The Polish death-doom band DEATH HAS SPOKEN belongs to those who don’t need frantic tempos to leave a deep mark. Their music is built on heaviness, a slow rolling pace and a weight that cuts in not through speed, but through atmosphere and emotion. And that’s exactly why this group has been gaining attention from fans of the darker metal subgenres ever since their earliest recordings — their songs never rush anywhere, but they grow like a quiet, inevitable avalanche.
Recently, DEATH HAS SPOKEN released their new album “Elegy”, their third full-length. The band describes it as their most substantial, mature and cohesive work so far — and at the same time as a closure of everything they have been building on their previous two releases. And because we were curious to see where the band has moved, what their beginnings looked like and how support for young bands actually works in Poland, we reached out to guitarist and vocalist Karol Pogorzelski, who answered our questions on behalf of DEATH HAS SPOKEN.
Hi Karol, could you start the interview by explaining how the band name DEATH HAS SPOKEN came about? Is there a special story or experience behind it?
Unfortunately, there isn’t any special story behind it. It was a typical problem for every new band — we needed a name that would fit the music we play. It also had to be catchy and not already taken.
DEATH HAS SPOKEN was originally just your project. What led to the formation of a full-fledged band? Did the debut album “Fade”, which received positive feedback from listeners, play a role in that process?
Maybe I’ll start by correcting that — DEATH HAS SPOKEN was not a solo project. When we finished the material for our debut, it turned out that only Maciek and I would stay in the band after the recordings. We thought this might be the end of the story. But as you said, the positive feedback of “Fade” made us decide to fight for the future of the band.
In your opinion, how has the music of DEATH HAS SPOKEN evolved over time? Is there a particular element that has defined your work from the beginning?
I think what really changed over time is the space in our compositions. When you listen to “Fade“, you can feel the smell of a damp tomb and freshly dug soil. Elegy, on the other hand, is about lonely hills and endless forests.
There are many great bands in Poland. How difficult was it for you to become one of the more well-known and respected ones?
Thank you for the kind words — I didn’t think our Czech friends see us that way. It’s true, there are many great metal bands in Poland. But our goal was never to compete for fame or to be the most respected band. Of course, it’s nice when it happens, but we mainly focus on doing our work well and with passion. When you really do that, the rest is only a matter of time… and luck. Mostly luck.
Do Polish media support new bands enough? Did any of them help you in your early days?
I think they do. You know, in some of our first reviews on Polish websites, people sometimes wrote that the score was a bit higher just to show support. It was said in a polite way, but the message was clear: “Guys, there are some small issues, but it’s okay for now. Next time there will be no discounts. Keep working and good luck.”
In your opinion, how has the music of DEATH HAS SPOKEN evolved over time? Is there a particular element that has defined your work from the beginning?
I think what really changed over time is the space in our compositions. When you listen to “Fade“, you can feel the smell of a damp tomb and freshly dug soil. “Elegy”, on the other hand, is about lonely hills and endless forests.
There are many great bands in Poland. How difficult was it for you to become one of the more well-known and respected ones?
Thank you for the kind words — I didn’t think our Czech friends see us that way. It’s true, there are many great metal bands in Poland. But our goal was never to compete for fame or to be the most respected band. Of course, it’s nice when it happens, but we mainly focus on doing our work well and with passion. When you really do that, the rest is only a matter of time… and luck. Mostly luck.
Do Polish media support new bands enough? Did any of them help you in your early days?
I think they do. You know, in some of our first reviews on Polish websites, people sometimes wrote that the score was a bit higher just to show support. It was said in a polite way, but the message was clear: “Guys, there are some small issues, but it’s okay for now. Next time there will be no discounts. Keep working and good luck.”
“Elegy” is your third album, which was released recently. Does it represent a step forward compared to the previous record, or is it more of a continuation of it?
We have no doubt that this is the best album we’ve made so far. I know every band says that, but Elegy is not just another album — it’s a development and closure of what we created on the previous two records. “Fade“ was recorded as a studio project, “Call of the Abyss“ was still a search for our identity as a band. With “Elegy“ we said: “Now we know exactly what we want and how to do it — let’s go for it!”
I think you’re not a band that experiments at all costs — you rather focus on the atmosphere and the spirit of the music. Do you agree?
It depends on what we mean by “experiment. ”We definitely don’t try to reinvent the wheel. When we compose, we consider different ideas — sometimes very unusual ones. Two years ago we even released two songs in a synthwave style. We don’t want to make people say at all costs, “Wow, I’ve never heard anything like that before.” Of course, we try to keep our music varied and explore new directions, but our roots are always clearly there.
Your biography says that in the past you drew a lot of inspiration from the works of world-renowned writers. Does this also apply to the album “Elegy“?
That’s right. The first album was based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. The second one — on H.P. Lovecraft. “Elegy“ combines both authors, but with more influence from Poe, which is why you can feel a stronger romantic spirit.
The album “Elegy“ was released by the Belgian label Meuse Music Records. How did this collaboration come about? Why did you choose this particular label?
We were looking for a label that already had bands with a similar style to ours. We really hoped to work with them because we had been following Meuse Music Records for some time. Their positive response was a big relief for me.
The new album includes a cover version of “Our Fortress Is Burning… II – Bloodbirds” by AGALLOCH. What made you decide to include this particular song?
Since Call of the Abyss, we decided it would be nice to keep a tradition of paying tribute to bands that inspire us by recording their covers. The idea for “Our Fortress Is Burning… II – Bloodbirds” came up during a heavy party — maybe that’s why everyone got so excited about it right away.
When I listened to Elegy for the first time, I instantly loved it. It’s the kind of music that’s perfect for autumn. Was it intentional to release the album during this season, or was it just a coincidence?
It was fully planned. If there’s one season when I listen to the most doom metal, it’s autumn. Can you imagine listening to this album on a hot summer night or a warm spring afternoon? There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but you’ll agree that this kind of music tastes best now.
I visit Poland really often — the mountains, the sea, the friendly people… But what is real life in Poland like from the perspective of an ordinary person? Do you notice the kind of progress that I see as a regular visitor?
I’m glad to hear that. Poland is really a great country to live in, and I can’t imagine leaving it for good. Like everywhere, we have our problems, but that’s life. There are things we can’t change, so we just have to accept them and move on. I’ve visited the Czech Republic a few times and have a lot of good memories. There’s a lot of kindness and positive energy among you.
Have you ever played outside of Poland? Which concerts do you remember most fondly so far?
So far, we’ve played in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. We especially remember our first trip abroad — a concert in Kaunas, Lithuania, and our show supporting AHAB in Riga, Latvia.
Do you have any concert tour planned in the near future?
Yes. Next year we’re starting a tour to promote “Elegy“. Unfortunately, work on the album took so much time that it was impossible to plan and organize concerts earlier this year.
Finally, could you mention a few recordings that you’ve loved for a long time and keep coming back to regularly?
Oh wow, there are many of them. Let me look at this month’s playlist: PARADISE LOST — The Plague Within, SWALLOW THE SUN — Songs from the North, MY DYING BRIDE — Songs of Darkness, Words of Light, AGALLOCH — Ashes Against the Grain (surprise!), ANATHEMA — Eternity. That should be enough.
Thank you very much for the interview. If you’d like to share a message with our readers, here’s your chance… Wishing you all the best.
Greetings to the readers of R.U.M. zine and all death-doom metal fans from the Czech Republic! We hope to visit you again soon. We really appreciate every kind word or comment on our social media — it’s always nice to know that a warm welcome is waiting for us there.
ALL