Doomed Confessionary: Marcin Rusinowski & Marcin Kowalski (Ysigim)
Photos by Tymon Rusinowski
Ysigim is a Polish doom metal band considering one of the prioneers of so called funeral doom metal worldwide. The band released only one album in 90s but returned after 30 years of silence with own melancholy and melody of doom metal.
They released their debut album »Ain Soph Or« in 1994 and the compilation album »Whispers« in 1996. After several attempts to reunite, they successfully returned in late 2023. The current studio-based line-up is the same as original Ysigim: Marcin Rusinowski (vocals, guitars) and Marcin Kowalski (bass, drums).
The latest release »Dead God Lies« is something that was as idea as EP, but turned into 47 minutes of music. The band showed on this album both new sounding tunes with heavy guitars and doom metal veins as well as compilation of remixes from 2005-2008 showing their romance with dark industrial and electronic areas.
While the band is not announcing any signs of possibility of playing live, they already shared new single entitled »Endless« from the upcoming album »Sins«, scheduled for release later this year.
Can you say a few words about your band?
MR: YSIGIM is a band from the early 90s. We’ve often been labeled as pioneers of the funeral doom metal genre, but honestly, we’ve never really seen ourselves that way. Back then, we called our sound “darker than black metal,” because in our view, it was darker, more depressive, obscure, and even sicker than black metal. Our roots are deeply embedded in death and black metal. When I think of funeral doom metal, I see it as slow, heavy music – but I wouldn’t say YSIGIM’s music fits neatly into that category. Compared to many other bands from back then, and even some later, we weren’t that slow. I believe that’s a more modern interpretation of the genre.
MK: Doom metal is a very broad musical concept, YSIGIM fits into it. It is very nice for us to hear that we were among the pioneers of funeral doom metal. I think it is one of the greatest things that can happen to an artist. Regardless of whether it was conscious or not.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
MR: In 1993, find a bass player (we haven’t found then), in 1994: expand the lineup and start playing gigs (we did it). In 2025: finalize new album. Prepare the rerelease of »Ain Soph Or« for Dying Sun Records. Prepare a remaster of »Ain Soph Or« for 2026.
MK: Belief in what you’re doing when you’re trying to open a new chapter in music. At the beginning of our career, when we talked to labels about the possibility of releasing our music, we heard: “OK, but start playing some more normal metal, similar to others.”
What can you be most proud of so far?
MR: From the perspective, »Ain Soph Or«, but the fact we still make music is also making me proud.
MK: Definitely, »Ain Soph Or« and the sound we’re coming back with now.
MR: Yeah, definitely – I was afraid that after Ain Soph Or we could not come back with new stuff, but we did it, even the bar was set high for us
What was your biggest regret?
MR: That we have not believed enough in »Ain Soph Or«. That we wanted to change, or we have changed and moved in different directions. Today, I see it from a different perspective, but one remains the same: it was and still is difficult music.
MK: The time we lost trying to put together a band that could perform in its full live version. Concerts are great when you’re on stage, but this will always involve compromises, and music rarely likes compromises.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
MR: For YSIGIM – I think a few were good in terms of what remains after that. If I have to pick only one, it would be Jak’em troll festival in Ostroleka.
MK: It was a live performance that showed that you can reach out to people who don’t know your music at all, who have never listened to anything related to doom metal, and if you are good and sincere, great musical magic will be created between you.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
MR: How much of Katatonia’s or Tiamat’s music changed? But I don’t see it as something negative. It was just so surprising to see these changes.
MK: Probably digital revolution in music at the end of 90s and beggining of 00s.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
MR: Getting familiar with the things I haven’t know in 90s, getting familiar with new bands and tunes, parallelly to that I have some playlist with old stuff from Samael, Katatonia, GGFH, Type O Negative, Cathedral, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin as well as some strange ones like Miles Davis from 50s 😛
MK: Old, new, slow, fast. It all depends on the mood. From metal to jazz through folk and cold wave. Last few days: Swallow The Sun, Rotting Christ, London After Midnight
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
MR: It’s not personally given to me but I love this quote from Charlie Parker: “Don’t be afraid, just play the music.”
MK: “Practice makes perfect.” This is of course advice that no one listens to at first. When you are young, you obviously don’t have time for such boring activities 🙂
What are your guilty pleasures?
MR: I’m guilty of collecting retro computers. But it’s kind of connected to my work direction (I’m a programmer). Guilty pleasures… to many guitars, too much equipment 🙂
MK: I love regional spirits, Swiss cheeses and new watches. Luckily I quit smoking 5 years ago so I have an excuse to cultivate the rest of my bad habits.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Warsaw / Poland?
MR: There are more doom-oriented bands than there were in the 90s. However, sometimes the genre “doom” is used as a very distant connection, but we also never thought about YSIGIM as doom metal.
MK: Metal scene in Poland is very large with lot of great bands. Both mainstream and underground. Basically, if you are interested in a certain genre, you can easily find Polish band that interests you.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
MR: There is no such plan at that moment, we were at that point in 1994, we have tried to make up to play concerts and to summarize – we lost two years on personal changes in the lineup.
MK: Yes, after all these years we decided not to make the same mistakes we made before. First of all we will focus on recording YSIGIM and then we will see. Today we do not plan any gigs.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
MR: We are focused on new compositions and recording. It took a lot of time to get back to composing, recording, and… finalizing new songs. It’s like it took almost 30 years to get back.
MK: Record, record and then… maybe… record!
MR: Yeah – speaking today and skipping the rerelease of »Ain Soph Or«, we are going towards three separate productions/albums/records.
How can people best support your band?
MR: It was always the same message: if you like it, and this music speaks to you, moves you in any direction, just listen to it. If you can afford it, but the recording. Even digital ones are something that counts. If you are connected to it, show it on t-shirts, putting stickers with logos on your items, etc. That makes any musician and any band proud.
MK: Support from people you play for makes you give each other strength. Ultimately, you have the energy to play and they get an adrenaline rush when they hear you.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
We are back. The sound of the darkness.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Soundcloud
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well