Antichrist” or “Intoxicated by Goat Vomit,” or an album title that essentially parses to “Evil Evil Evil.” But Azarath brings the fucking hammer, which isn’t a surprise given that Inferno from Behemoth is on drums and Trufel, […]

Yattering - Murder's Concept

Anal NarcoticDamaged Relapse2000 Admittedly, Yattering didn’t impress me much when I first heard them on 2000’s Polish Assault (they were hit-or-miss, but the Assault compilations for various countries were brilliant ideas, and I wish Relapse kept doing them). Not long ago, though, I heard some clips that made me go apeshit so much that I […]

Lux Occulta - The Mother and the Enemy

Missa Solemnis Metal Mind2001 Holy album cover! Whoever decided that a boob could be a face has some serious issues. Once I get past that haunting mammary, The Mother and the Enemy is no less strange. The most recent album by on-hiatus Lux Occulta, it was evidently too weird for its drummer, who jumped ship […]

Artrosis - Fetish

Fetish Metal Mind2001 Female-fronted goth metal is one of Poland’s prime metallic exports, with Artrosis one of the leading lights. Since 1995, the band has released six studio full-lengths. Metal Mind recently reissued In Nomine Noctis (the English version of 1998’s W Imie Nocy) and 2001’s Fetish, which present interesting contrasts. Fetish wields loops and […]

Moonlight - Integrated in the System of Guilt

For Better Days (excerpt) Metal Mind2006 Moonlight has been around since 1991, but Integrated in the System of Guilt is my first introduction to the band. The album frankly blows me away. Just when I’m ready to write off anything vaguely goth, along comes this gorgeous blend of metal, rock, and electronics. Admittedly, the last […]

Closterkeller - Cyan

Cisza W Jej Domu Polygram1996 Another first encounter for me, Cyan is the phenomenal 1996 album by Closterkeller, perhaps the oldest Polish goth metal group, having formed in 1988. The band has much notoriety in Poland, but for whatever reason this has seems not to have translated outside the country. Perhaps this is due to […]

Squash Bowels - Love Songs

Searching for the KillRuthless Rabble Lifestage Productions2005 I suppose the social value of a goregrind group called Squash Bowels naturally comes into question. However, this Polish band brings the urgh, and that’s all I ask for. I have no idea what the band is growling and gurgling about, as no lyrics come with its most […]

Antigama / Third Degree / Herman Rarebell - The World Will Fall Soon and We All Will Die

Polish metal week grinds on, so to speak, with this 2004 three-way split on Selfmadegod, the big name in Polish grindcore. Let’s face it, grindcore’s typical 30 songs in 30 minutes can get old fast, so mixing up bands adds much-needed variety. Antigama, Third Degree, and Herman Rarebell are all key players in Polish grind, […]
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