Over the Voids...: "Over the Voids"

Consistently uninteresting with few exceptions

Over the years I've found the part of the black metal scene that consists of one-man bands to be the most hit-or-miss prone part. The Fall is a Polish musician who has been involved with quite a few bands, playing live bass for the likes of Mgla and Clandestine Blaze. Over the Voids... is the first band in which he claims the guitar (and all other roles within the band as well) as his instrument, and that does show in the final product.

Triple Grindcore Feature: Antigama, Marginal, Wojczech/Krupskaya

Non Opus Dei & Morowe: "Dziwki Dwie"

Impressive and different black metal from Poland, taking jabs at the inadequacies of the established scene

In the case of this split EP by Polish country-mates Non Opus Dei and Morowe there's a little more going on than the old "two bands getting together to release something" schtick. Non Opus Dei have been gracing Europe with several old school black metal albums since the late 90s, their sound representative for the time, if at times venturing further. Morowe, in the same manner, are a product of their times, only they are a much younger band. These guys are definitely not afraid of pushing the boundaries of black metal, and together these two groups represent old and new.

Rape On Mind: "Downwards"

Poland's worst export

Experimentation is the essence of progress, but experimentation with no goal in mind more often than not yields terrible results. While some are content with just fine tuning what has essentially been done before, that is something that Rape On Mind aren't about at all. Inducing a thought of "huh, I wonder where this is going", their Downwards album is definitely aiming to be different.

Critical Insanity: "Through the Infinite Darkness"

Strange and unique take on thrash, but stumbling around in the dark

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then Critical Insanity - a band of thrashing youngsters roaming the streets of Poland - haven't found anyone worth flattering. Or perhaps they've instead opted to truly try and be different, which in a way they have succeeded in with their 2013 full length demo Through the Infinite Darkness.

Armagedon: "Thanatology"

Chugs and tremolos at the artist's discretion

Go digging around in Poland's heavy metal history and you'll come up with quite a few gems. Some, like Armagedon from Kwidzyn, have been hanging on since the 80s, during which time they released a few demos before their true debut Invisible Circle in 1993. The original crew broke up in 1994, only to re-emerge in 2006 for another hard hitting bout in the ring.

In Silent: "Potepienie"

Polish genre-veterans that do their job, but sometimes only with unambitious adequacy

Having formed in 1996, 2016 celebrates the 20th anniversary of Polish death mongers In Silent. Most original members are long gone from In Silent's lineup, and over the course of two decades the band had, until 2013, only a few demos to show for their long engagement in the genre.

Mind Affliction: "Pathetic Humanity"

Mindless ramblings that take form and wildly twist before condensing into Pathetic Humanity

The coal-filled soil of Poland is home to many well known, and of course many more lesser known, metal acts. From experience, the lesser known bands show a remarkably high level of musicianship and flair. Mind Affliction, who hail from the ancient city of Kraków, emerged from the rich Polish culture in 2009, though Mental Disorder - the band's first demo - wasn't released until 2011. Pathetic Humanity, released through Metal Scrap Records, was in turn unleashed in 2013, featuring two tracks that were in some shape or form originally featured on that first demo.

Ragehammer: "War Hawks"

Unrepentant songs of war from Poland's finest

Poland's Ragehammer don't waste any time, having existed only for a short period before unleashing their beastly debut demo War Hawks in 2014. If any band has the right to call themselves blackened thrash metal it's Ragehammer. That being said, they aren't your garden variety D666/Desaster clone. Among the clusters of their fast-paced riffs and blasting drums there is left just a little room for something different - Something that definitely underscores and defines the entire sound of Ragehammer.

Hell United: "Aura Damage"

There are no breaks on this Polish blackened death metal train

No doubt that Poland has produced its fair share of good metal bands. Apart from the popular choices like Behemoth, Hate and Vader, we have previously also become acquainted with bands like Pandemonium, Centurion, Embrional, Sphere, Stillborn and Empatic at this site. Like most of those bands, Hell United seeks to combine the evil dogmas of black, death and thrash metal alike in one deadly concoction.

Centurion: "Serve No One"

Individuality takes a backseat for pure ferociousness

Centurion from Poland's capitol Warsaw, not to be confused with the brutal death metal band of the same name hailing from Kalisz, are all about speed. They take inspiration from a great variety of bands, resulting in a feel similar to, but not identical to, many well-known acts in a fear-inducing frankenstein-esque musical patchwork.

Embrional: "Absolutely Anti-Human Behaviors"

Getting up close and personal, sparring against the best of black- and death metal

A physical manifestation of chaos, the soundtrack to psychosis, could well be the soundwaves produced by Polish death metal outfit Embrional's debut album Absolutely Anti-Human Behaviors. A band four man strong, their music touches on various escatonic subjects and styles encompassing impressive range, covering both death and black metal influences over strong progressive tendencies.

Stillborn: "Los Asesinos del Sur"

Hitting a homerun but falling short on the long track

Poland isn't as poor in metal bands as one would think. Apart from the obvious bands like Behemoth and Vader, the eastern European country is also host to a healthy scene of lesser known death metal bands of a genuinely high quality. Stillborn borrows several elements from black metal, leaning heavily towards an early South American sound, albeit a variant more under control.

Pandemonium: "Misanthropy"

Unadventurous Polish death metal with twists of blackening fire

As of 2016 blackened death metal has received an immense resurgence. The success of Behemoth has completely blown up, and labels like Dark Descent Records, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Hell's Headbangers Records and Iron Bonehead Productions are barely releasing anything else. It's about time for this deadly combo to get wider spread recognition.

Empatic: "Gods of Thousand Souls"

Fun to listen to but lacking in essence

Thrashy semi-melodic death metal is more or less the official national metal genre of my own home country Denmark, so listening to the Polish band Empatic's 2010 album, Gods of Thousand Souls, was almost like listening to bands from home like Hatesphere or Aphyxion.

Sphere: "Homo Hereticus"

Talent is their tool of trade, brutality their instrument

You can never judge a band - or an album for that matter - from just one track. Especially not an album opener. However great the excitement conveyed by the opening track "Forever Sworn to Blasphemy" may be, and no matter how much enthusiasm that same track induces in the listener, Sphere from Poland could, until we examine the rest of "Homo Hereticus", for all we know be but a one-trick pony.