Review by SzejkElRopa on August 2, 2026.

"Time is a judge, time is an executioner" - these are some lyrics from Piołun's last album - "Exolvuntur". I do not tend to pay much attention to the lyrics in general, and I do not treat them as some wisdom; however, these turned out to be completely true regarding my attitude towards this band. In the review of their newest album, I, to put it very briefly, wrote that it was generally good, but not great. After that, I came back to this and found that this album has a captivating, extraordinary atmosphere and has more to offer than I initially thought. With all of that, I had to know what wisdom "Rzeki Goryczy" ("Rivers of Bitterness") has to offer.

If you pay attention to the lyrics, or rather simply listen to them, you may actually find some wisdom, provided that you are a nihilist. The lyrical content isn't necessarily reflected in the music itself, because it's quite dynamic and more rebellious rather than depressive. At times, though, one can find a sadder tremolo passage, for instance in "Antychryst", although it adds depth to the music rather than changing the album's overall character. Furious shouts of the vocalist accompanied by dynamic, even headbanging riffing are the basis of the album, and despite its simplicity, they work. "W stronę światła" illustrates this perfectly. It is fast-paced for most of the time, but toward the end, a melodic tremolo riff emerges, embracing the nihilism and titular bitterness found on the album. Piołun scores another point with "I wszystko marność", when the vocalist's barks burst with contempt alongside a repetitive, heavy riff and mid-paced drumming. Shortly after, another well-crafted melodic passage appears. "Blady świt" has a great chorus, which is very memorable. Well, from what I've already written, it might seem that this album has only two types of riffs: heavy and occasional more melodic ones. "Blady świt" also features a short, melancholic acoustic guitar break, as well as a melodic guitar solo. And lastly, "Antychryst" also has a short passage with an acoustic guitar, enhancing the atmosphere and building the tension, before it is defused at the end.

A word of praise is deserved for the work of the guest musicians. "Imię Gwiazdy", a track which, unlike other songs, incorporates eerie keyboards, features Exurge, who is reading a passage from the Bible, precisely from the Book of Revelation. This song's atmosphere evokes a sense of apocalyptic unrest, as one might feel that something bad is about to happen. This interlude is a very important element in the whole album, because the same words are shouted by S. close to the end in "Antychryst", when the song reaches its peak. Following that, the aforementioned tension is finally defused in a great and memorable way. As for the vocals, Sorh's barking is quite typical for black metal, but given the quite aggressive nature of the music, it works perfectly fine with the music. The same goes for the drums, because although they weren't extraordinary or revolutionary, their sound was quite "punchy" and definitely gave the record some energy. Last but not least, the bass wasn't forgotten in the mix, and its audibility gives the music some depth.

So, if I were to choose which of Piołun's albums is better, I wouldn't answer. On the one hand, the nihilistic aggression in "Rzeki Goryczy" makes one drown in the titular rivers as well as in the atmosphere, but on the other hand, the melancholy "Exolvuntur" offers is undoubtedly addictive. Both albums prove that Piołun has developed a clear musical identity. Therefore, I give "Rzeki Goryczy" 8.7/10. I wouldn't call that a perfect album, nor would I dare to say that it is average. It's a great piece of black metal, maybe not the most original, maybe not the most breathtaking, but it does what it has to do in a way that is bound to satisfy many black metal fans. I do not have the gift of clairvoyance, but who knows, maybe time will tell if this album holds more secrets?

Rating: 8.7 out of 10