ARCHANGELICA

Crossover Prog • Poland

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Archangelica biography
Polish band ARCHANGELICA was formed by Darek Ojdana in 2004. The initial recording line-up of the band, consisting of Odjana, Jasiek Kaliszewski, Maciej Engel, Iwona Smolińska and Marian, released a first initial self-titled demo in 2007. Two years later "Where Are You Now" appeared. This second demo featured contributions by Mariusz Zelazko and Pawel Penksa. For the next few years several line-up alterations occured, and when their debut album "Like a Drug" was released in 2013 it was with a line-up consisting of Maciej Engel, Piotr Brzezicki, Krzysiek Salapa, Arek Gawdzik and Jakub Kolada.

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ARCHANGELICA discography

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ARCHANGELICA top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.80 | 27 ratings

Like a Drug
2013

3.69 | 13 ratings

Tomorrow Starts Today
2016

ARCHANGELICA Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

ARCHANGELICA Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

ARCHANGELICA Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

ARCHANGELICA Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

ARCHANGELICA Reviews

Showing last 10 reviews only

Studio Album, 2013
3.80 | 27 ratings
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Like a Drug
Archangelica Crossover Prog

Review by kev rowland
Special Collaborator Prog Reviewer / Special Collaborator

Archangelica were formed in Poland in 2004, releasing the two mini-albums 'Archangelica' in 2007 and 'Where Are You Now?' in 2009. During that period they moved on from their original Anathema influences to something that was more melodic and immediate, without losing all of their emotional roots. They have also made quite a few personnel changes, with founder and keyboard player Darius Ojdana leaving his own band: in fact only guitarist Maciej Engel (who also provides keyboards on this album) is there from the band that recorded the debut. The rest of the line-up is completed by James Kolyada (bass), Chris Sałapa (vocals), Arek Gawdzik (guitar) and Peter Brzezicki (drums) while guest Natalia Matuszek provides some incredible additional vocals to add more layers.

I have played this album numerous times now, and am still at a loss as to how to quite describe it. There are some wonderful guitars, but it's not really prog metal, while there are times when it is quite emotional and dreamy yet definitely isn't trance (which is one of the words they actually use themselves to describe their music). In some ways it is almost neo-prog, but that isn't quite right either and the best I can come up with is Jadis crossed with Anathema with plenty of influences from Shadowland but there again I could be wrong. All of the vocals are in English, and it is a wonderfully polished and incredibly vibrant and immediate album that I have enjoyed immensely. Complex without being complicated, simple and harmonious this is a delight.

Thanks to windhawk for the artist addition.