OSADA VIDA

Polish band OSADA VIDA is closing in on a 20-year long history as a band, and for the greater part of their career they established a reputation as a talented and promising progressive metal oriented outfit. The last few years have seen the band change however, both in terms of personnel and line-up. This is a transition that continues on their seventh studio album "The After Effect", which was released by the Polish label Metal Mind Productions in 2014.

Osada Vida as of 2014 is a band that is quickly transforming into an adventurous, well developed band that is willing and able to cover a multitude of stylistic ground within and arguably at times outside of the progressive rock universe as well. Their blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation in a progressive rock context is easy to enjoy, compelling, well developed and sophisticated, the inclusions of jazz-oriented sequences functioning at least, as well as their inclusion of progressive metal related details. A strong production by a skilled band exploring a distinctly contemporary and well developed variety of progressive rock.

A few months ago I reviewed the latest studio album by the Polish band, Osada Vida. The album is called Particles (2013) and you can read that review on this link: progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=1039037. Metal Mind (the label of the group) also sent me their latest DVD to review. The DVD is called Where The Devils Live (2012) and even if it's a 2012 release it's interesting to review because it closes a circle for Osada Vida.

The DVD was recorded in a pretty Teatr Śląski im. Stanisława Wypiańskiego in Katowice, Poland, on November 10, 2011. Where The Devils Live (2012) shows Osada Vida still having the bass player Łukasz Lisiak as the lead singer of the band, the fact that would change later when they announced their new singer Marek Majewski for the aforementioned album Particles (2013).

It's interesting to note that after the instrumental intro of 'Remember Your Name' the band gives continuity to the concert with the energetic track 'Hard-Boiled Wonderland', that would only be recorded in their next studio album one year later with Marek on the vocals.

Sonically speaking Osada Vida is just great, especially in the instrumental parts and each musician of the band (Łukasz Lisiak - bass / Rafał Paluszek - keyboards / Bartek Bereska - guitars / Adam Podzimski - drums) shines in their respective instruments. Tracks like 'Uninvited Dreams' and 'Brain' show it very clearly.

Visually Where The Devils Live (2012) is simple but highly professional with great camera moves. The DVD doesn't present any special effects with the exception of a few tracks like the heavier 'Muscle' where we have some slow-motion effects and images that overlap the band playing on stage and on the instrumental track 'Is That Devil From Spain Too!' that after a short presentation shows us once again images that overlap the band on stage. In general, the DVD focuses on the band action and it has a very good photography. The few words spoken by Łukasz are in Polish, but wisely the DVD has legends in English.

All in all, after the ten tracks presented on Where The Devils Live (2012) we have the sensation that Osada Vida is a great live band, despite the vocals being weak (that's exactly why the band got a new lead singer). The DVD shows a band very well-rehearsed in an impeccable recording that includes 2.0 and 5.1 sound in a 16:9 aspect ratio screen. Not just that, Where The Devils Live (2012) would be the last live register with this Osada Vida's line-up, since apart from a new singer the band now also has a new guitar player. Bartek Bereska that recorded this DVD, has no longer played with them since the beginning of this year.

As bonus material on the DVD we have an interview with the founding member of the band Łukasz Lisiak and Rafał Paluszek. In this interview they talk about the story of the band answering questions from an unknown interviewer (as it is common in Metal Mind DVDs interviews). There's also a mini making of from the preparations for the concert that resulted in the DVD. There's also biography, discography, photo gallery and Desktop images.

Resuming, Where The Devils Live (2012) is a great collector item for any fan of the Polish band!

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

As I mentioned many Times in my previous reviews, every time I get a new album from a band that comes from Poland, it's something interesting, at least. The country is burning up with music all around. Osada Vida is a band that comes from Wrocław city and was formed way back in the late 90's. Many things has changed within the band since then and Particles (2013) is their 6th studio album (not counting their 2002's EP). Their actual line up is compressed of: Marek Majewski (vocals), Łukasz Lisiak (bass), Rafał Paluszek (keyboards), Bartek Bereska (guitars) and Adam Podzimski (drums).

