Polish trio Species play technical, progressive thrash metal clearly inspired by Voivod and Coroner. At times it’s cool; at others it’s busy and wearing. There are plenty of time changes, and the music will suddenly veer off in a completely different direction—sometimes into another genre altogether, as if with an ironic wink. The Hawaiian shirts in their Metal Archives promo photo suggest a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously, for better or worse. Maybe they’ll grow on me, but right now I’m not keen on the abrupt detours, which feel misplaced, and when they put the hammer down the band can tip a bit too far into prog.
On the other hand, there are lots of interesting passages: riffs that sound genuinely different, highly creative guitar work, a bass that wanders off on its own tangents, and drumming with real character. In other words, these are capable players—enough to make me want to like Species more than I do at present. We’re talking real talent and a band unafraid to experiment and do things differently—for better or worse.
Released September 19th, 2025 on 20 Buck Spin.
About The Author
