In2Elements - It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn (2022)

What began its existence as a solo project by Adam Szopa, a few years ago became one of the best Polish post-rock outfits out there. This position has been recently proved again by Tides from Nebula, the Polish post-rock powerhouse, who invited the Silesian/Kraków trio for their European tour. And by the band themselves as they released a brand new album called It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn.

While the release starts on a particularly dark and heavy note in, nomen omen, Darkest Hour, the band skillfully uses lighter and more peaceful tones when it suits the compositions best. Nevertheless, this is a heavy album, the guitars sometimes go so far towards post-metal vibes that it gets pretty dangerous. The darkness here is the leitmotif and I must say, it's the kind of post-rock I like the most. I do, however, feel like it could be longer, especially that all the best seems to be presented at the start of the album and afterwards, it slows down. Still, the peaks here (Darkest Hour, From Ashes Rise, Dystopia) make it definitely worth catching up to, getting mooded up for the incoming autumn.

It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn costs 6.5 EUR (30 PLN).

In2Elements - Cycles (2020)

Check: From Ashes Rise

Country: Poland

Genre: dark post-rock

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In2Elements - Cycles (2020) PL

In2Element to solowy projekt Adama Szopy, który rozrósł się do tercetu dzięki przyjściu Krzysztofa Rutki (z krakowskiego Transmission Zero) i Michała Szendzielorza (Gallileous). W takim składzie artyści nagrali wydany bardzo niedawno album Cycles.

Wydaje mi się, że wiele w muzyce zespołu zostało z ducha solowego post-rocka. Przede wszystkim budowanie kompozycji w dużym stopniu w oparciu o dźwięki zadziornej, dobrze słyszalnej gitary prowadzącej. Tutaj sprawdza się to wyjątkowo dobrze, a motyw przewodni inspirowany irytującym owadem w Circadian Rhythm (wiem, że chodzi o rytm dobowy, ale czy to nie brzmi jak rytm wygrywany przez cykady?) jest znakomicie wciągający.  

Do tego dochodzą czytelne progresywne i metalowe inspiracje (Vicious Circle!) i kilka intrygujących zagrywek. Solidny, bardzo gitarowy, bardzo riffowy album stawiający bardziej na progresywne tupnięcie niż wygenerowaną atmosferę.

Cycles kosztuje 20 złotych.

Sprawdź: Circadian Rhythm

Kraj: Polska

Szufladka: progressive post-rock

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In2Elements - Cycles (2020) EN

In2Element is a solo project by Adam Szopa, that grew up to a trio when welcomed Krzysztof Rutka (known from the Kraków's Transmission Zero) and Michał Szendzielorz (Gallileous) aboard. With this line-up, the artists released recently an album called Cycles.

I think there's still a lot of the solo post-rock vibes left in the band's music. First of all, the compositions are often built on the sound of the very clearly-heard, pugnacious lead guitar. Here this is legitimately good and the insect-inspired leit-motif in Circadian Rhythm (I know it's an astronomical term, but doesn't it sound like a cicada rhythm?) is perfectly engaging.

And then there are also the clear progressive and metal influences (Vicious Circle!) and some intriguing solutions. Solid, very guitar- and riff-oriented album that is more about the hit than generating a mood atmosphere.

Cycles costs 5 EUR (20 PLN).

Check: Circadian Rhythm

Country: Poland

Genre: progressive post-rock

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