Poland has not the most respected metal scene in the world. Bands like Turbo and Dragon should be well known for those of us who were in the scene at the end of the ’80.
Things changed a lot when Vader hit the scene with their debut album "The Ultimate Incantation" on Earache Records. That album is still the best album any metal band from Poland has released. But there is a lot of very good metal bands from Poland who try to better that album. Most notable is the new Goth Metal sensation Artrosis. They have just released their first album "Hidden Dimension" on a Western Europe label (Hall Of Sermon) and we caught up with Maciej (keyboards) for an update. His English is not perfect, but it is good enough to give a fascinating insight into the life of Artrosis.
1. How is life in the middle of the launch of your debut album ??
Not as much nervous as it might have been. Of course we’re very curios if
people outside Poland like our stuff, we don’t wanna disappear from the scene
just after releasing one album. I realize that the game we just get into I
mean showbiz is one of the most cruel but we watching all things very
patiently and waiting what’s happen next. On the other hand we got lots of
work now here in Poland coz just on this territory we released our second
album – „W imie nocy" /"In the Name Of the Night"/ the interest of polish
fans is much more bigger than with debut album, so I’d say that the life
here seems to be pretty bright, but of course we don’t loosing our sights,
we stand two feet on the ground.
2. When and where was Artrosis started ? Please give us your biography and eventual earlier bands.
The band emerged out from the unknown in 1995. Between 95/96 several line
up changes appeared, but finally all was stabilized in May ’96, the the line
up is the same up to now.
In the beginning of 1997 ARTROSIS have signed a record deal with polish
label - Morbid Noizz Productions - the first result of this contract have
seen the light of the day in November 97 - „Ukryty Wymiar" („Hidden
Dimension") debut album.
This album has been received very warmly by fans and critics as well. It was
apparent to see specially on the ARTROSIS concerts which was taken by fans
absolutely enthusiastically.
In 98 dream of the dreams had realized for ARTROSIS - the band got a chance
to be released worldwide by label with cult status among the fans - Hall Of
Sermon - so is this the beginning of real story !?
3. What do you mean with the combination of "art" and "roses" ?
Well it’s pretty clear for us – we take this name as a art of roses. Bit
poetic and romantic description I guess. In my opinion this name describes
a little bit our style coz gives the vision of something beautiful and
ethereal, just like rose composition – its beautiful but don’t last too
long.
4. Poland has a lot of very good metal bands, but everything with it’s origin in Poland are treated with contempt and racism in a lot of countries in Europe. These attitudes are for example wide spread in
Scandinavia and USA. What is your view on this kind of arrogance and racism ?
(let me stress; by no way do I support this racism and the arrogant attitude towards Poland.)
You captured certain situation really great, I mean, for years in world
wide music business we got kinda strange situation where almost every band
coming from Poland was treated like a joke. You ask me why was it like that,
don’t you think that maybe you know the truth better than I do? You were
there in the middle when all these things happend. I might try more rational
reasons like maybe productions from Poland weren’t professional sounding,
maybe polish music tastes are so different than the rest of the world. But
it touched only rock and pop scene, coz other composers like Penderecki,
Gorecki or Preisner were always respected wideworld. Other thing is that
rock scene is always submitted to trends. Specially regarding metal scene it’
s apparently. There was a time when every new band from Brazil has been
greeted enthusiastically, next there was a Scandinavian time, German and so
on.... We got to admit that trends are dominating king of rock dominion.
Bands don’t set the standards no more, media (press, radios etc.) took over
the place, and I gotta say that I’m not happy with that...
5. Please give us a full insight to your new album "Hidden Dimension".
The recording, the tracks, the line up on the album and the art- work.
What should I start from... OK. maybe about artwork. We took the idea
from old calendar from early 30th, we loved the mood of this picture its
like the music calm, meaningful, and remembering all the time that we all
are mortals no more no less.
Recording took place on a famous Polish studio Hellenic, experts say that its
one of the best in Poland, well I could agree with that opinion. Our
producer Piotr Witkowski usually working in US studio of Trent Reznor, so
he knows exactly how god damn production should sound like.
6. Please tell us more about the lyrics.
On the debut album lyrics were written mostly by Medeah’s friend Vincet
The Crow, one is written by Medean – „Black and White Dreams" and one coming
from Weintraub poetry „Unconfined Insurmontable...". I won’t be too much
original – our lyrics are responce of disgust, doubt against the engulfing
darkness of life captured in more or less poetic way.
7. Your lyrics are both in your native language and in English. Why ?
You know, the polish edition of „Hidden Dimenssion" was totally in polish.
We just gotta make a compromise when Hall Of Sermon decided to release our
stuff through its channels. So we entered the studio once more and recorded
English vocals. But we left on the new version two Polish songs just to show
all the listeners how the album sounds like in our native language. I think
that our language is pretty melodious just like it’d been created for
romance, and nostalgic feelings...
