I love Polish progressive music. It has such beautiful shadows, luscious melancholy, and strong grooves. But some Polish artists touch on those things whilst also creating something that stands apart. Moonrise is one such artist. Their new album No Rewind is poignant and gorgeous. It released on April 14^th.

Now, I’ve covered Moonrise in the past. It is basically a solo project from Kamil Konieczniak, who plays guitar, drums, bass, and keys. He brings with him Anna Batko (Albion) and Marcin Staszek on vocals, plus a guest guitar spot from Marcin Kruczek. Cover art is by Eryk Konieczniak.

You may recall my review for 2019’s Travel Within, still a haunting and beautiful record. But Kamil has been making music under Moonrise since 2008 and before. His style is certainly representative of Polish prog with its dark hallways of emotion, bassy grooves, and 80s influence. But he shies away from melancholy, choosing a brighter, more energetic tone, though it is still dark and emotional. I liken it to Mr. Mister mixed with Riverside.

I particularly love Marcin’s deliciously smooth vocals. He has featured with Moonrise in the past, and this might be his best outing. I love legendary Polish group Albion, so hearing Anna on multiple tracks is a special treat, mainly because Albion isn’t very active. The record as a whole leans away from the grit and despair of many European albums right now, and towards a sense of humanity, heartache, and living for right here and right now.

There isn’t a weak track on the album. That said, I prefer the first half. The opener “Two Roads” is an emotive track with Anna on vocals; it balances explosive moments and gritty passages with utterly graceful ambience and keys. So good. Then comes my favorite on the album, “Shadows in the Dark”. This piece with Marcin on vocals is sheer atmosphere. I love the riffy, driving portions just as much as the colorful keys, and there’s just a towering sense of emotion and arena power in it.

“Single Game” follows and really leans into the soaring guitars, the human heartache of lost love, and hushed vocals. It’s beautiful. My second favorite comes next, “Cheaters”. What a cool song! It is so damn groovy, filtered with a little electronica, and some bigger riffs emerge as the song progresses, producing some instrumental fire. Such a fantastic and passionate piece.

The second half begins with “When We Played By Heart”, a slowly rising track with nostalgia and golden memories in the wings. It leads into “Silent Rooms”, an instrumental and incredibly beautiful piano track. It is glorious in its quiet way, packed with emotion. It transitions us to “Friends of Blood”, a song that balances some pastoral vocal delivery with rip-roaring guitar work, and it is such a warm, yet somewhat sweaty piece.

The closer is another favorite, “All About You”. Anna really delivers on the vocals here, and the ten-minute song has so many pensive, gentle portions that are simply exquisite. The layering of keys and passionate guitars, the echoing solos, the powerful presence of it all: this track is so amazing and will leave you breathless.

Moonrise have produced another fantastic record. Kamil is such an expert on atmospheric touches, so the album feels like entering another misty world. Fans of Polish progressive music really need to take note, but I think anyone can fall in love with this album.

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