Band:	Mānbryne
Album:	Interregnum: O Próbie Wiary I Jarzmie Zwątpienia
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	October 2023

01. Piach I Niepamięć
02. Suma Wszystkich Strat
03. Po Trupach Ku Niebu
04. Grzechy Ojców
05. Bezkrólewie
06. Pierwszy Kamień

If you're familiar with modern black metal, then you'll know that Poland has been producing a lot of quality bands in the genre in recent years. This new release could be an opportunity for Mānbryne to start being named amongst them.

There are several factors that really make the Polish black metal scene stand out above so many others. Chief among these is the songwriting: from the meaningful and often poetic lyrics, to the outstanding instrumentation, with enchanting hypnotizing melodies, and remarkable performances. Second, is the excellent modern production and sound quality, which is often second-to-none. I only have to mention the likes of Mgła, Batushka, and Kriegsmaschine for you to remember just how great this modern black metal scene has become.

Mānbryne, a new band in the scene dating back to 2017, may not yet have the high profile of some of these bands, but they could well be on their way towards developing a solid reputation. Following their 2021 debut Heilsweg: O Udręce Ciała I Tułaczce Duszy, Mānbryne return two years later featuring the same line-up, which includes drummer Priest (Odraza) and vocalist S. (Blaze Of Perdition), alongside guitarists Wyrd and guitarist Renz. Sophomore release Interregnum: O Próbie Wiary I Jarzmie Zwątpienia clocks in at a nifty 40-minute runtime; how does it rank against their impressive debut?

The opening track "Piach I Niepamięć" sets the album off to a flying start. From a soft, folkish acoustic beginning, it eventually launches into a furious blackened assault, featuring a strong guitar tone along with demonic shrieked and growled vocals. However, despite the intensity, there are nevertheless some quality high-end melodies within the tremolo riffs and guitar leads, while the rhythm is almost hypnotic. A classic-style opener with a fabulous modern production, "Piach I Niepamięć" is a strong example of what Polish black metal can offer.

The album's longest song, the 8-minute "Suma Wszystkich Strat", follows in the same vein, with thunderous blast beats and ferocious blackened tremolos from the off. What's worth highlighting here are the secondary vocals; demonic howls, and tormented wails and screams, add a haunting, sometimes disturbing, presence, and accompany the ever aggressively growing lead harsh vocals. Briefly interrupted by a light acoustic interlude, the song then hits listeners with a ferocious breakdown, after which the drums pound with more and more intensity, the vocals grow ever harsher and all the more twisted, and the riffs and bass grow more rapid until the track abruptly ends.

Two tracks, and a great start for black metal fans; this quality is maintained across subsequent songs, including "Po Trupach Ku Niebu", which offers a more epic and melodic approach, bordering meloblack territory at times while also featuring a hint of folk, as well as "Grzechy Ojców", on which the whole band's instrumentation seems to exist in a relentless manic state. Although there are hints of melody or calm at times in this track, the subsequent synth/organ-laden interlude "Bezkrólewie" provides a necessary moment of rest after the frenzied blackened chaos of "Grzechy Ojców".

The brief instrumental interlude, characterized by soft acoustic melodies and slower drumming patterns, also acts as a steady but tense build into the final track, "Pierwszy Kamień". This closer features some of the album's most memorable moments, from the gothic-like haunting female wails that sound like a siren calling out from behind a dark black mist, to the fantastic galloping melodic riff work that epically surges through the final moments of the song. The song's outro also features the same beautifully crafted acoustic melody and nature-based synth work that kicked off the opening track: a great reminder of how the album begun that makes it tempting to replay the record again.

Interregnum: O Próbie Wiary I Jarzmie Zwątpienia exceeds the quality of the Mānbryne's debut; this band may not yet reach the heights of some Polish black metal giants, but I expect it won't be too long before they become a known act and rub shoulders with the best of them.