Via Mistica
Under My Eyelids

The Via Mistica captivated me right from the first listen with their distinct personality and astonishing abilities in creating evocative, nocturnal, and esoteric atmospheres. These capabilities notably elevate the Polish ensemble above the chaos of stereotypical bands, faded copies, and personality-lacking clones that over the years have tried to make it without merit (Darkwell, Forever Slave, Satyrian, and more).

The concept of "Under my eyelids", the third album by the band (active for almost ten years now), revolves around the theme of dreams that torment or delight our nighttime hours. It is divided into fifteen episodes, including several brief instrumental interludes where the singer herself demonstrates remarkable skill in playing the cello, which seems to weep over the gentle piano or keyboard cushions of Rhyco; the solo passages in "Never" and the dark, funeral arabesques of "Fearless" serve as examples. Almost all the compositions are surrounded by atmospheric and cinematic samples that create a horror film aura. As for Kaska's vocals, there is a need for improvement, as in some parts they appear glassy and lamenting, losing impact and struggling to blend with the instruments, especially Marek and Marcin's guitars, which are also played with significant technical skills (time changes and prog-memory solos are not neglected), but sometimes lack particular emotional involvement, thus erring in coldness. Illustrative of this viewpoint are episodes like "Edge of light" and "My eternal home" which seem to get lost in their own ideas. A special praise goes to the rhythm section, as well as Marek's clean vocals. There is relatively little presence of growl, which unexpectedly does not appear in the heavier and more intense moments; an atypical choice for the genre but surely effective.

Among the best-achieved episodes, it's worth mentioning "Secret", distinguished by Kaska's unique vocal timbre and an anthemic and passionate chorus supported by the symbiosis established between guitars, keyboards, and cello. "Fairy tale", a brief overlap of whispered phrases in the native language, eerie horrific keyboards, and wicked laughs fading into far-off bell tolls, and "Parallel mind", with its increasing momentum. However, towering above all are "Manolis", the emotional masterpiece of the album capable of perfectly uniting all the most melodic and intense elements of the group's sound and the stunning "Reflected in my last tears", a delicate closure (entrusted to Kaska’s voice, piano, and cello) filled with melancholy that evokes chamber music.

The work of the Polish sextet is commendable as it is difficult to compare to what is offered by other bands (apart from some passages reminiscent of After Forever's first album, "Prison of Desire"). The metallic underground of Eastern Europe has always reserved great surprises for us, thanks to a strong folkloristic tradition rooted in the culture of some countries; however, the sound of Via Mistica needs improvements through which in the future the band might become known and appreciated by a broader audience.