DE PRESS – Harnaś uż ie żyje

RELEASE YEAR: 2025
BAND URL: https://depress1.bandcamp.com/album/harna-u-ie-yje

There is no stopping the engaging Andrej Nebb and you cannot keep a true artist down, which is why I am now holding a copy of the latest De Press album between my filthy paws.

The 70-year-old Nebb sounds as inspired and determined as ever, and his skilled bring his musical visions and ideas to vivid life on Harnaś uż ie żyje, and I simply love the energy and drive of its eleven unique-sounding compositions that cover quite a bit of territory – both musically and lyrically, that is. Somewhere between raw and unfiltered post-punk, a peculiar yet charming brand of New Wave, and what can only be described as quite heavy art rock is where you will find Harnaś uż ie żyje, but more importantly, the disc undoubtedly comes across as the work of De Press in that it proudly displays all the characteristics and trademarks associated with the act. Having said that, I cannot recall an album by these chaps ever having sounded as intense and face-melting as this one does, and there is a spark and a fire to the tracks along with some magnificent choruses and powerful riffs that will devour you and fry your brain. Being inspired by WWII history pertaining to Norway and Poland in particular might account for why the record is as incredibly in-your-face and absorbing as it is, but its content also delves into the oftentimes complex relationships between people, which means that it all feels very relatable and in strong possession of a human element and an emotonal depth that resonate with this scribe. Employing lyrics in Norwegian and Polish also adds a certain heartfelt quality to the songs that makes for an engrossing listening experience. Highly recommended and unlike anything else out there.