Before going into their music I must take a moment and comment about the package that Particles (2013) has. A high quality digipack with a great booklet and graphics. As usual, like basically every CD released by Metal Mind Productions, their care with the artwork is flawless.

As soon as Particles (2013) starts Heavy Prog pours down from the speakers with 'Hard- Boiled Wonderland'. Heavy and clever guitars and a very good riff behind it. The moment Marek Majewski starts to sing the band enters a softer path, to match his voice. They remind me a bit of the German band RPWL here. 'Stronger' is a riff driven song. Łukasz Lisiak bass shines throughout it, a great bass sound. Bartek Bereska guitars have a Blues feeling, which fits the song. Particles (2013) has a modern approach when it comes to the instruments sounds and production. 'Fear' shows us this fact clearly.

The follow up 'Those Days' is a slow tempo song with great vocals (especially on the chorus) and mainly led by Rafał Paluszek's keyboards. 'Shut' almost fools the listener with its absolutely electronic beginning. But soon the guitars become heavy and the vocals (by Sivy)' guttural. Quite a change of pace. Besides being heavy and solid (thanks to Adam Podzinmski drums), Rafał's keyboards give the track some 'softness'.

Having the previous track so heavy it's weird when the instrumental 'David's Wasp' begins only with keyboards. But Łukasz's bass full of effects 'saves the day'. Bartek's guitars are right on the spot too. It's an interesting track, but a bit out of the context of Particles (2013). The next track 'Different Worlds' has a more complex tempo signature and this makes the song one of the most interesting on the album. In 'Until You're Gone' the 'I miss you' kind of lyrics almost ruin the song, but they redeem themselves on the chorus, which is a very good one.

Final track 'Mighty World' is heavy with a fast guitar riff and a mid tempo beat. It reminded me a bit what the English band Threshold does. A good track. As a bonus we have a completely modified and amazing version of Metallica's 'Master Of Puppets' song. This comes to show a bit of the band's influences. It's a great Jazz/Prog version, almost unbelievable.

Osada Vida shows in Particles (2013) why Poland grows stronger with every new album release we get from the country. Particles (2013) is a solid album , full of great moments. This is far enough to hold your attention for years to come, so why not give it a try? Recommended!

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

Over the last few years, Osada Vida has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting progressive metal exports from Poland, and although I'm only discovering them with 2013's Particles, it's not hard to understand why this band is receiving praise from prog listeners worldwide. Released on Metal Mind Productions, Particles is a strong observation that sounds fresh, modern, and inspired; if I'm being honest, it's tough to imagine any fan of melodic progressive music not enjoying the hell out of what Osada Vida has to offer.

From what I understand, Particles is the band's first album as a quintet rather than a quartet, as vocalist Marek Majewski has been added to the lineup. Vocal duties were previously handled by bassist Lukasz Lisiak, and although I'm (as of yet) unfamiliar with his singing abilities, Majewski's voice is undoubtedly an asset to Osada Vida's music. Stylistically, the album rests somewhere between classic progressive rock and progressive metal (in the Dream Theater school), but Osada Vida isn't afraid to also incorporate a few jazz fusion jams and alternative rock tendencies into their sound. Particles is also a pretty catchy album in spite of its complexity, and not unlike the classic efforts from Spock's Beard or Kansas, the strongly memorable choruses don't detract from the sophisticated compositions.

Lots of great tracks like "Hard Boiled Wonderland", "Those Days", and "Mighty World" ensure that I will certainly be returning to Particles again in the future, and it also means that this album gets a strong recommendation from my direction. With a crisp production, dazzling musicianship, and memorable songwriting, Particles is just a damn good album across the board and a great listen for fans of heavy-edged modern prog. Excellent!

I haven't heard 2011's 'Uninvited Dreams', although I know that it has had some very strong reviews, so all I had to go on before playing this album was the 2008 'The Body Parts Party' which I wasn't exactly a huge fan of. So when I put this on and "Hard-Boiled Wonderland" literally blasted out of the speakers before moving into a driven neo-prog number I was somewhat taken aback. To say that the band has moved on in the last five years is quite an understatement. Whereas previously there was confusion and lack of clarity, now we have a band that is full of confidence and know exactly where the music is going to take them. It is polished, heavy without being too metallic, and there is even a sense of humour in the some of interplay and nuances. Great vocals with a real feeling for accessibility and immediacy makes this album an absolute delight from start to finish. Now a confirmed five-piece, this is yet another band that is flying the flag to show just how much great music is coming out of Poland.

