Armia
Encyclopedia
Armia is Polish
punk rock
and hardcore punk
music band founded in 1985 by Tomasz Budzyński
, Sławomir Gołaszewski and Robert Brylewski
. Armia is famous for its use of horn
, which was unusual of punk rock bands in late 1980s and 1990s. With poetic (often inspired by philosophy and literature) lyrics, written by Budzyński, and evolving, creative music Armia has gained popularity and respect over the years, and its concerts now attract numerous fans of rock music.
Armia's lyrics and cover art has frequently alluded to philosophy, literature and religion. The cover of the LP Legenda (A Legend) features Don Quijote and some lyrics were inspired by gnosticism
. The title of the LP Czas i Byt (Being and Time) comes from Martin Heidegger's work Being and Time
. Other sources of inspiration include the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien
, The Bible, The Divine Comedy
and Samuel Beckett
(Triodante), Tove Jansson's The Moomins, films like Verner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God
or Marek Piwowski's Rejs.
Although the basis of Armia's sound has always been punk rock, the band's changing musicians have brought with them numerous other styles and material: hardcore, heavy metal, keyboard riffs, sampling, and complex, quasi-orchestral arrangements. Therefore, each of the band's albums sounds different from the rest.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
music band founded in 1985 by Tomasz Budzyński
Tomasz Budzynski
Tomasz Budzyński is Polish musician, painter and poet, the lead vocalist of the band Armia.He worked with bands 2Tm2,3, Budzy i Trupia Czaszka, he was also first vocalist of punk rock band Siekiera.-With Armia:...
, Sławomir Gołaszewski and Robert Brylewski
Robert Brylewski
Robert Maksymilian Brylewski , born May 25, 1961 in Warsaw, is a Polish rock musician, lead guitarist of several punk-rock and reggae bands, such as Kryzys, Brygada Kryzys, Izrael, Armia and Falarek Band. He is one of the most influential rock musicians in Poland, and is considered a founding...
. Armia is famous for its use of horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, which was unusual of punk rock bands in late 1980s and 1990s. With poetic (often inspired by philosophy and literature) lyrics, written by Budzyński, and evolving, creative music Armia has gained popularity and respect over the years, and its concerts now attract numerous fans of rock music.
Armia's lyrics and cover art has frequently alluded to philosophy, literature and religion. The cover of the LP Legenda (A Legend) features Don Quijote and some lyrics were inspired by gnosticism
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
. The title of the LP Czas i Byt (Being and Time) comes from Martin Heidegger's work Being and Time
Being and Time
Being and Time is a book by the German philosopher Martin Heidegger. Although written quickly, and despite the fact that Heidegger never completed the project outlined in the introduction, it remains his most important work and has profoundly influenced 20th-century philosophy, particularly...
. Other sources of inspiration include the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
, The Bible, The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature...
and Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
(Triodante), Tove Jansson's The Moomins, films like Verner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Aguirre, the Wrath of God is a 1972 West German adventure film written and directed by Werner Herzog. Klaus Kinski stars in the title role. The soundtrack was composed and performed by German progressive/Krautrock band Popol Vuh...
or Marek Piwowski's Rejs.
Although the basis of Armia's sound has always been punk rock, the band's changing musicians have brought with them numerous other styles and material: hardcore, heavy metal, keyboard riffs, sampling, and complex, quasi-orchestral arrangements. Therefore, each of the band's albums sounds different from the rest.
Current
- Tomasz "Budzy" BudzyńskiTomasz BudzynskiTomasz Budzyński is Polish musician, painter and poet, the lead vocalist of the band Armia.He worked with bands 2Tm2,3, Budzy i Trupia Czaszka, he was also first vocalist of punk rock band Siekiera.-With Armia:...
- vocal, lyrics - Rafał "Franz" Giec - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Paweł PiotrowskiPaweł PiotrowskiPaweł Piotrowski is a Paralympian athlete from Poland competing mainly in category F35-36 throwing events.Paweł competed in the shot putt, discus and javelin in both the 2004 and 2008 summer paralympics...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Jakub Bartoszewski - hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
- Daniel Karpiński - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Former
- Robert BrylewskiRobert BrylewskiRobert Maksymilian Brylewski , born May 25, 1961 in Warsaw, is a Polish rock musician, lead guitarist of several punk-rock and reggae bands, such as Kryzys, Brygada Kryzys, Izrael, Armia and Falarek Band. He is one of the most influential rock musicians in Poland, and is considered a founding...
- lead guitar - Sławomir Gołaszewski - clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
- Michał Grymuza - lead guitar
- Darek "Popcorn" Popowicz - lead guitar
- Janusz "Grzmot" Rołt - drums
- Tomasz "Gogo Szulc" Kożuchowski - drums
- Aleksander "Alik" Dziki - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Tomasz "Żwirek" Żmijewski - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Piotr "Stopa" Żyżelewicz - drums
- Dariusz "Maleo" Malejonek - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Beata "Rozencwajgowa" Kozak - drums
- Maciej "Ślepy" Głuchowski - drums
- Krzysztof "Dr Kmieta" Kmiecik - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Krzysztof "Banan" Banasik - hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
- Tomasz "Krzyżyk" Krzyżaniak - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Paweł Klimczak - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Gerard Nowak - background vocals
- Karol Nowacki - keysKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
Discography
| Year | Album | Label | Catalog Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Aguirre | Metal Mind Productions Metal Mind Productions Metal Mind Productions is a Polish record label founded in 1987. Currently it is one of the lead independent labels in Poland with over 1000 of licences and over 10 million of data mediums sold. The label focuses mainly on rock and heavy metal genres... |
MMP CD DG 0342 |
| 1991 | Legenda | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD 0271 DG |
| 1992 | Exodus | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD 0272 DG |
| 1989 | Czas i byt | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD 0273 DG |
| 1994 | Triodante | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD 0274 DG |
| 1997 | Duch | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD DG 0351 |
| 1989 | Droga | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD DG 0352 |
| 2001 | Soul Side Story 1 | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD DG 353 |
| 2001 | Soul Side Story 2 | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD DG 354 |
| 2003 | Pocałunek Mongolskiego Księcia | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD 0271 DG |
| 2005 | Ultima Thule | Metal Mind Productions | MMP CD 0312 |
| 2009 | Der Prozess | Isound Labels/EMI Music Poland | IA001CD |
| 2009 | Freak | Isound Labels/EMI Music Poland | IA003CD |
External links
- www.armia.art.pl - Official web site
- www.myspace.com/armiaband - Official myspace