Doomed Confessionary: Marcel & Bartek (Asteriæ)

Photos by Monika Jankowska

Asteriæ is a five-piece blackened post-hardcore band from Poznan, Poland. Their music combines furious blast beats with spacious guitar motifs, immersing the whole in distorted bass and complementing it with aggressive, screaming vocals. Asteriæ’s lyrics are concentrated on the are focused on the emotions and the internal struggle topic.

Formed in 2019, Asteriæ consists of Bartosz Jankowski (vocals), Michał Pawłowski (guitar),
Marcel Ziółkowski (guitar), Adam Sobota (bass), and Eryk Gaujard (drums).

Their debut album »Gasnąc« was released in February 2023, a 100% DIY effort. It was very well-received by both listeners and the music community, resulting in numerous concerts across Poland, including at Summer Dying Loud, Post Mortem, and Skowyt.

Asteriæ have just released their second album »Miejsce, które nazywam sobą« on November 4th, 2025 via D.I.Y. Koło Records.

Can you say a few words about your band?
Marcel: Asteriæ is a group of friends – and to me, that’s the most important thing about this band. We’re part of each other’s lives. I’m truly grateful to have these guys by my side; I know I can count on them no matter what.
We’re simply trying to translate emotions into sound. We play what we feel – call it post-anything-you-want.

Bartek: Because of everyone’s different musical quirks, we probably can’t be neatly categorized.

What’s been the biggest challenge for the band?
Marcel: Finding time. We all work, have families, and lives outside of music. Keeping the fire alive in the middle of all that chaos is both the hardest and most rewarding part.

Bartek: A stable lineup. We’ve been through several drummers (five, to be exact!), but it finally feels like we’ve found the perfect balance of personalities.

What are you most proud of so far?
Marcel: Definitely our new album »Miejsce, które nazywam sobą« (“The Place I Call Myself”). It finally feels like something that represents us completely. Each of us sees it a little differently, but together, it’s pure joy to play.

Bartek: As a band, I’d say finishing this second record – it’s been a huge achievement for us.

What’s your biggest regret?
Marcel: Probably that our first album wasn’t properly promoted. We could’ve played more live shows. Judging by the feedback, we should have put more effort into spreading it – even though it was well-received, it reached too few people. You live and learn, so this time we’re promoting the new release much more seriously.
Thanks for helping us share our thoughts through your page – it really means a lot.

Bartek: Yeah, like Marcel said – maybe one day we’ll do a remaster? Who knows!

What’s been your best concert or tour so far, and why?
Marcel: Our live session at a small instrument museum inside an old manor in a tiny village. The atmosphere was surreal – quiet, cold, full of history. You could feel every reverb hanging in the air.
As for a proper concert – definitely Summer Dying Loud. It was the biggest stage we’ve ever played. It’s an amazing feeling to share a lineup with bands you’ve always admired.
And on a more personal note – shows with the disbanded (sadly) Hegemone. We really miss those guys; they deserved much more recognition. In our opinion, they were one of the best bands in Poland.

What’s been the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Marcel: Probably realizing that music no longer promotes itself. Without proper exposure, you just disappear – even in niche scenes. We thought we’d naturally fall into that underground world, and while it’s still ours, it’s not as organic as we imagined. Oversaturation has reached every corner of it.

What’s currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Marcel: Lately, a lot of Holy Fawn and Life. Timeless staples are Cult Of Luna, Brutus, Oathbreaker, and Amenra. From the Polish scene – Hegemone, Obscure Sphinx, and Deszcz.

Bartek: I’ve recently listened to almost every Imminence album while working in the garden! 😀

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Marcel: Don’t overthink your music. Play from the heart. It’s not a race.

What are your guilty pleasures?
Marcel: I change strings way too often…

Bartek: Sour gummies!

Can you tell us more about your local music scene?
Marcel: Poznań is both big and small. It’s one of the larger cities in Poland, but the music scene feels very close-knit – everyone knows everyone. If you don’t personally know someone from a certain band, there’s a good chance someone in your band does. That makes networking and helping each other really easy.
There are a few rehearsal hubs where most bands play. Often when you meet someone new and ask about their rehearsal space, you’ll hear, “Oh yeah? We play there too!”

Where can people see you live this year?
Marcel: We’ve got several shows planned in Poland, and we’re slowly working on some international gigs as well. More concerts are already scheduled for spring 2026 – we’ll definitely keep everyone updated.
We’d also love to play some festivals – fingers crossed we’ll make it onto a few lineups!

14.11.2025 Warsaw, Ada Puławska w/ Perro Suicida + Bezdech + Place On Earth
21.11.2025 Szczecin, After Ego w/ Backbite + TBA
29.11.2025 Katowice, Jack Bar w/ 13 Piętro + Starless Void
30.11.2025 Kraków, Baza w/ November Might Be Fine
05.12.2025 Gdańsk, Paszcza lwa w/ Rosk + Mamidło
06.12.2025 Włocławek, CK Zazamcze w/ Rosk + Mamidło + Niboganipana

What are your future plans as a band?
Marcel: We’ve got specific plans and a few surprises we’ll be revealing in the future. We just want to keep growing artistically – trying new ideas, experimenting with sound. I feel like we’re maturing as musicians and becoming more aware of what we want to achieve and how we want to sound.

Bartek: We just want to keep doing what we love – exploring new textures and ideas, maybe adding some interesting samples or ambient layers along the way.

How can people best support your band?
Marcel: Everything we do, we do to play live – that’s what matters most to us. That’s where we truly let our emotions out and show who we really are. When you see us live, both on and off stage, that’s the most honest version of us.
I’m not saying what we post online isn’t genuine, but it’s only at shows – face to face – that you can really feel what we’re trying to express through our music.

Bartek: Come to shows and tell your friends about us! Even wearing our T-shirt to the store helps – someone in the queue might get curious enough to look us up. 😀

Any message for your listeners?
We’re so glad you’re here. We truly appreciate every kind word and every bit of support you send our way. We’re grateful that you listen to our music and want to be part of our journey – we hope you can feel that.

See you at the shows – let’s talk, laugh, and share the moment!

Links:
Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well