Review by SzejkElRopa on February 5, 2026.

Priest and Stawrogin, with their schizophrenic debut album called "Esperalem Tkane", left a lasting impression on many black metal listeners back in 2014. One of the factors that made Odraza so different from other bands was the artwork, which was quite vulgar. In "Rzeczom", this album's cover art makes a drastic contrast with their previous one. Instead of an old, naked lady sitting on a dirty floor, the cover here is a photo of Miss Małopolska 2022. Don't get fooled: the drastic change in cover art doesn't mean a change in music at all. "Rzeczom" (which could be translated into English as "for the things") is a true work of art.

Although "Rzeczom" doesn't hold the same amount of fury and vomit as "Esperalem tkane" and has a slightly cleaner sound, it didn't abandon the dirtiness. And that was a change for the better. While most of the album consists of introspective darkness, there is a tiny amount of melancholy and longing, which feels like a little glimmer of hope in a city where LED lights cover what's hidden behind closed doors — people's tragedies. Odraza, as on the previous album, incorporates acoustic and jazzy passages here and there, which don't make this album straightforwardly brutal, but also something that mesmerizes you. This can be heard in "Długa 24", for example, which consists only of clean vocals and acoustic guitars. This gives breaks between more aggressive, brutal moments. As an example, "Schadenfreude" can be brought up. It holds the biggest amount of similarities to the previous album, with insanely fast percussion, heavy riffs, and possessed Stawrogin's vocals. Though this song is the most brutal, others don't forget about the wild nature of Odraza. For instance, the title track has a very interesting trick. At the beginning, when vocals appear, the song has an intriguing lick, with briefly appearing keyboards. After that, in the middle section, a melodic interlude can be heard. This gives not only a schizophrenic but also a slightly hallucinating, maybe post-alcoholic feeling, when it is not possible to recall everything. I don't know how it exactly is; I haven't experienced a hangover yet, but I guess what it looks like. The album is full of little licks, subtle yet important, and atmosphere-building details, and it is not predictable by any means. It's like a journey into the unknown, but even though you have already been there, you still spot new details. Truly incredible.

In my review of "Esperalem tkane", I praised Stawrogin for his vocal range, but here, he took it to a whole new level. Not only does he scream, but he also does it in (at least) two different styles, he sings clean, and he whispers. What is more, he changes the styles one after another. What can I say more — it is almost impossible to get bored with his vocals. Almost, because there are some people whose attention span won't even make them focus on "Długa 24". The guitar work is immaculate as well. Unlike many black metal albums, there is no strumming of the same four chords, but the riffs are very thoughtful, tastefully contributing to the quality of the album. From galloping in "W godzinie wilka" and multiple jazzy middle sections, to no-nonsense violent riffs, as in vocals, there is no boredom here. Another thing worth mentioning is guitar solos, played by guest Daniel Azar Arendarski. Similarly to "Esperalem tkane", they fit more than perfectly. The best solo was in "Bempo" — with its fast pace and neoclassical shredding, it will probably steal many people's hearts. Another plus on this album is the bass guitar that can be heard all over. In "Młot na małe miasta", it can especially be heard at the beginning. The bar for drumwork was kept high after Priest's great performance on "Esperalem tkane"; however, he performed according to expectations, or even better. Just listen — the level he achieved can be compared to Darkside's. I can argue that he is one of the most underrated drummers in the Polish black metal scene. To conclude, there is no point in criticizing anything, because this album is done perfectly.

Lyrics deal with themes such as heartbreak, longing, and depression, with a city and alcohol motif. With a certain level of vulgarity that might leave a scar on the reader, they are great material to analyze lyrically, with many references — at least that's what I have read. My favorite lyric was in "...Twoją rzecz też", which went: "Chciałaś być moją duszą i ciałem – ciało starczyło, duszy nie chciałem". That can be translated as "You wanted to be my soul and body — the body was enough, I didn't want the soul". I understand it as the lyrical subject dealing with lustful thoughts in the past. However, the lyrics are open to interpretation in many ways. Therefore, Polish speakers might understand the previously mentioned lyric as something completely different.

On the whole, "Rzeczom" shows that black metal doesn't need devils to make an absolutely crushing, hateful, and slightly mesmerizing work of art. Odraza showed once again that real evil doesn't hide beneath the tree crowns in ancient necromantic rituals, but is far closer to everyone else. It hides behind closed doors, in random strangers' tragedies, violence, alcoholism, addiction, and much more. "Rzeczom" allows delving into that brutal world without having your ass kicked physically. Undoubtedly, this album deserves a 10 score.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Arek on August 23, 2020.

Rzeczom is the second album of the Krakow duo. After a punch in the mouth which was Esperalem Tkane I was waiting for its successor - and it finally happened this year, with the participation of Godz Ov War Productions. The album consists of 10, or in fact 9, pieces of big-city, iconoclastic poetry carved on a black metal basis. Why 9 if it’s 10? Because the last piece is rather a sonic lyric that closes the album.

