Founded in the industrial landscape of Bielsko-Biała in 2017, MOIRA has carved out a vital presence in the Polish hardcore scene. Their debut album “Bi Polar,” released in 2021, established them as a force in the local and neighboring music scenes, but the roots of their raw sound and message trace back to their self-released 2019 demo.
Now, with the backing of Refuse Records, MOIRA revisits this pivotal moment, remastering and pressing the demo onto a limited edition 7″ vinyl.
This reissue is a reminder of the band’s unwavering commitment to blending the personal with the political.
Their sound, a potent mix of metal-infused hardcore, is the vessel for exploring themes of doubt, loss, and self-struggle.
Frontwoman Paula, also known for her work in BRUDNE CZYNY and END FOREST, delivers these themes with a distinctive vocal style that has become the band’s signature.
For MOIRA, the reissue is more than just a trip down memory lane. It’s a chance to showcase the enduring relevance of their early work and the emotional depth that has defined their journey. Recorded at Waiting Room Studio and given new life through a remastering process at Studio As One, these four tracks are a testament to the band’s roots and their evolution.
For a deep dive into MOIRA’s history, influences, and their thoughts on the current state of the music scene, check out the full interview below.
Big congrats on dropping the new EP, “s/t 7” with REFUSE RECORDS! Totally stoked to dive into it, but first, can we rewind to seven years back in Bielsko-Biała? What’s the backstory? Who were you guys before 2017? Were there other bands or projects? How did you all come together to form MOIRA?
Paula: Thanks! We are very happy about the release on Refuse Records.
As for your question, Moira was founded by me, Karol and Staś. I’ve been in a few projects before this one, including one band I played in for several years (Jimmy Esposito). Stasiu played in Bird Flu (punk rock), and Karol tried his hand in several bands.
I wanted to start a band with a hardcore vibe for a long time. Previous attempts ended either with problems in the lineup or a lack of common ground regarding the music. But one fine day, I called Staś (with whom I used to play in one project) to start our own band.
Later Karol joined and together we started looking for a new guitarist. A few came and went before we found Marcin, who stayed with us for a long time and who is responsible for a large contribution to the material on the demo and LP bipolar (despite the fact that the guitar on this album was recorded by our next guitarist Tomek).
What got you pumped up back then, and how do you feel about those vibes now? How have your musical tastes or inspirations shifted over these years?
We were very excited that we could do something together, that it could be something we create from the ground up. From the beginning, we also wanted it to be something refined not only in terms of music, but also in terms of meaning, graphics, lyrics, etc. I think this has stayed with us to this day. We like when something is polished, how it is consistent with what we want to convey. Of course, this is not an advantage for everyone :)
Sometimes you could hear complaints from publishers who have unrealistic expectations for the release of our album. I must admit that in the case of Refuse Records there were no problems or struggles and all our expectations were met. As a result, we can enjoy a beautiful 7” vinyl with our old material.
Each of us listens to something different, but what unites us is hardcore in its various forms. Dark sounds, stuffy atmosphere, personal and often difficult lyrics. All this adds to what Moira is as a complete project, starting from music, through lyrics, to graphics, social media, photos, etc.
And about the pandemic—rough times, right? How did that whole ordeal impact you guys personally and musically before you came out with “Bipolar”?
It affected us significantly, I think. The release of our album practically coincided with the announcement of a strict lockdown. It was also the theme of our first music video, where to this day you can still read comments from those who rejected the lockdown. All because of the masks used in the video, which were actually meant to depict that state of affairs and everything beyond that. No concerts, therefore no opportunity to showcase your music, except on the Internet. At that time, people tended to focus on a nostalgic return to the past. In general, everything seemed to be frozen in time. When life gradually began to return to normal, concerts also took off, but there were not as many options to perform with a new band and new material. It took time for everything to get up to speed.
This latest album hits different with its dark, hardcore vibes mixed with real deep emotion and Polish lyrics—a switch from your English tracks in the debut demo. How do you guys see the power of Polish versus English in your music? What’s drawing you more these days, and what should we expect in your future releases?
For someone growing up and residing in Poland, the strength of the Polish language is much greater than singing in English. For us, as well as for our listeners.
For me, I sing better in English in terms of the sheer “sonority” of the language. Polish has a lot of hard sounds, also a lot of softenings like si, ś, ci, ć, zi, ź, dz, dź. It certainly doesn’t make it easier when singing, but it can be worked out to sound good. As for the lyrics, as I mentioned, I certainly write better in Polish.
I think in Polish and I use it on a daily basis, so it will always be more intuitive for me than English. Sometimes it’s hard to convey something as well as in your own language. As a curiosity, I can add that there are quite a few Slovaks who think that for singing hardcore it is precisely the best language (this is how they advertised our tour in Slovakia, by the way) ;)
Also, you’ve just reissued that demo with REFUSE RECORDS—anything special we should look out for in this edition besides the vinyl format? Maybe something cool about the new cover art?
It’s definitely nice to go back to the old edition and take proper care of it. In my opinion, it’s quite cool material that I like to come back to, and now it has gained the right elegance, thanks to Mario’s mastering from Studio As One. The cover was created by our indispensable graphic designer, Sylwia Szlosarczyk, who is the author of all our graphics.
Additionally, we are really pleased with the cooperation with Robert, because (as I already mentioned) we can be quite demanding (haha), especially me and Karol. We wanted the 7′ to be of good quality, but released in a minimalist way. We didn’t want to have style over substance. That’s why (in our opinion) it’s a really nice release, it’s good to watch and listen to.
