Wicked Flame (Believe, 2024)

During the years, the Polish neo-prog band Collage (see elsewhere in this blog) produced a large family of side projects, including this Believe, the brain child of bassist Mirek Gil. The melodic style of his former band is preserved in the atmospheric passages of this track taken from the album "The Wyrding Way", but you'll also find in it harder edges and even a vaguely folk side. There are some many things I like in "Wicked Flame" and maybe Satomi's way to merge his violin into the band's sound hit me first. 

This is the seventh studio album by Believe.

It's somewhere between a classical orchestra instrument and a bohemian fiddle. And what about Jinian Wilde's voice? Both sweet and harsh and always hearty, a good new addiction to the band. Of course all the players are top notch and they know how to change the song's mood with simple and effective switches. Last but not least, the musical themes are very, very good and even catchy, a perfect base for variations, weavings and solos. Believe me: more than 11 minutes of pleasure.

Trip (Maciej Meller, 2020)

Maciej Meller is a staple in Polish prog scene since the early 1990s, having been a  founding member of Quidam and being a current member of Riverside, not to mention the supergroup Meller / Gołyźniak / Duda. This stunning guitarist only released his first solo album, titled Zenith, in 2020 and I especially like this track, Trip, full of atmospheric and dreamy moods. Trip is co-written by Meller and Duda with lyrics by  Krzysztof Borek and really is a riveting track to me, combining an enthralling sung theme and a rich electronic background. 

This is the cover art for the original album released in 2020.

Some well placed tempo changes and the beautiful instrumental second half (including a slow and piercing guitar solo) grace this track and raise it to the highest level. Just a final note: Meller also released in 2021 an acoustic version of his album and there you'll find a version of Trip featuring an instrumental finale with trumpet and sax. Also beautiful, of course.

Time Travellers (Riverside, 2015)

Riverside go on changing and exploring, that's why I like them. This song, taken from the album "Love, Fear And The Time Machine", is a dreamy ballad, and it also includes beautiful mellow instrumental passages, never too sweet and never too long. The lyrics are beautiful too, about life's recurring times and chances. Mariusz has a beautiful voice, both srong and soft and this is a brilliant performance.

...And what about this misty cover art?

The moody way the band has to build up transparent, fluid atmospheres easing deep meditations is slways surprising and the more their song gets plain, the more they reach the listener's soul. This is exactly what "Time Travellers" does, so it doesn't need a longer ntroduction.

Going Away (SBB, 1977)

This is the first suite from the album "Follow My Dream", released in 1977 by Polish band SBB. It is divided into four parts (Freedom with Us, 3rd Reanimation, Going Away and (Żywiec) Mountain Melody) and spans over 24 minutes of enjoyable, fluid and coherent music. Each part could be considered as a stand alone song and each one's got its own distinctive mood, even if the listener can only get the whole potential of this track by listening it in its entirety.

 

"Follow My Dream" was the sixth studio album by SBB.

The liquid and poppish Freedom with Us is followed by the experimental, jazzy and instrumental 3rd Reanimation, while Going Away has an ethereal and even spacey atmosphere introducing a majestic and fully symphonic section. The final part, (Żywiec) Mountain Melody begins with jazzy rythms, then goes electronic and somehow krautrock. As you can see, there is something for everyone and still the suite has its own peculiar flavour.

Angel's Hidden Plan (Moonrise, 2009)

When it comes to atmospheric and keyboard-driven neo-prog, Polish bands are second to no one. Moonrise is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Kamil Konieczniak, who gathers a different crew for each album of his project. This track comes from the album "Soul's Inner Pendulum", released in 2009 and is a very good example of Moonrise's melodic and dreamy music. The sung theme "Angel's Hidden Plan" is excellent and sung by Łukasz Gall in a very light and serene tone.

"Soul's Inner Pendulum" was the second album by Moonrise.

Keyboards provide the background mood, but other instruments get the foreground, including Darek Rybka's sax and, most of all, Marcin Kruczek's guitar. The dreamy solos remind me of Steve Rothery's touch, and after all the entire song has a Marillion-like atmosphere and also some Pendragon inspiration. Derivative elements don't worry me if there are a solid composition and a coherent architecture. I do think this is the case with Moonrise and especially with "Angel's Hidden Plan".

