Detailed biography
Illuminandi is a seven-piece melodic metal act formed in 1998 in Dębica, Poland. The band was started by Aleksander Kozioł (guitar) and Jan Trębacz (clean vocals, guitar). They were joined by Antonina Witkowska (Kraszkiewicz) (cello) and Patrycja Pyzińska (violin), with Aleksander Kraszkiewicz (bass) and Szymon Grych (drums) completing the line-up. The band’s goal from the very beginning was to play heavy music with an uplifting Christian message. Their first live performance took place in November 1999 at a local festival in Dębica.
After a few years of writing music and rehearsing, Illuminandi recorded their first demo (simply titled Demo I) in 2000 and another (Demo II) in 2002. Demo II received positive feedback from the underground press and eventually got the band signed to Bombworks Records. In 2005 this American label released the two demos and a couple of live tracks on one CD titled The Begining. Illuminandi also appeared on Polish national TV – TVP1 and TV Polonia.
Since the band’s style was gradually becoming heavier and heavier, it became apparent that they needed someone to handle aggressive vocals. Bogdan “Boolba” Czernia was the first shouter to join Illuminandi, but in 2004 he left the band for personal reasons. He was replaced by a more “metal” vocalist in Rajmund “Melon” Jeleń, who reinforced the band with his powerful growls and screams.
It was this Illuminandi line-up that recorded their 5-song EP titled Illumina Tenebras Meas. This Latin title translates as “illuminate my darkness”. Initially, this MCD was only going to include 4 songs in Polish and 1 in English, but the band decided to also record the Polish tracks in English. After he finished recording his drum parts for the EP, Since the band’s style was gradually becoming heavier and heavier, it became apparent that they needed someone to handle aggressive vocals. Bogdan “Boolba” Czernia was the first shouter to join Illuminandi, but in 2004 he left the band for personal reasons. He was replaced by a more “metal” vocalist in Rajmund “Melon” Jeleń, who reinforced the band with his powerful growls and screams. The Illumina Tenebras Meas album launch took place on the 21st April 2007 at the Elements of Rock festival in Switzerland. The EP was released in Poland on MocneRamię Records and distributed worldwide through Nokternal Hemizphear.
In 2007 the band underwent more line-up changes: Rajmund Jeleń and Patrycja Pyzińska left the band and were replaced by Radosław Sołek (Malchus) and Krzysztof Kawa. In 2008 Janusz Domka was also replaced by Tomasz „papirus” Pyzia (Rumor, ex-QWERT).
In September 2009 Illuminandi entered Chinook Studio in Dębica to record their first “proper” LP, titled In Via (Latin for “on the way”). During the recording process, Radosław Sołek was replaced by Pawła „Troy” Treutlera who performed most of the growled vocals on the album. Illuminandi’s former shouters Rajmund Jeleń and Bogdan Czernia were also invited to contribute their trademark vocals on several tracks. In Via features guest performances from members of Celtic band Open Folk (Paweł Iwaszkiewicz – recorders, shawm) and Polish avant-garde folksters Żywiołak (Robert Jaworski – hurdy gurdy). The album was mastered by Polish mastering legend Grzegorz Piwkowski and released on Ars Mundi on May 28 2010.
In Via is comprised of 10 songs whose common denominator is the fusion of heavy riffing and haunting melodies performed on cello and violin. Although frequently labelled as “folk metal” or “gothic metal”, Illuminandi’s sound does not easily yield to boundaries; their music contains elements of melodic metal, extreme metal, classical music, European folk music, progressive rock, early music and hardcore.
Although, having existed for almost 12 years now, Illuminandi cannot boast a rich discography, they have definitely won the hearts of many listeners in Poland and abroad. The band has performed at festivals in Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Ukraine, sharing the stage with many well-established rock and metal bands such as 2TM2,3, Ador Dorath, Anastasis, Armia, Cemetery of Scream, Dissolving of Prodigy, Greedy Invalid, Holy Blood, Kreyson, My Silent Wake, OX, Pantokrator, Pillar, Project 86, Rootwater, Sacrificium, Silent Stream of Godless Elegy, Tourniquet, Virgin Black.