Super curious about the new stuff you’re working on with REFUSE RECORDS. Got any sneak peeks or themes you’re exploring in your upcoming album? What’s the vibe going to be?
We are currently in a break-in phase with our new guitarist Christopher. We are looking for a common denominator between what he likes and what Moira’s style is, i.e. a bit heavy, a bit dark, a bit emo, a bit hardcore, a bit metal. Perhaps there will also be new ideas which I would not like to mention at the moment so as not to get ahead of the facts ;)
With all the chaos around, there’s gotta be tons of inspiration for lyrics. Can you share what’s fueling your upcoming tracks?
Paula: On the previous album, I wrote quite personal, often difficult lyrics for me. I thought they would be mostly understandable to me, but it quickly turned out that there are a lot of people who identify with them. Perhaps they are also universal in some respect, so that everyone can find something for themselves in them. I think that this thread of presenting my own emotions in lyrics will always accompany me and will also appear on the next album. I guess for me it’s also a form of self-therapy when I can put what I think on paper and then shout it out at the concert.
And what about the new album cover? Any teasers you can drop?
We don’t want to reveal anything too much at the moment. The whole thing, i.e. music, lyrics, graphics, everything has to be coherent and it really takes its final touch at the very end. It’s not worth revealing too much now because everything may change during development.
When’s the new album dropping? What are your plans for the next few months, any gigs lined up?
We want to enter the studio at the turn of this year. Initially, we thought that we would be able to do it in the fall, but we need more time to refine the entire material.
And as I mentioned, perhaps some new ideas will appear. We toured quite a lot this year. Especially in its first half. In the second one, we want to give ourselves more freedom when it comes to touring. To play in the places we care about so that we can focus mainly on creating material.
Speaking of shows, how did it go with the recent gigs, like at ULTRA CHAOS PIKNIK?
When it comes to UCP fest, we were very positively surprised. So far, we haven’t had the best experiences with playing on outdoor stages. Especially since we played quite early in the day. We subjectively believe that our show works better in smaller spaces with sparse lighting.
In Żelebsko, however, it was completely different. A huge audience and a really great, uplifting reception. Great experience. The second performance worth mentioning was the concert with Earth Crisis in Warsaw. It’s always great to share the stage with such an influential band, and although we experienced some organizational difficulties, it was undoubtedly worth it.
Digital age—love it or hate it, it’s here. How do you feel about using digital tools for music promotion? You’re not on Spotify—what’s up with that? Give us your take on the digital era and the opportunities it offers for DIY underground bands like yourselves.
We don’t look at it in black and white. The world has never been so gray and complex in many ways. Today’s technology is one aspect of this state of affairs and offers a wealth of opportunities, especially for DIY-oriented niche groups.
Reaching your audience has never been easier. As long as this happens on terms that we accept, it is extremely beneficial. The spectrum of digital possibilities is also used by us when creating and performing music, because both the guitarist and the bassist use digital sound modelers. The graphics are partly created digitally.
Ultimately, promotion is also largely based on social media. We do not forget that the traditional approach (physical media, including vinyl and attention to the quality of these releases) is a constant priority for us. just like the quality of the remaining merch.
To sum up, we try to make the most of the opportunities offered by what you called the digital era. as long as, of course, it is done in accordance with our values.
Halfway through the year—what’s caught your ear so far? Any standout albums or tracks, hardcore or otherwise?
Paula: Over the last half of the year (and a little more), I’ve come to like a band from Seattle – Great Falls. I really like their heavy vibe and the expression they have in their playing.
Quite a good album by Shellac, a bit bittersweet due to the circumstances.
It’s definitely worth paying attention to Kim Gordon and her solo album. She definitely doesn’t slow down, proving that she is still a conscious and creative musician.
Karol: This year we had the opportunity to play two concerts in Slovakia with the band Rana, and man it was instant love for me. I’m sure it’s the same for the rest of the band. Great people, great music, which I see as complementary to our work. a similar sense of music-related aesthetics. I really hope that we will be able to do something together, maybe a versus or another joint release. Sharing the stage with them is like partying with good friends.
And, since our mag loves spotlighting indie acts, got any under-the-radar Polish bands you wanna shout out?
Paula: For heavier sounds, I would definitely recommend Bliss and Kathaa.
Bands from Bielsko-Biała: Bane of Mind, Slavenkust, Omelas, Kiepy z Dworca.
It is also worth mentioning Nowy Targ (and the surrounding area) bands: Blind to Differences, Kompromitacja, Mizofonia, Quiet Quiet Quiet, BAZOOMS.
For lighter sounds: Ye.stem, Venta Quemada, Szklane Oczy, also my other band Brudne Czyny.
Karol: I would like to use this question to mention the Bielsko band Watching Me Fall.
Although they have been on the scene for a long time, I think they deserve every bit of attention. This band had a special influence on me. I had a subjective impression that at the time of their “debut” they were at a different, unprecedented level. I must admit that it was extremely motivating in the context of my own work. If anyone reading this discovers them, I will be happy that their work will be shared more widely.
Great, thanks! Anything else you wanna put out there, maybe something political or social, beyond the music?
The fact that more and more girls and non-binary people are visible on the hardcore-punk scene is definitely a plus for me. I think more and more people are getting involved in these activities. Whether playing in bands or organizing concerts.
I also see more and more girls having fun near the stage. And not only girls. More and more young people come to our (and not only our) concerts. Each of these young people clearly has a different background, style and taste in music, but you can see that they are having a great time and are getting more and more involved.
Thanks a ton for chatting! Let’s stay in touch. Cheers from Warsaw!
Thank you also! Cheers from Bielsko-Biała!
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