Bartek Bereska's guitar sound is superb, and his control and fluidity of solos really lifts Osada Vida to new heights. As much as I felt disappointed by the last album of theirs that I heard, this time I am excited and looking forward to the future. I also realise that I am going to have to go back and get 'Uninivited Dreams' after all as if that is in the same vein as this then I am in for a real treat. If you want commercial Dream Theater with some great It Bites hooks then this is for you. Visit their webiste at www.osadavida.art.pl to find out more.

This 2008 release was the fourth album by Polish act Osada Vida, but is viewed by many as their second as the first two were locally released affairs that weren't heard internationally. What we have here is a prog act that often moves into much heavier and darker waters, but although it could be called 'prog metal' it is a long way from the class and diversity of bands such as Dream Theater or Threshold. There are times when the album is quite laboured and also the sound is often muddied and not nearly as clear as it should be. For a band that had been releasing music for eight years at this point, I was somewhat surprised as it sounded much more like the outpouring of a band that had yet to find their feet and were throwing lots of different things into the mix in the hope that it would somehow come to fruition.

There are definitely some interesting ideas and constructs, but they somehow fail to be pulled together in a way to make them appealing. The end result is the idea that this is a work in progress and that the band had yet to decide what they really wanted to do and how they were going to achieve it. www.osadavida.art.pl

I've been a big fan of Osada Vida's music ever since I first heard the innovative The Body Parts Party. With each and every album there is a change of tact and the band explore new angles. With their latest release the music is well crafted, beautifully played and dare I say catchy.......not heavy prog at all, but certainly you couldn't argue that the band aren't progressive! A special mention to the singer Marek Majewski who has an excellent voice which is essential to make this music work. I really like this album a lot and for innovation and progression I will give this the maximum 5 stars. Well done Osada Vida; one of the greatest bands on the current Polish Prog scene in my opinion; up there with Votum in the genre.

Polish band OSADA VIDA has been around in one shape or another since the late 90's, and since they released their first material in 2000 they have steadily developed their sound, style and popularity. "Particles" is their most recent studio effort, and was released by Polish label Metal Mind in the early spring of 2013.

"Particles" is a CD that comes across as a playful and innovative at the same time, as it appears to be reaching out to cover a broader audience segment, pleasing moods and melodies combined with unusual instrument movements in fairly intricate compositions. An intriguing and accomplished production by a band that now appears to have constructed a strong musical identity, with fans of the more adventurous neo-progressive music as a likely core audience within the realms of progressive rock.

The elements of a fine album

Polish band Osada Vida have seen their reputation grow steadily through the release of some of the finest prog albums of recent years. Since the appearance of the excellent 2009 album 'Uninvited dreams', Marek Majewski has joined the band as lead vocalist, transforming the line up from a quartet to a quintet. Majewski also provides most of the lyrics, the band collectively being credited with writing all the music.

The album sees a natural evolution in the band's approach, rather than wholesale changes. The cover art offers an immediate indication of this, being lighter and simpler than previous albums. The concept album approach is set aside in favour of presenting nine strong, individual pieces each intended to stand alone as a complete piece. We also have a rare cover version , of which more later.

The opening track, 'Hard-Boiled Wonderland' will be familiar to those who investigated the band's first DVD last year, as it was the only unreleased song included in that gig. The track blends influences such as Yes and King Crimson in an off-beat but rhythmic heavy guitar driven piece. While the pounding riffs are deliciously heavy, the feel is lighter than previous albums. 'Stronger' is the first of the tracks to fully reveal the band's stated ambition for this album of presenting something more accessible while retaining the musical integrity that has served them so well to date. The highlight of the song is some fine guitar and keyboards interplay between Rafał Paluszek and Bartek Bereska.

