New Music

TIME IS THE RULER deliver existential grit and metallic weight on “The Tension” ahead of their debut album

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Time Is The Ruler is a new Polish band rooted in the crossover and hardcore tradition, featuring musicians from well-established acts like Schizma, Pain Runs Deep, The Lowest, Sora!, and Javva. Their blend of ‘90s metallic hardcore influences, crossover thrash, Glassjaw / Higher Power vocal habits, and nuanced songwriting sets a distinctive tone from the start.

With a base in Bydgoszcz but members traveling from cities over 600 km apart, the project took form thanks to a key moment in 2021, when the late Marcin Czajka introduced veterans from Schizma and Pain Runs Deep. The lineup was quickly completed by musicians from Nyshynga, The Lowest, and Javva.

The band debuted on November 20, 2024, with the single “The Whistle/How To Abstain?”, and is now preparing a full-length album that will include guest parts from Gabby Abularach of the Cro-Mags. Abularach joined the project in 2022 and recorded his guitar contributions during a visit to Bydgoszcz.

Their new single “The Tension”, released March 17, 2025, was recorded across different locations: guitars, bass, and drums were tracked by Szymon Grodzki at Invent Studio in Bydgoszcz, while vocals were recorded by Wojciech Lange and Łukasz Jędrzejczak. Final production was handled in Dublin by Michael Richards at Trackmix Studio.

Lyrically, “The Tension” deals with cycles of self-sabotage and toxic repetition. Jędrzejczak explains: “It’s an existential self-reflection on certain moments in life—probably familiar to all of us—when we fall into habits and patterns of thinking and acting that aren’t healthy for us, yet we keep repeating them over and over.”

The song can be interpreted both metaphorically and literally—some may see it as a reflection on emotional and behavioral patterns, others as a direct depiction of hangovers and psychological crashes after substance use. He adds:

“It’s also a bit about the strange nature of humans—how we search for happiness, but at the same time enjoy hurting ourselves, sabotaging our own lives, and pushing ourselves into unwanted states or situations, even though we know exactly how bitter they’ll turn out.”

Time Is The Ruler

Musically, Time Is The Ruler embraces a lineage that spans from classic crossover to glam metal and more distant styles. Their core influences, as the band shares, include Cro-Mags’ often underrated albums Alpha-Omega and Near Death Experience, along with Life of Agony, Leeway, Whitesnake, Dokken, Power Trip, Slayer, Winger, Blue Manner Haze, Spermbirds, and Rostock Vampires.

They’ve also compiled a full list of tracks that shaped their sound and vision—ranging from Snapcase and Slayer to Lush and Ecca Vandal. Here’s what they’re listening to, and why…

Leeway – “I’m Your Pusher”

I only discovered Leeway thanks to the guys from Time Is The Ruler, and I instantly fell in love with this track—mainly because of its incredible chorus and moving lyrics.

Snapcase – “Typecast Modulator”

I think we all got fired up by this Snapcase track, just like with most of their songs. This is the kind of hardcore we fought for!

Slayer – “Seasons In The Abyss”

There’s a bit of thrash in our music, so the big boss—Slayer—had to be on the list. This track has exactly what we’re also into: a combination of harmony, melody, and pure sonic assault.

Lush – “Nothing Natural”

No one ever wrote such badass vocal lines like Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson. A brilliant band from the 4AD catalogue, which holds a special place in our hearts.

Power Trip – “Nightmare Logic”

Here’s another thrash lead, this time from the relatively recent era—absolutely killer Power Trip.

Merauder – “Five Deadly Venoms”

We all agree that Merauder remains one of the best heavy hardcore bands in the world. The riffing and that hint of nostalgia in the guitar parts really bring us together.

Bad Brains – “Soul Craft”

Bad Brains had to make the list too. They’re one of those bands—alongside Cro-Mags and Merauder—that we play a lot in our headphones. Their melodies and groove are exactly what we aim to smuggle into our own tracks.

Ecca Vandal – “Cruising To Self Soothe”

And just so it’s not all classics—this one from Ecca Vandal is one of our recent favorites.

Karol Kamiński

DIY rock music enthusiast and web-zine publisher from Warsaw, Poland. Supporting DIY ethics, local artists and promoting hardcore punk, rock, post rock and alternative music of all kinds via IDIOTEQ online channels.
Contact via [email protected]

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