I have to admit right from the start of this review that I absorb this poetic-lyrical whipping into human nastiness with undisguised pleasure from the first sounds of the music box to the last notes. From the first word spat out by Stawrogin, to the unspoken ‘I’m Not From Here’. I am not tempted to interpret Odraza's poetry, but I encourage you to follow it, because although it is stinging, it seems very accurate. I encourage you to experience musical experiences with no less force, because Rzeczom is a real feast of various sensations, from the gray of sadness to the gloom of anger - and even hatred. Lashing with black blasts, ‘Schadenfreude’, ‘Świt Opowiadaczy’ and ‘Bempo’, rape the eardrums, and the slower bits here and there are only a delusion of hope for respite - that will not come.

My favorite title track seems to be a band-aid for the wounds after the first bruising, but it is venom-lined, so the festering will go on. Mid-tempo ‘W Godzinie Wilka’ and ‘Młot Na Małe Miasta’ perfectly fester and drill into these wounds. ‘...Twoją Rzecz Też’ is also the most controversial track on the album. Like a cover of a ballad once performed by a local band. This rough performance shows the band's artistry, how a piece of a diametrically different nature can be weaved into a black, gushing with evil, album. ‘Długa 24’ is the shortest creation on the album, and why a creation, because it is more of a short, cool tale dressed in music, but so perfectly integrated into the album.

We can hear a similar atmosphere in ‘Najkrótsza Z Wieczności’, although it is foggier and more nostalgic here. The instrumental ‘Ja Nie Stąd’ ends the album. Here, the nostalgic beginning develops into a real slaughter. The track, lacking the vocals, makes up for it with an instrumental layer. And just like that, the deadly blows will continue on indefinitely, if you’ve succumbed to the deep waters of Odraza.

This album is great to listen to, and if you considered Stawrogin to be the perfect war machine for the metal of death and hell, then reach for this album to see how well it can transform into Mr. Mateusz. One cannot forget about the other instruments that intensify emotions. The work done with the hands and feet of the Priest confirms his class. The whole section gives the album incredible power. Sars is responsible for the visuals, and his different perspective is equally significant. These beautiful, though deeply sad eyes, looking from the cover - in combination with the content of the silver disc - raise the hellish magnetism of Rzeczom.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Alex on May 7, 2020.

Polish black metal is just great, I've heard so many bands from the region and in most cases regardless of whatever form of black metal they tackle, they do it with astounding results. The same can be said about Odraza, whom incorporate numerous features in the assembly of their music. There's no need to wonder if the band's second full length "Rzeczom" is up to standards as it features members of not too long ago formed Gruzja and more notably Voidhanger. However, if you're not the kind that goes off of band involvements and previous accomplishments, then listen to the album that premiers on MetalBite today (to be released on May 8th, 2020 via Godz Ov War Productions) and then try to convince me you don't like and appreciate what you hear.

"Rzeczom" is a musical roller-coaster and then some; however, these unorthodoxies are implemented with respect to the music and black metal in the greater scheme of things. From the childish and eerie strokes of an electronic device on 'Schadenfreude' to the grown-up rage filled blasting and riffing, Odraza begins the musical fair with a total storming of the instruments resembling a cross between Hate and Arkona. This track pretty much hands you the aggression early-on, but also adds to the black sauce an atmospheric beauty via looming landscapes.

Don't be misled by title track 'Rzeczom' (through its bouncy, rock and roll mid-paced opening) for some unguided attempt at an unconventional black metal composition, as you would notice with progression, the song carries much cohesion and builds like a crescendo through the slow but timely inclusion of synth choirs to deepen and move further the feeling of the song away from the traditional black metal sway. Yes, it certainly is a curveball tossed at the listener diligently, but once listened to you'd begin to understand how important and necessary this was to keep the record fresh and to a degree unpredictable. It does exploit some black metal characteristics, but they’re done more toward the end.

As if the album could not have been any more experimental with a song like 'Rzeczom', in comes '...Twoją Rzecz Też' with perhaps the most unorthodox piece of music on the album. Pianos, acoustic guitars, a drum roll, power chords, then followed by some wacky, carnival-esque tone and composition, the material would take a brief turn into an even more unrecognizable pathway that'd even intentionally put on a clumsy display of drumming and out of sync instrumentation somewhere along the line before reconnecting with something more followable. Even amidst the black metal bullet-storm that is 'Bempo', Odraza would subvert the music through a thin but noticeable act of technical progressive metal at the beginning, amusing all the while masterfully doctored.

The thing I'm getting at here is that regardless of the measures taken by the band to make the material unorthodox, within the bosom of the songs, lies a great volume of cohesive flow and sensible instrumentation. 'Dulga 24' sounds connected to '...Twoją Rzecz Też' and its successors 'Świt Opowiadaczy' and 'Młot Na Małe Miasta' appear to be extensions of 'W Godzinie Wilka' (a favorite off the album). Though suppressed at times the black metal in itself may be on "Rzeczom", this tucking away and blindsided re-emergence of the genre's properties, challenges the listener to pay attention while simultaneously evoking much enjoyment via the numerous cards played in the name of heterodoxy. Simply put, "Rzeczom" is the collateral sounds of misery, anxiety and degradation in a hollow shell, a near perfect imperfection.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10