Towards The Blue Horizon (Riverside, 2015)

Riverside are one of the most popular bands from the 21st Century when it comes to prog & friends. The only problem with them is that they decided to title their albums with as many words as the number of their releases (since their third CD, I think). That's why their 2015 sixth album has a six words title. Well, I wish them a long and successful career, but please... stop that before it's too late! Seriously, this track has a diversified and plesant plot, including a gentle opening ballad (great theme, by the way), a hint of Cure, a long and intense instrumental section and beautiful vocals.

For their Sixth studio work, Riverside went poetic... more or less.

When a band can write and play a song like this one, with no special effects at all and a deep emotional side coming out what seem to be plain lines, well, they surely are at their heights. A perfect balance and a solid composition are the well known but scarcely shared way to beautiful songs. Riverside are more and more into it.

Far Away (Disperse, 2010)

Poland is currently home to neo-prog and to many other progressive rock variations. A good reason to thank prog fans from that Country, but also an excellent reason to explore the local rock scene and pick up some good songs for my blog. This one, "Far Away", is one of my favourite tracks by Disperse, a young and interesting act. It comes from their debut album called "Journey through The Hidden Gardens", including some average songs and some really good ones, especially this one. It surely will remember you some well known neo-prog bands like IQ and Shadowland, but I think there's a distinctive mix of energy, rough guitars and polite sounds that are worth your attention.

This album also includes some heavier songs.

These musicians surely have a good sense of measure and know how to change the tempos and the moods, how to open new musical landscapes and how to buid up a coherent architecture. I like the way they melt rythmic solutions and melodic themes searching for a perfectly balanced song. A track like this one actually brings me far away the daily, material world and disperse my darkest thoughts. Thank you for that!

The Blues (Collage, 1994)

I do think "Moonshine" is a neo-prog masterpiece and you'll find more than one song from this album in my blog. Collage were at their best during the composition and recording process of this work. Some of the songs are no doubt prog pearls and "The Blues" certainly is. Its rich, flushing texture and its excellent melodies are there to please the prog ears. I also like all those tempo and volume changes, ranging between a sparkling and lively rock and atmospheric, graceful passages.

The 20th anniversary of "Moonshine"... a good reason to celebrate!

 

Robert Amirian's voice is simply perfect, so full of energy and also sensible and delicate when it comes to that. And at minute 4:20 begins what is likely to be my favourite moment: a sudden stop, then a long and enthralling instrumental passage, including some keen guitar / keyboard interplays and solos. A treat, if you ask me. Well, that's enough with descriptions: listen to it, then let me know what you think of it.

Skellig (Mr. Gil, 2010)

Ex-members of Polish band Collage definitely have a busy life. Guitarist Mirek Gil, for example, founded both Believe (see in this blog) and Mr. Gil, two very different bands, as the first ones bring on a traditional neo-prog music, while the latter released some unpredictable albums. "Skellig" is the title song of Mr. Gil's second studio work and is a keyboard-free album. Here Mirek's guitars are the leading instruments, especially his deaming electric guitar, mixing Hackett's and Gilmour's ways... not to mention Rothery's!

Each album by Mr.Gil has its own taste... that's why I like them!

 

The rythm section is also very good: in this song both drummer Wojtek Szadkowski and bassist Przemas Zawadzki contribute to the big picture with their neat and discreet work. Finally, the warm vocals by Karol Wroblewski match with the sensitive and emotional melodies. I also appreciate that the lyrics here are in the band's native language: this stresses the confidential mood of the track and adds a natural, inner side to this beautiful prog ballad.

Ten najpiękniejszy dzień (Exodus, 1980)

This is one of the brightest prog pearls from Poland. Exodus come from the '70s - when it wasn't so easy to be a rock band in their country - and released their debut album in 1980, including this title track. "Ten najpiękniejszy dzień" (meaning "The Most Beautiful Day"). It  reveals a strong symphonic side, but even if there are some definite Yes references, I daresay this is an original way to prog. The suite is set up following classical structures and the themes are all very good.

This album also includes three shorter and pleasant tracks.

 

There's a strong rythmic, dynamic background, but I also like the atmospheric interludes, something between prog and space rock. The track is divided into four movements, some of them featuring interesting vocal harmonies, that remind me now and then of traditional Eastern European ensembles. Most of the interplays are great, involving all the instruments in turn and sometimes leading to bombastic walls of sound. That said, there's no useless pomp in this song, just the good deal of sense of wonder we all like in a prog suite. Highly, highly recommended.