8. Your country has had a very tragic history in the last 100 years. One third of the population was wiped out in the WWII. Has Poland’s tragic history in any way influenced Artrosis and "Hidden Dimension" ?
I would add to that 100 tragic history next 123 years. Since 1796 Poland
suffered from partitions when three neighboring countries – Russia,
Prussia and Austria with no reason just torn our land apart. You wanna know
if that history influence us in some way. Well I gotta tell you that over
mentioned partitions – 1796 – 1918 changed Polish people here, we still can
find signs of that. For instance south of Poland where Habsburgs ruled for
those 123 years is the poorest regions of Poland, with poor industry, but
the people there are very much friendly, rich family life, and get along
really great. Central and east regions were taken by Russians – also poor
industry left, there is still very rare railway net for instance, and the
people’ character is the worst – believe me, sometimes we just call em
Russians no more no less. Western and northern regions belonged to Prussia –
today its the best developed regions, but the people are mostly cold as
frozen lake. So then – does our history influenced „Hidden Dimension" the
answer is yes, sure – there are lotsa stuff to write about.
9. It is my impression that the new Goth Music scene follow the same
pattern as the Romantic New Wave scene did 20 years ago with bands like
ABC, Duran Duran and Human League. The similarities are striking. The
Romantic New Wave scene was a reaction to the Punk music; the new Goth
Metal scene is a reaction to the Death Metal scene. What is your view ?
Well I guess that this part should belong to the music historians,
critics, and book writers – I do no if we belong to this or that scene, we
aren’t in any club or whatsoever. You know we just wanna write and record
some music, that’s all.
10. Are you comfortable with the label "Goth Metal/Rock" ? Why/why not ?
This label is as good as the other. Call us rock mountain band, I just don’t care, coz why should I ???
11. Let us leave the Goth Metal/Rock scene behind and venture into Classic Music. Which classic composer and piece of classic music, art and literature has inspired you most ?
I’m studying classical music, so I just got to know a little bit about lotsa composers. Well which are my faves and why? Beethoven – all his compositions got a overwhelming impetus... Czajkowski – the best Slav
composer ever – I guess that everyone know his „Swan Lake" masterpiece. Among the polish present composer I’d pointed as the greatest one at Krzystof Penderecki - have you heard his latest piece of art.? „Seven Gates of Jerusalem""? Fantastic stuff, I also love to listen to music of Gorecki, pretty weird stuff. Another very important name among the composers is Zbigiew Preisner. Author of soundtracks for Krzysztof Kieslowski’ films, and after his death Preisner composed his best masterpiece to date called „Reqiuiem for my Friend" – check this out, it is worth every penny. Literature? I love – Dostojewski, Bulchakow, Solzenicyn, and also the young generation like science fiction books by Strugaccy brothers if you read their book maybe you know what I mean saying that those guys are pretty fantastic. They always were able to capture in their book political issues with pure science fiction, horror, thriller, psychology, fantasy and criminal – all those issues were contained in every book. Other favorite writer for me is Philik
K. Dick author was weird really. With his topic I just convinced myself that there is no god really. I recommend all people to get into world of Philip K. Dick if you get into you never be the same –that’s happend to me. Rest of the books I read are not that worth to be mentioned.
12. What is your religious and philosophical views ?
Religious – I’m pretty convinced that I’m only part of the material world.
I’m what I eat. No god above to watch my sins, deeds. Funny thing I was
raised in catholic family, I served the holy mass when I was a kid. But
things have changed. Philosophy – I repeat the same – I am what I eat – so I
wanna eat good stuff only.
13. What are your plans for the coming months and year ? Any tour plans ?
The plans depend on record sales and stuff. We’d love to go on tour but
Hall Of Sermon decide if we’re allowed to make a tour or not. Right now in
Poland we just release our second LP „W imie Nocy" /In the Name Of the Night". The
album is doing pretty well. Probably we shot our second video pretty soon – the
first one was for the „Emerald Night" song from debut album.
14. What is the main income of the band members in Artrosis ? How do you
bring food on the table ?
Medeah is still studying on a university, she’s gonna be a teacher. I’m
still studying classical music and got the money from parents and university
budget for a good results of my achievements - our former guitarist Chris
who’s no longer with us, is a professor assistant on a university.
15. Do you have a merchandise list and website ? From what address can the band be contacted ?
Yes, you can visit Artrosis on:
Artrosis
send us a e-mail on
artrosis@rockmetal.art.pl
- so you can find lotsa stuff regarding our band.
Address – please write to our polish record company
MORBID NOIZZ PROD.
MALWOWA 20
60-175 POZNAN
POLAND
We would like to thank Artrosis for taking time off and answer our many questions. Their new album "Hidden Dimension" should be a revelation for all Goth/Doom Metal fans. Check it out.