Rating: 8 / 10 Stars
THE MATERIA is: Michał “Mihu” Piesiak (vocals, bass), Tadeusz “Td” Piesiak (guitar, backing vocals), Adrian “Adi” Dubiński (guitar), Jeremiasz Baum (drums)
REVIEW – From the shifting forests of Szczecinek, Poland, MATERIA return with Darklander, a record that’s equal parts atmospheric fire and tectonic groove. Releasing October 4, 2023, this seven-track collection leans fully into progressive heaviness, marrying melodic structures with rhythmic punishment. And while the band has long stood at the intersection of technical precision and emotional catharsis, Darklander makes it clear—they’ve mastered that balance.
The album opens with “Fire”, a track that sets the tone with smoldering tension and mechanical churn. There’s no rush to the flames here—MATERIA lets the track breathe, letting layers of melody crack and collapse beneath the weight of distortion. It’s the kind of opener that doesn’t just invite you in—it drags you under.
“Rain” follows with a darker, more brooding pulse. Guitars swirl beneath a vocal performance that blends vulnerability and venom. There’s a sense of something coming apart—and loving it. Where Rain shines is in its restraint, allowing MATERIA to explore dynamics without losing their edge.
The middle of the record digs deep into texture. “badroom” blends abstract lyricism with thick instrumentation, feeling more like a mood than a message. It’s unsettling in all the right ways. “Dark Land” picks up that thread but pushes it further, clocking in at just under three minutes. It’s compact and claustrophobic, a sonic vignette that feels like falling into a fever dream.
On “Grain Of Sand,” the band expands their melodic vocabulary with soaring guitar lines that never settle. It’s one of the most progressive tracks on the album, balancing haunting introspection with moments of overwhelming force. Then comes “Crown,” the shortest track here but possibly the most aggressive—tight, sharp, and designed to hit hard and disappear before you fully grasp what just happened.
Closing track “This World Is Sold” serves as both epilogue and exorcism. It leans into the band’s thematic darkness—alienation, disillusionment, and the aching weight of existence—but does so with a kind of exhausted elegance. The final moments don’t offer clarity. They offer confrontation.
At just 27 minutes, Darklander never overstays its welcome. But what it delivers in that time is layered, intentional, and remarkably complete. This isn’t a record trying to be everything—it’s a record that knows exactly what it is: a sharpened edge wrapped in smoke.
Darklander is a testament to MATERIA’s evolution—rooted in groove metal, branching into progressive territory, and carved with the kind of confidence that only comes from years of surviving the storm. If you’re just discovering them, this is the perfect point of entry. And if you’ve been following since the beginning, this is the sound of a band finally setting fire to their own blueprint.
For more information on MATERIA, visit:
www.Facebook.com/Materia.Metal
www.Instagram.com/TheMateriaOfficial
www.YouTube.com/@TheMateria01
www.Spotify.com/Artist/TheMateria