Scarescrow (Albion, 1995)

Taken from this Polish band's second album, "Scarescrow" opens the record with a sweet but never sweetish ballad, not so far from Marillion's mid-period ones, featuring the distinctive female vocals of Ania Batko and a well found melody. This is one of those songs between pop and prog, both traditional and modern, including a good, dreamy guitar solo and a big deal of background keyboards.

This album features songs in both English and Polish languages.

It seems to me that such a calm, evocative music requests a great amount of good taste to be put down in notes and words. This is exactly what Albion have, with the welcome addition of an irreproachable technique. So, if you need a short break between two endless, experimental epics, this is what you need. Nothing more and - believe me - definitely nothing less.

Pod powieką (Quidam, 1998)

No doubt among the dozens of neo-prog bands born in Poland, Quidam deserve a special place. As this "Pod powieką" (meaning "Behind The Eyes") will easily prove, their music is a rich, flowing stream, leaded by Emilia Derkowska's voice, full of good melodies and dreamy instrumental passages. This song is taken from the band's second album, ""Sny Aniolów", that's to say "Angel's Dream".

This album came two years after the band's acclaimed debut CD.

Never too sweet, but always pleasant, this song includes some well found arrangements, where the acoustic and electric instruments are cleverly mixed. Jacek Zasada's flute is a bonus reason to listen to "Pod powieką", as it perfectly fits into the fairy background. This isn't a band for fully intellectual listeners, but if you like a sensible mix of brains and heart, well, this song's for you and you could also take a go with the rest of Quidam's discography. Enjoy your trip!

Memento z banalnym tryptykiem (SBB, 1981)

I think this is one of the best prog tracks of the '80s and it comes from Poland. It's a 21 minute suite by SBB, one of the most important Eastern Europe bands ever. I like this suite for its mix of spacey, acoustic, folk and rock moments. And then the player are all so skilled and elegant that you couldn't skip one single second of the song. "Memento with a banal tryptych" (that's the English tranlation of the title) actually is a succession of beautiful melodies and well found atmospheres, an original blend of delicate fragrances having the flowery smell of the '70s, but also announcing something new and exciting.

"Memento" was the ninth SBB's studio album.

If you like pleasant and still challenging music, you surely know how difficult is to find those two features in a single composition. But here you'll enjoy an experimental mood well set into an agreeable pattern. And with a great voice and a symphonic twist, to top it all!

The Last Sunrise (Xanadu, 2011)

These Polish musicians produce an effective prog rock, melting both heavy and melodic elements in a thick, enthralling way. I like their good taste for a not so common guitar driven progressive rock: just think that keyboards in this song are played by a guest musician, while two guitarists are members of the band. "The Last Sunrise" is the title song of their debut album and it is full of a powerful nostalgy that's very modern and still reminiscent of great bands (well, the goup's name reminds me someone from the other side of the Ocean...).

"The Last Sunrise" is a diversified, interesting debut album.

And of course the middle section of the track isn't so far from post-rock sounds. But this isn't ambient music, as Xanadu love full bodied themes and double guitar solos... and I like them too. Another peculiar way to Polish prog, another musical facet of a Country that never seems to run out of interesting bands.

Escalator Shrine (Riverside, 2013)

Riverside are more than a promising band: they're one of the most innovative and mature acts among the 21st Century prog acts. This "Escalator Shrine", a 12 minutes song from the album "Shrine of New Generation Slaves" is a perfect example of their modern and evocative music. A deep sung theme, a series of instrumental embroideries, a slightly acid atmosphere are but three of the main features of the track. I'll also remember here a Gilmour-like electric guitar, a pulsing instrumental section mixing "The Wall" and ELP, a variated and rich drumming and - last but not least - plenty of keyboard progressions and thick guitar riffs.

This is Riverside's fifth studio album, one of their best ones, IMHO.

The distorted guitars are also there, but they're employed with measure and even discretion. And how wonderful is the second instrumental section with its piercing guitar and the Hammond effect introducing the second sung theme, even better than the opening one. A real shrine of musical ideas, all perfectly in tune with the cold and almost psychedelic mood of the song. Congratulation, my Polish friends!

