Źrenice – Śnienie

The idea for Źrenice (Lublin, Poland) was born in June 2022, immediately after the last concert of the group’s previous band, which involved four musicians who decided to disband under their current name. Current line-up of the band is comprised of; Kamila Kuś (vocals), Maciej Ciupa (drums), Łukasz Hawryluk (rhythm guitar), Hubert ‘Huwer’ Pomykała (bass) and Krzysztof K. Pomykała (lead guitar).

Źrenice’s (the pupil) debut album Śnienie (Sleep), released through Via Nocturna Records, contains eight tracks (with a total playing time of 30 minutes), of a captivating blend of alternative, post-metal, and stoner rock. Although very short (especially considering that tracks one and eight are the intro and outro), the musicianship on this record is splendid, where the band effortlessly navigates between slow, heavy grooves and high-intensity, experimental soundscapes, and dreamlike interludes – creating this fantastic atmosphere.

Łukasz and Krzysztof are delivering some crushing guitar riffs, then some catchy/alternative-leaning hooks and few dreamlike and hypnotic interludes. The vocals of Kamila Kuś are soaring & enchanting folk-infused clean, providing a beautiful contrast to the heavy instruments, ensuring the tracks remain dynamic and far from monotonous. Furthermore we are witness to the strong bass performance of Hubert Pomykała, adding plenty of so-called groove and depth to the compositions, and the drum work of Maciej Ciupa perfectly maneuver between subtle, slow parts in quieter moments and heavy, sludge-like beats that perfectly harmonize with the clean folk vocals of the aforementioned Kamila Kuś.

Lyrically, Śnienie explores existentialism, the nature of dreams, and the tension between inner and outer worlds, drawing on the metaphor of the pupil (Źrenice) regulating light. It also partially allude to motifs taken from fairy tales, although their main subject remains the human being and, more directly, interpersonal relationships. My personal highlight and stand-out song is “Endymion”, the first single and music video from Śnienie. “Endymion” is basically a song about the experience of depression, where it combines emotional vocals with intensifying instrumental layers, crafting a narrative of falling apart, breaking down, and slowly gathering the strength to move forward.

The music for Śnienie was recorded by Krzysztof Godycki at Studio Roslyn (Mord’A’Stigmata), while it was mixed and mastered by Haldor Grunberg at ‘Satanic Audio’, known for his work with bands such as Behemoth, Dom Zły, Entropia, Terrestrial Hospice, and Hostia. Finally, the album cover was created by artist Emilia Mróz, where the artwork’s depicting a surreal, misty, purple and green forest scene. It features a cloaked, mysterious figure standing amidst the trees, a glowing crescent moon, and floating embers or lanterns.

Śnienie stands out for its genre-bending maturity, cohesive compositions, high-intensity, emotional and experimental soundscapes. Furthermore, it features a balanced production and exceptional songwriting, something that might have big appeal for the fans of Pelican, Isis, Messa, Torche, Datûra etc. Check out the album on bandcamp or simply listen to the album’s first single “Endymion” below.