Ελληνικά
Hello and welcome to Metal Invader!
Michał: Hi, thanks for the invite!
Could you please introduce Species for our readers who might be new to your music? How did the band form, and what influenced your early sound?
M: I met Piotr (vocals and bass) at a concert in Warsaw and we ended up chatting about music outside of the club. It turned out that he and his friend Przemek (drums) were looking for a guitarist as they were jamming some riffs together and thinking about forming a thrash metal band with progressive metal/rock influences. Bands like Coroner, Toxik, Xentrix, Risk, Artillery or Aspid were mentioned during this conversation so I was into it immediately as I’ve always enjoyed this kind of stuff. We became a trio and pretty much instantly started to write songs that would become our debut EP. As time went by we would try to incorporate more psychedelic, proggy parts inspired by the likes of Rush, King Crimson or Yes into our songs as opposed to just having a lot of twisted 5/4 or 7/8 kind of metal riffs.
Congratulations on the release of your new album! Can you share the main themes and concepts behind it?
M: “Changelings” isn’t really a concept album as such but it tells stories of human experiments, alien invasion and body horror, all loosely related to mankind and change. It could also be associated with the music itself which constantly shifts and takes on different twists and turns with all the different influences, melodies and mood changes. I guess you could treat it as a soundtrack to a weird, unreleased 80s sci-fi fantasy horror movie.
How did this album’s writing and recording process differ from your previous releases?
M: The writing process didn’t differ much, honestly, as, just like with “To Find Deliverance”, we wrote most of “Changelings” together in our practice space. Obviously we would come up with riffs or drum beats at home (or wherever else) but actual songs were written together. The recording process and preparation for it was very different however as this time we did a lot of demos for the album and definitely came to the studio more prepared. We also recorded in two different studios and had it mastered in a third one so there were more people and ears involved.
Poland has a rich death metal scene. How do you see Species fitting into or standing out from this landscape?
M: There’s plenty of great Polish bands playing all kinds of metal music: heavy metal, death metal, black metal, thrash metal. We’re of course glad to be a part of it while simply playing the kind of stuff we like without looking at subgenres or comparing our music to the others. But honestly we’re not only thinking about being part of the Polish scene as, after all, we are all part of a global movement. I’m sure most of the bands here have a similar mindset since, obviously, when you release a record you want it to resonate with people all over the world.
Your sound blends aggression with melodic structures. What bands or musical styles influenced this balance on the new album?
M: I think if you treat an album or even a song like a story, you’ve got to add a lot of twists and turns to it to make it interesting and memorable. Many bands have done that in the past including some of our favorites that I already mentioned earlier. Species is a metal band and “Changelings” is a metal album but we want to draw from other genres, whether it’s prog or funk or jazz to increase the lasting value of our music. Besides, we like all kinds of music so it’s natural for us to compose in such a way.
The production quality was praised in our review. Can you talk about your working relationship with the producer and how the album’s sound was crafted?
M: We worked with 3 recording engineers on this album. First we recorded drums in Nebula Studio with Tomasz Stołowski who, being an experienced drummer and producer, took good care of their sound. He challenged our drummer Przemek quite a bit and helped him find the right gear to use for the album. The remaining instruments were recorded at No Stress Studio with Filip Pągowski who, apart from being a recording engineer, is also a great guitarist. Aside from choosing the right tone, he helped us with selecting harmonies and finding the best techniques for recording certain key parts. He also mixed the album. The mastering was done by Damian Herring of Horrendous fame in Subterranean Watchtower Studios. He made the whole thing sound fuller, heavier and louder but also managed to keep the raw and organic feel of the album which we really wanted to preserve.
Lyrically, what message or stories are you hoping to convey through the new songs?
M: Piotr is the sole author of all lyrics. He’s into science fiction and likes to tell stories inspired by his favorite games or movies but also incorporates some of his personal experiences and reflections or psychological themes into it. We leave plenty of room for the music to speak for itself though.
Were there any challenges or interesting moments during the creation of this album that stand out to you?
M: I guess it was the recording process, as even if you show up to the studio thinking you’re well prepared and you’re working with experienced engineers, there are always moments of doubt or parts where you get stuck. It still went pretty smoothly, though.
Many fans felt the album delivered on both intensity and atmosphere. How important is it for you to maintain that duality in your music?
M: Just like with aggression and melody, it’s all about creating stories through the music which has been the essence of Species.
Touring is a big part of a band’s life. Do you have plans to tour extensively in support of this album domestically and internationally?
M: We’re currently working on arranging shows for 2026.
How has the reaction from fans and critics, (including Metal Invader’s excellent review… hahaha), influenced the band since the album’s release?
M: Thanks for the review! All the positive feedback definitely encourages us to write more stuff, which is what we are planning to work on for the remainder of 2025. We also want to share this music live with people; get to new audiences but also present these new songs for the first time to our Polish fans who have supported us through the years.
Can you share any insight into the songwriting dynamics within the band? Who brings the initial ideas, and how does the group shape them?
M: As I mentioned, we write most of the music together in our practice space. Of course some concepts or riffs spark at home when we practice individually but those are never full songs. We then glue these ideas together and that’s often the hardest part, especially when they are very different in atmosphere but we still want to keep them in one song.
What role does your Polish heritage and culture play in your music and imagery, if any?
M: Well, I don’t think our heritage plays any role. Personally, I like to dig in Polish 80s and 90s scene as there are plenty of great (and often widely unknown) death or thrash metal bands. Some of them, like Violent Dirge, have been pretty influential for me.
Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or directions you are excited to explore after this album?
M: We are all involved in other projects aside from Species, either as live musicians or full-time members, so there’s constantly new stuff in the making. As for Species, we are already collecting ideas for new music. We usually write during winter so I’m sure some new songs will start to take form soon!
The closing is yours.
M: Thanks for checking out “Changelings” and for supporting Species!