Moonshine (Collage, 1994)

"Moonshine" is the title track of Collage's work released in 1994 and it's also a very good way to discover why this Polish band is so higly rated by many prog fans. This track is extremely dynamic, driven by aerial keyboard effects and a crystal wall of sound. But you'll also find some quiet and atmospheric passages, announcing the subsequent rushes and rythmic progressions. The main melodies are well found, catchy but never trivial, and the instrumental passages aren't mere bridges between two verses, as they disassemble and reassemble each theme, magnifying the symphonic pattern of the song.

Collage played a lead role in the '90s Polish prog renaissance.

That's why I like each second of these 12:30 minutes of progressive rock, and I often come back to this song. The fact is that such a magniloquent clockwork never sounds artificial or redondant and the music flows naturally from the band to the very heart of the listener. Probably it's only me, but I see bright stars in the sky at midday when "Moonshine" is there.

Sanktuarium (Quidam, 1996)

This is the opening track of Quidam's self titled, first and most appreciated album. It fully represents this Polish band's style, made of elecric guitar solos à la camel, charming female voicals - that's Emila Derkowska's pure and mysterious voice - and atmospheric breaks. Actually, Quidam inspired many other prog bands, not only in their own Country, with their brilliant mix of prog rock and celtic folk and their unique soul. Sanktuarium has got a winning melody and a lot of dreaming guitars, both lying on a keyboards smooth carpet and a neat rythm section.

This is the 1996 album cover art, but I recommend the 2006

10th Anniversay 2 CD edition.

All the electronic devices are employed with discretion, just to enrich the shadowy mood of the track, whose lyrics in Polish describe the search of an inner sanctuary hidden behind a rainy, windy dusk, in a moment of painful solitude. This arcane union of Nature and human feelings is what I perceive in every second of "Sanktuarium". Morn, yes, but beautiful.

Don't Tell Me (Believe, 2006)

Another spin off band set up by a Collage member, guitarist Mirek Gil, another very good one. Believe's music is a well played and well arranged neo-prog (you know I don't like this label, but it's useful anyway), with a clever succession of up tempo walls of sound and relaxing breaks. This song, taken from the album "Hope to See Another Day", is a good example of these eclectic and melodic compositions, featuring a catchy melody, sung by Tomek Rozck on a stentorean and neat tone.

"Hope to See Another Day" was Believe's debut album.

 

Two instrumental passages enrich the song, the first one including a beautiful Mirek Gil's electric guitar solo and the second one graced by Satomi's piercing violin. Like many other prog tracks of the same kind, you can enjoy this one as a plain song, but you can also go down the surface and find the underlying, discreet complexity of its structure.

Rozmowa (Collage, 1990)

This song comes from Collage's first album, titled "Basnie", meaning "Fairytales", that's saying something! Please note that a previous version of this song (1986) was also released in the "Changes" compilation. Sure, "Basnie" production was a little disappointing and there were also some lack in the musical coherence of the longer songs, but the band's potential was great and clear. This "Rozmowa" (the word for it in English is "Conversation") is a splendid example of their bright and variated progressive rock. Keyboards and guitars are in the foreground, of course, but all the band's skills contribute to the track.

 

Collage finally re-united in 2013 and planned a series of shows.

The changing rythm and the clever arrangement are winning points for a song whose main feature is the compact and cohesive architecture, where instrumental and sung sections follow one another in a whirling but never messy pattern. I even like the spoken effects in the background, something I usiually don't appreciate so much. An excellent closing song for a debut album announcing so many good things to come.

Rapid Eye Movement (Riverside, 2007)

Stunning. This 12:37 minutes track, originally conceived as part of the Reality Dream Trilogy, was finally released in the bonus disc included in a special edition of "Rapid Eye Movement" CD. So, strangely, the album title track wasn't included in its standard edition! I love this instrumental track, reminding me some old Tangerine Dream suite for its gradual and clever building up and also for its strong electronic flavour.

This song was also included in the "Schizophrenic Prayer" EP.

The suspended, increasingly sorrowful mood of this song also includes some more relaxed and open breaks, somehow concurring to the weirdness of the big picture. Piotr Grudziński's guitar plays an essential role, fluctuating from Gilmour-esque to psychedelic tones and actually biting the listener's soul. It's a secret trip into human fears and nightmares, an intimate exploration, a dream and a nightmare. And one of the main reasons why I included Riverside in my fave bands list.