'Fear' retains the pulsating enthusiasm of its predecessors, the infectious choruses leading to the repeated climactic refrain of the song's title. 'Those days' offer something of a breather; while hardly a ballad, the songs is lyrically reflective and musically a bit softer. The track closes with a fine lead guitar solo. The lyrics of 'Shut' (and 'Hard boiled Wonderland') are written by Bereska, with Sivy of the Polish metal band Tuff Enuff providing growled type vocals and a dynamic lead guitar solo. The growled verses alternate with melodic choruses in a song that is something of a departure for the band from their prog foundations.

The contrast between 'Shut' and the following 'David's Wasp' is huge, the latter being a soft, drifting instrumental featuring some of Bartek Bereska finest soloing. 'Different worlds' maintains the more direct approach, while 'Until you're gone' is an out and out rock ballad with an anthemic chorus. The album closes with 'Mighty world', a song that returns us to the heavier frantic riffs of the opener, the positive vibes of the chorus making for a suitable ending.

One bonus track is added to the album in the form of a cover of Metallica's 'Master of puppets'. The song is actually more of an interpretation with a piano based jazz rhythm underlying the light vocals.

Overall, an album that represents quite a shift for Osada Vida. While excellent musicianship and fine production may be taken as read, the generally more accessible nature of the songs should appeal to a wider fan base while continuing to satisfy those who have followed the band thus far.

With thanks to Metal mind Productions for the pre-release review copy of the album, which is due for release on March 25th in Europe and April 9th in the USA. By the way, the CD booklet includes a name-check for the band's 'friends at Progarchives.com'.

Welcome dreams

Having been around since the turn of the century, Poland's Osada Vida broke through with their 2006 album "Three Seats Behind A Triangle". Since then, there have been two further much acclaimed releases from the band, who have seen their reputation grow steadily but assuredly over the period. Under the wing of Metal Mind Productions, the band performed in the Wyspianski Theater in Katowice, Poland on 10th November 2011, a venue which has seen a succession of superb prog gigs in recent years, many of which have been captured on DVD.

This set offers most of us our first opportunity to see the band performing live. The songs included are taken from the band's three most recent albums ("Three Seats Behind A Triangle", The Body Parts Party" and "Uninvited dreams"). The emphasis is very much of the second and third of those albums, with just one track from "Three seats...". Łukasz Lisiak of the band explains that while they felt that the material on that album was good, the band's performances since then have improved significantly. Consequently, the rendition of "Everyday Ltd." included here is somewhat different to that on the album, including a new improvised section.

We are skipping ahead though, as the album starts with a couple of tracks which will be less familiar, even to fans of the band. The brief "Introduction-Remember your name" was a bonus track on some editions of "The body parts party". It makes for a rousing starter, in the form of an up-beat Floydian style instrumental. "Hard-boiled wonderland" which follows has yet to appear on a studio album, perhaps because it does not appear to fit into any of the concepts which prevailed therein.

From there we are into more familiar territory, with the title track from "Uninvited dreams" being followed by a selection from "The body parts party" and a further three songs from "Uninvited dreams". The band faithfully capture the mood of each song while adapting it for the live environment. Instrumentally, this tends to infuse a new vitality although the vocals of Lukasz Lisiak can suffer through the lack of studio production and effects.

During the introduction to "Is that devil from Spain too", Lisiak reveals the band's fascination with the band Rush (the "R30" badge on his bass is also a clue!) who he implies inspired this instrumental. The aforementioned "Everyday Ltd." is not played in full, but benefits greatly from the improvised section, including some fine lead guitar from Bartek Bereska and keyboards from Rafal Paluszek.

Turning to the technical aspects of the DVD, the product benefits immensely from the experience the production company has built up while filming gigs at the venue. The audio is presented in both stereo and 5.1 surround formats, while the video sees the director exploiting the battery of camera angles available for selection. The main set runs for just under 100 minutes in all. The bonus features include band interviews (in Polish with English language subtitles) plus the usual biography, discography, etc. Also included is a short "Three hours to the show" featurette which can currently be seen on "Youtube".

The sleeve design includes aspects from the covers of the three albums captured by the gig, the result being a striking but tasteful image.

In all, another superb gig at the Wyspianski Theater captured on perfectly DVD.