
Kryształ
It was a slow-paced start to the evening. With anticipation already building for the night’s main attractions – Obscure Sphinx and Blindead 23 – it felt like a moment of calm before the storm. The crowd, eager for the heavy, emotional weight of those bands’ signature sounds, was met with something that felt like an unidentified flying object had landed. Kryształ, a relatively new name on the Polish rock scene, emerged with a sound worlds apart from the atmospheric doom and post-metal textures of the other acts on the bill.
It isn’t the type of genre that typically graces the same stages as bands like Blindead 23, but there was something refreshingly audacious about Kryształ’s presence. The juxtaposition of their music against the heavier lineup almost felt rebellious – like a band that was knowingly different and comfortable in their own skin.
Kryształ may still be new to the Polish music scene, but they’ve been making moves at a steady pace. Formed in the early 2020s, the band has released two albums since 2021, making their presence increasingly hard to ignore. Their music carries a modern polish – slick production values and catchy melodies – while still maintaining an edge of raw sincerity. It’s the kind of sound that could comfortably slide into a radio playlist but doesn’t feel cheap or overly manufactured.

Wij
When Wij arrived on stage, the air seemed to shift. The band’s reputation preceded them, and from the first note, they proved why. At the heart of the storm was their vocalist, a charismatic powerhouse who seemed born for the stage. She took command of the room with an effortless intensity, making it clear that the band was there to give us a good time.
Their sound – a heady mix of rock, stoner, and tinges of other influences – is marked by a unique twist: a voice that is piercingly high, clear, and unabashedly melodic.
The stories themselves are worth noting. The band’s lyrics weave narratives that are strikingly relatable yet poetic, delivered with crystal precision by their vocalist. Her voice soars above the instrumentation like a beacon, not buried beneath the sonic weight but standing tall, proud, and unapologetic. It’s an arresting experience – her tone carries the emotional punch of someone telling you something vital, something urgent.
I thoroughly enjoyed their performance. It was fresh, light, and undeniably entertaining, offering a much-needed breath of energy and vibrancy. There was a sense of ease and spontaneity in their delivery, as though they were simply having fun on stage and inviting the audience to join them. it felt like a shared moment of joy, leaving everyone with a smile and a craving for more.

Obscure Sphinx
Having followed Obscure Sphinx for years, I can confidently say this band is one to experience. Their performances transcend the boundaries of a typical concert, immersing you in a world that is as haunting as it is beautiful. It’s a visual and musical journey that grabs hold of your senses and doesn’t let go until long after the final note fades. Every time I see them, I’m mesmerized anew, captivated by their ability to evoke raw, unfiltered emotions. This was the performance I had been waiting for all night, and they delivered in ways that defy easy description.
To attend an Obscure Sphinx concert is to step into another realm, a place where sound, light, and shadow merge into a living, breathing entity. Their music is dark, mysterious, and heavy with emotion – so much so that it feels like it bypasses your ears and heads straight for your gut. There’s an undeniable gloom that permeates every moment of their set, yet it’s not despairing; it’s cathartic, even transcendent.
The visual elements of the show are as important as the music itself. A massive backscreen displayed an array of black-and-white visuals – abstract films, shadowy figures, flickering light, and imagery that felt like glimpses into a fever dream. Strong backlighting, strobe effects, and a play of darkness and light enveloped the band, obscuring and revealing them in turns. For a photographer, it’s challenging conditions, but for a fan, it’s an exceptional feast for the senses. The lighting wasn’t just a backdrop – it became an extension of the music, an active participant in the performance that heightened the drama and tension of every moment.
At the center of it all was their enigmatic vocalist, a true force of nature. Her presence on stage felt almost shamanic, as if she were channeling ancient, otherworldly energies through her body and voice. The way she moved – dancing, swaying, or contorting herself to the ebb and flow of the music – made it seem as though she were caught in a trance, imploring unseen spirits to rise. Her voice ranged from mournful, ethereal wails to feral, gut-wrenching screams, each note dripping with a visceral intensity that commanded the audience’s full attention.
It’s rare to see a vocalist embody the music as completely as she does. You could feel her pain, her rage, her longing – and it was impossible not to be swept up in the waves of emotion she unleashed. She was living every moment, drawing the crowd into her ritual and holding them there, spellbound.
A Journey Through Their Discography
The setlist was masterfully curated, sending us into Obscure Sphinx’s rich and diverse catalog. The show opened with “Velorio”, the haunting introduction from their 2013 album “Void Mother“. Its ominous, atmospheric tones set the stage perfectly, creating a sense of foreboding that gave way to the riffs of “Lunar Caustic” from the same record. By the time the second song began, I was already sold – completely under their spell.
The performance continued with a blend of tracks from their four albums, weaving together moments of crushing heaviness and delicate introspection. Highlights included the mournful “Nothing Left”, a track that felt like a slow descent into emotional ruin, and the ferocious “Nastiez” from their debut, “Anaesthetic Inhalation Ritual“, which showcased the band’s raw power and unrelenting intensity.
But perhaps the most moving moments of the night came from their latest album, “Emovere“. The songs from that record, like all their music, are deeply emotional and immersive, but live, they take on a life of their own. It felt as though these tracks were the backbone of the set, holding everything together with their raw, aching beauty.

Blindead 23
I’ve also been following Blindead for years, long before this website was even an idea taking shape in my mind. They left us for several years and now, they’ve returned under Blindead 23, with a reshuffled lineup.
Their recent transformation brought a renewed energy to their live performance, though it’s hard not to compare it to the deep emotional impact of Obscure Sphinx, who set the bar impossibly high earlier that night, but I knew that it would be like that. Blindead 23’s set was polished, heavy, and undeniably enjoyable, but for me, it lacked the same raw, shamanic charisma and emotional weight. Still, there was something to appreciate in their new identity.
The first part of their set was dedicated to showcasing their new material. The EP is an intriguing new chapter for Blindead 23. These tracks felt like a statement of intent, a way of saying, “This is Blindead now – leaner, sharper, and still pushing forward“.
After working through their new material, the band turned the second half of their performance into a celebration of their past, diving headfirst into “Affliction XXIX II MXMVI“, their iconic 2008 album, which they honored on its 15th anniversary.