THY WORSHIPER – Cnarza Dzika Czerwien

Formed in Wroclaw by Marcin Gasiorowski in the year of 1993, Thy Worshiper achieved cult status in Poland’s metal but went off the radar after 2005, only to re-emerge in 2010 with the new demo “Opowieść Jednej Nocy”, which translated into English means “A Tale of One Such Night”. The demo stayed true to Thy Worshiper’s signature sound, which mixed metal with Eastern European folk melodies.

“Piach” (meaning “Soil”) opens up “Cnarza Dzika Czerwien”with an eerie and icy sound, composed of the haunting sound of ravens cawing and the ethereal vocals of Anna Malarz. As the song progresses, other elements are introduced such as a the hypnotic vibe of the tribal-like percussion and crunch of the guitars. The use of Polish lyrics, as is customary in Thy Worshiper’s music, adds a very Slavic spirit to the song.

The album sails on through more folk-inspired seas of metal, making a powerful use of the folky elements  mixed in with the fierce, bestial growls, as performed by Marcin. The vocal duets between Anna and Marcin add a new dynamic into the music, one that isn’t usually found in the folk metal scene, which is highlighted subtly throughout the sixth song on the album, “Wiatr” (“The Wind”). The track titled “Drzewa” (“Trees”) makes for a calming, if somewhat mystifying, interlude before leading into the fury of “Zniwa” (“The Harvest”), a song that also makes use of some interesting elements.

One of the most exciting pieces on the album has to be the high-paced “Na Pohybel”, which has the perfect contrast of folk-inspired elements, extreme metal influences and fast paced playing. “Ogien” (“The Fire”) is tragic, even by Shakespeare’s level of tragedy whereas the final track “Zima” (which translates as “The Winter”) finishes the album with a more ethnic-yet-metal orientated sound.

“Cnarza Dzika Czerwien” demonstrates a remarkable amount of talent possessed by Thy Worshiper. Each song is laden with their own signature sound and a unique touch that is rarely found in folk metal. Why aren’t they touring with the likes of Turisas or Korpiklaani?

4.5/5

“Cnarza Dzika Czerwien” will be released on 18th February 2014 via Pagan Records.

Thy Worshiper online:

http://www.thyworshiper.com
http://facebook.com/thyworshiper
http://www.youtube.com/user/opowiescjednocy
http://www.myspace.com/thyworshiperband
http://twitter.com/Thy_Worshiper
http://www.reverbnation.com/thyworshiper