Polish scene is quite famous in the world. I'm sure you know polish bands as Vader, Behemoth, Lux Occulta, Graveland etc, but they are only top of big underground scene. Polish scene is still growing and for sure is still one of the best underground scenes in Europe. The strongest part os our scene is death metal. Vader is an international star, and their last album - "Revelations" was realased in all world. It shows still very good form of this classical band from the first death metal league. Brutal but intelligent, fresh but still agresive - this was and this is Vader.

Only little less famous is Behemoth. In the past, this band was part of the black / pagan metal undergound, but for the few years Behemoth left underground and made big carrer. Their last album "Zos Kia Kultus ( Here and Beyond )" is a part of teeth crushing death metal, probably one of the best death metal productions in the last years. Behemoth plays many gigs and you have a strong chance to see them in your country. They're worth to see ! I must mention that Behemoth is hated by underground black metalers, who call Behemoth as "Betrayer of underground" and "Comerciall Pigs".

For sure one of the biggest death metal sensations in the last time was Azarath. Old school satanic death metal with memebers of Behemoth and Anima Damnata. Cult!

Of course it is still not all. Good albums was realased by Lost Soul - "Ubermnesch" ( technical death metal ) or Enter Chaos - supergroup of members Immemorial, Behemoth and Luna Ad Noctum. They recorded album "Dreamworker" and if you like, for example, Arch Enemy - this is album for you ! "Murder's Concept" of Yattering was one of the hightlights in 2001. Today band returns with a new material, which will be realased by Candlelight in the near time. Look for it if you want most extreme brutal death metal!

Other interesting polish death metal bands: Decapitated, Nomad, Damanation, Trauma, Damnable, Epitome - all of them are worth to know so look for them!

Let's look in the darker part of polish scene - black metal. Polish school of black metal is now very influnetial in slavonic countries like Ukriana, Czech Republik, Belarus etc. Bands from these countries still confess about big role of polish legendary bands like Graveland, Veles, old Behemoth nad many, many more. Today polish black scene grows up again. New good bands like Non Opus Dei ("Diabolical Metal" lp), Vesania ("Fireforst Arcanum" lp), Crionics ("Human Error"), Luna ad Noctum ("Dimness Profaound") are good proof of immortality of polish scene. Old guard also stayin alive with Besatt (great "Roots of Evil" mcd), Holy Death (old vein black metal - "Forever Burining Ashes" lp), Thronuem (old school death / black - "Old Death's Lair") Thunderbolt ( brutal black metal - "Burning Deeds of Deacay" lp )Witchmaster ( sadistic trash/black - "Masochistic Devil Worship" lp ), Hellborn ( good death/black - "Hellblast" lp ), North ( cult pagan/black "Crown" lp ). But what is specific of polish scene many black metal bands still belives in underground ideas and stays hard in anti commercial front. So you probably dont know bands like Venedae, Hellveto, Black Altar, Blasphemy Rites, Saltus etc. Pagan scene is still strong but it contains many bands which should be called "nazi" like Gontyna Kry, Capricornus and Thor's Hammer ( yes, these are ex Graveland's drummer bands ) Galgenberg or Selbstmord. In big part they're playing very good music, but they have very controverisal political ideas.

With pagan scene are bonded bands called their music "pagan folk" "pagan ambient" etc. Most of them are crap of shit, but if you're interesting in this kind, ask for Lord Wind, Wojnar, Piorun, Perunwit and others...

About labels... Biggest label is Metal Mind, but they are not worth to mention in case of their typical commerical pose and promoting of milions of trendy bands ( even christian kid's bands ! ). Most respected is Pagan records. It's oldest polish label ( since 1993 ) who discovered Behemoth, Mortiis, Profanum, Lux Occulta, Azarath or Witchmaster. Todays Pagan realased materials of Luna ad Noctum ( symphonic black metal ), Misteria ( avantagarde metal ), Witchmaster ( sadistic trash/black ) or Azarath ( ultra satanic death metal ). Empire records is most famous as a Vader's label, but they also got Decapitated, Hate or Dies Irae. Generaly Empire is targeted on death metal.

If you are interesting in avanagrde and experimental music you need to look for Fluttering Dragon records catalogue. Bands like Umbra, Ildforst or Nordvargr - these are examples of Fluttering Dragon's stuff. Underground pagan/black metal bands are gathered around two main labels Nawia production and Old Legend production. If you're interesting in deepest undergorund you must contact with them. There are also few good distros like Maleficium, Born to Die or Posionus Piglet. All of them have low prices and rich offert of interesting music.

Of course it isn't all about polish scene, so if you need more informations about it simply mail to me (poganie@wp.pl) or look at one of these pages:

Masterful Magazine - biggest polish black / death webzine in English / Polish
Agonia Magazine - Polish, very interesting black metal webzine in English
Duskforest Magazine - biggest polish underground black metal webzine, sadly only in Polish language

Label's websites

Pagan Records - big offer and good distribution
Malefium - biggest polish underground metal distribution
Born To Die - other good distro
Fluttering Dragon - avantegarde and experimental music
Beast Of Prey - dark ambient, industrial
Nawia Prodcutions - pagan black metal
Old Legend Productions - pagan black metal