Amarok – A New Face of Polish Progressive Rock

Midsummer Prog Festival – Maastricht

Anyone who had been immersed in Quidam’s melancholic symphonic progressive rock the previous day was treated to a very different perspective on Polish progressive music on Sunday. While Quidam represents the rich tradition of the Polish prog scene that flourished during the 1990s, Amarok demonstrated how that tradition has continued to evolve in the twenty-first century.

Although Amarok has existed since 1999 around guitarist, vocalist and composer Michał Wojtas, it remained primarily a studio project for many years. Only after returning with Hunt in 2017 did it develop into a fully-fledged live band. That evolution is both audible and visible. Today Amarok presents itself as a remarkably cohesive quartet, effortlessly blending progressive rock with electronics, ambient music, folk influences and cinematic soundscapes.

That became apparent from the very first moments of the performance. While many progressive rock bands still rely on the traditional combination of guitar, keyboards, bass and drums, Amarok brought a far broader sonic palette to the stage. Alongside guitars and bass stood a harmonium, electric violin, gongs, hand percussion and a range of electronic sound sources. Next to the drummers kit was a sample pad used to trigger additional percussion, soundscapes and electronic textures. The result was a sound that owed as much to film music and ambient sound design as it did to progressive rock.

At the centre stood Michał Wojtas, instantly recognisable by his green hat and Fender Telecaster. His guitar playing, often coloured by tasteful slide work, was never about technical display. Instead, he used the instrument to shape atmosphere and deepen the emotional impact of the music. In that respect his playing owed more to David Gilmour, Mike Oldfield or Mark Knopfler than to the more virtuosic side of progressive rock.

An equally important role belonged to Kornel Popławski. Officially the band’s bassist, he proved to be far more than that on stage, constantly moving between bass guitar, electric violin, vocals and electronic textures. The electric violin in particular gave Amarok a distinctive voice. Its long, soaring lines added another layer of melancholy and reinforced the cinematic quality that runs through much of the band’s music.

Marta Wojtas also proved to be far more than a backing vocalist. Surrounded by gongs, percussion instruments, effects and vocal processors, she helped shape Amarok’s sonic landscape. Her wordless vocal lines, subtle rhythmic accents and atmospheric contributions occasionally gave the performance an almost ritualistic quality. The large gong behind her was not merely an eye-catching visual feature but also contributed deep resonances that enriched the overall sound.

What impressed most was the way all these elements came together so naturally. Amarok never tries to overwhelm the audience with technical complexity or endless solos. Instead, the band’s strength lies in carefully building atmosphere, tension and emotion. Electronic textures blended seamlessly with expressive guitar work, violin lines merged with ambient layers, while acoustic and electronic elements constantly intertwined.

As a result, the concert took on an almost cinematic character. Rather than feeling like a sequence of individual songs, the performance unfolded as a continuous journey through changing landscapes and moods. At times dark and introspective, at others warm and hopeful, it remained consistently driven by an exceptional sense of texture, dynamics and sonic colour.

Rather than offering a display of technical virtuosity, Amarok created a carefully crafted sonic landscape in which atmosphere, emotion and imagination took centre stage. That is precisely why this performance continued to resonate long after the final notes had faded.

Special thanks to Ela Williamson for her invaluable musical insights, thoughtful discussions, and assistance in the preparation of this review.