Polish doom trio Rosary bring a lot more than just heavy riffs to the table. Rooted in faith and driven by a deep love for traditional doom metal, they’ve carved out their own unique path since forming in 2017. Doomnation Radio caught up with frontman Misha to talk about the meaning behind the band’s name, the evolution from Telestai to The Broken Sacrament, and what makes the Polish doom scene such a vibrant, diverse force. There’s talk of ghostly ponds, dream festivals in forest graveyards, and a whole lot of doom – the kind that still carries a flicker of hope beneath the gloom…
* Answers by Misha (vocals, guitars, synthesizers).
Can you tell us about the significance behind the name “Rosary” and how it reflects the themes in your music?
It came simply from my surname, but the funny thing is that it was Marty’s idea, although I had thought about this name before. The faith is strong in us, so this band name naturally fits our views and values, and the Cross is an ultimate symbol of Traditional Doom Metal that represents endless prayers for a little less hurtful life.
What are the cultural or historical inspirations that shape your music, lyrics, aesthetics, or onstage persona?
I’m really into old horror movies and true-crime stories. There’s something very inspiring and exciting in the feeling of dread it delivers. I was raised on Gothic and Vice City video games. I guess I’m some kind of weird mix of those two worlds, hah.
Rosary: Misha (vocals, guitars, synthesizers), Marty (drums), Matthew (bass)
Photo: Michał Pecyna
In what ways have you all grown as musicians since Rosary first started, and how does that evolution reflect in your most recent work, The Broken Sacrament?
Marty and I started in 2017 and Matthew joined a year later. All three of us come from different musical environments but our visions and styles of playing just work together in some unspoken way. Getting along with other musicians is a process and we surely came a long way since Telestai, but we feel there’s still a lot to improve. The Broken Sacrament is a picture of Rosary of late 2023. Many things have changed in us and in our playing since then. Rosary is still evolving and I don’t think it will ever stop.
How does your new album connect with (or stand apart from) your previous material, and what new territory do you feel you’ve explored this time around?
I think of The Broken Sacrament is a continuation of what we started on Telestai, just as we planned it to be. Some songs are older than our EP, many of the parts are even two times older than the band. We just picked our favorites, practiced, and recorded them – this is how we do. I don’t think we explored any new territories but surely, we matured as a band. In fact, The Broken Sacrament is just a wider view of what Rosary is.
Doom metal is often considered the slowest, darkest corner of the heavy metal spectrum. Where do you find moments of brightness or hope in your music, if you do at all?
I’d rather say Doom Metal is not a corner but a cornerstone of Metal. This music is meant to be dark and gloomy but some groovy Sabbath-style breaks are always welcome. There’s also plenty of hope in Doom Metal lyrics. It’s desperate and hidden deep into meaning but it is there for those who really look for it. I once heard that Wino describes The Obsessed‘s music as “Hope Rock” and I guess it speaks for itself.
Is there a particular story, myth, or real-life event you’d love to weave into a future Rosary track that hasn’t been tackled yet?
Oh, yes, the legend of Seekenmoor, the pond of ghosts. A little haunted lake in Pomerania, the north of Poland. It’s believed it does not have a bottom. A beautiful place.
Collaboration can bring out new aspects of a band’s sound. Are there any artists, Polish or international, you’d love to work with to expand Rosary’s musical palette?
We have an old song with a chorus written for two voices. We consider inviting our friend for a recording but I don’t want to say much now. We’ll see what the future brings. The man I would love to write music with someday is Paul Chain, but as far as I know, he sadly abandoned Doom Metal over 20 years ago.
How is doom metal doing nowadays in Poland? What do you think sets the Polish doom scene apart from other metal communities around the world?
It’s stronger than ever. There were some Death Doom bands in the 90s like Mordor or Gallileous, then came the Epic side of Doom with Evangelist and Monasterium and now we finally have bands fascinated with Traditional Doom Metal. People write to us that we inspired them to play their music and it’s like the highest compliment we could ever get. I don’t know how the scene is going outside Poland with a few exceptions, but I believe that paradoxically the strength of polish bands stands in their diversity. Each of the bands have their very own and unique style.
If you could curate a dream doom metal festival in an iconic Polish location, where would it be and which bands, past or present, would you invite to perform alongside Rosary?
I’ve heard there’s an old church with a graveyard at the edge of the forest in the south of Poland and it’s for sale. Seems like a perfect place for a Doom Metal festival. Playing there with our friends from CrossRoad and Metallus along with a classic lineup of Trouble, Minotauri and Orodruin would be a fulfillment of dreams.
Finally, what can we expect next from Rosary in terms of releases, live shows, or new creative directions?
We keep practicing our old and new songs we picked for our next record. We want our third album to be something a little different from the previous but let’s keep it a secret for now. We’ll see what we get. In the meantime, we would like to invite some big names of Doom Metal to play with us and our friends in Poland.
Misha. Photo: Asya Warner
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