This is the joy of being an asthmatic in a post – pandemic world. You go out for one day and you come back home with measles. You think you have recovered and put one foot outside the door, so now you have got covid. And an ear infection. You can hardly sit straight, less alone listen or review music. And this is why kids, this review is a month late to the party.
I absolutely, unconditionally love Alhena. We have already covered their previous single (“Nemesis”) here on Indiererria and think they may be the best thing in Polish metal since Waldemar Sorychta opened Woodhouse Studios. It was such a bummer that I had to postpone reviewing the single for almost three weeks, but half deaf Malicia makes for a lousy music critic.
Cover of Scarlet – photo by Jarek Chlad
When I was on the mend, Alhena were busy slaying left, right and centre. To say the response to “Scarlet” was positive, is to say nothing really. We can safely use triumphant as a description. Turn Up the Volume called the single “Symphonic splendour. Pure rock opera”. Editor of Polish biggest rock magazine Teraz Rock, Wiesław Wiess proclaimed that the band was on top of their game and named “Scarlet” as one of his songs of the month. The single placed second on the rock chart at Akadera (a cult radio station in Poland if you don’t know). The reviews came from Germany, UK, Switzerland, the video was seen by over four thousand times on YouTube. Add to it a small tour of the country and you get a picture where the band is going.
I must join the choir of those who sing praises of Alhena. They are more than just a band. It is a collective of accomplished and hugely experienced musicians. Dominika Kapuśniak (vox & violin), Tomasz Bogulski (guitar), Bartosz Kazimierski (guitar), Piotr Pryka (keys), Maciej Tonder (bass) and Piotr Grugel (drums) create sonic landscapes that combine multiple genres of rock: art, prog, symphonic, classic metal and even psychedelia. And all of this is done in such a devilishly clever way that you have to listen to their tracks a few times to pick up all the little hints and details. Since Dominika joined the line up, the band’s sound was enriched by use of violin. It is prominently displayed in “Scarlet”, giving the song almost My Dying Bride feel.
The single is also a bold move into more symphonic metal territory for Alhena. If they continue in this direction then we may be calling them Nightwish of Eastern Europe before long.
The main theme of “Scarlet” is duality. The keyboards and violin building serene foundation of the song, the vocals and guitars lifting it up to higher registers. There are two main figures in the video played by Dominika Kapuśniak and Patrycja Białachowska (who is a classically trained pianist, member of the Pomeranian Philharmonic and educator). Both are pictured either in white or black, in contrast to the band. If you look at the promotional pictures that accompany the single, the duality is there as well: in the monochrome dress that Dominika is wearing or being shown as her own mirror image holding the violin. You may not realize but the colour palette used by the band is not a coincidence. Alhena is also a colour. Blue – white, with shades of black to be exact. It is the light of a Gamma Geminorum in the constellation of Gemini, after which the band took its name.
Just think how dedicated Alhena are to their craft, that to review them you have to look through astronomical science papers! But then again, I would expect nothing less from a progressive rock act. Most artists in that genre are secretly nerds, some even have academic degrees and patents to their name. For those who are into such off- topic extra reading: all members of Rush have doctorate in music, there is even a university course dedicated to their music, that they co created years before Taylor Swift became a focus point of academia.
As a reviewer, I want to say one more thing about “Scarlet”. I am unsure if this is a political stance of the band or just a display of their allyship but if you watch the video, you will notice that there is a distinct LGBTQ element, showing two main characters involved in a romantic relationship. It`s very subtle but it is there. Alhena have a reputation for building entire worlds in their videos. “Scarlet” is no different. It is a love story between two nymphs: a Naiad (spirit of rivers and lakes) and possibly a Leimakid (meadow spirit) such as Chloris. In Greek mythology, Chloris had a passionate relationship with Hera, which resulted in the birth of Ares. I can’t stress enough how bold it would be for a Polish artist to stand up for LGBTQ rights by retelling that particular myth, at a time where equality is still contested in the country.
“Scarlet” was recorded with producer Marcin Grzella at MG STUDIO in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The single came out in January 2024.
Alhena are ready to explode onto international stages
You can follow the band on socials:
https://alhenaband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AlhenaPL
https://www.instagram.com/alhenaband/
https://twitter.com/AlhenaBand
https://www.tiktok.com/@alhenaband
https://www.youtube.com/AlhenaBand
https://soundcloud.com/AlhenaPL
https://alhena.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1uLBjSqGy11ryV1R5aAZ63
Our previous coverage:
https://vanadianavenue.co.uk/2023/09/25/alhena-nemesis-single-review/
Additional readings:
https://heavymag.com.au/alhena-reveal-new-album-single-scarlet/
https://turnupthevolume.blog/2024/01/09/alhena-polish-symphonic-metal-collective-create-a-mini-rock-opera-with-their-new-towering-single-scarlet/
Malicia Dabrowicz
Indieterria 
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