COUNTRY: Poland
YEAR: 1986/1989
Stos (Polish for “stake”) was formed in 1981 in Jaworzno, starting off as a hard rock band in the vein of Black Sabbath, Budgie, Nazareth and UFO. They composed more than twenty songs in the early days, including “A Ty Co?”, “Dno”, “Stąd Do Wieczności”, “Bez Słowa” and “Zmrok”.
They later won a band contest held at an East Germany festival, and were rewarded with a recording session at the Polskim Radio Studios in Katowice. Three songs were conceived: “Straceńcy”, “A Ty Co?”and “Punk”. The formation consisted of Mirosław Majta on vocals, Mirosław Bol and Waldemar Harwig on guitars, Waldemar Rosiak on bass and Jan Bol on drums. They went on tour that same year, sharing stage with other Katowice acts such as Kat and Omen.
By late 1983, the band entered the studio again, recording five cuts (“Spotkanie III Stopnia”, “Kołtuny I Szarpidruty”, “Zwiastun”, “Bez Słowa” and “Wypad”). They went through a number of line-up changes two years later: Witold Hałas took bass duties, and new guitarist Sławomir Gowin was incorporated. The day before leaving to Krakow to record more material, Hałas’ girlfriend died under tragic circumstances. Gowin himself performed most of the basslines, and three more songs were written: “Twarz Przyajciela”, “Samotna” and “Spalinowy Diabeł”.
In 1985, after performing at the prestigious festival of Jarocin, Irena Bol joined the band, while Tomasz Dziubiński was introduced as the new band manager. A year later, Stos appeared at the first edition of Metalmania, with Tomasz Jaguś taking bass duties. More songs were recorded, including the homonym track, “Ostatni Dreszcz” ,“Ognisty Ptak” and the ballad “Epitafium Dla Iwony” dedicated to Hałas' deceased girlfriend.
They appeared at the 1987 edition of Metalmania, sharing stage with Running Wild, Helloween and Overkill. The group kept doing shows throughout the Polish territory - the following year performing on another underground metal festival, Metal Battle ’88, with Dragon, Destroyers and Wolf Spider.
Krzysztof Czarnecki replaced Kardas the same year. They played Jarocin again and contributed to another festival split with Open Fire. Musical differences and personal problems then started showing up – by late-'80s the group did a few concerts preceding the release of the homonym debut album in 1990, which included material from an Opole session from 1986 and another from Poznań 1989.
Kardas subsequently left the band due to military duty. Stos’s remained inactive for more than a decade until the reunion in 2001.
OPINION: The album should really be seen as a compilation instead of a studioalbum, since it’s recorded with 3 years Inbetween. The first recording was done in 1986 in Leśniczówka Club in Chorzów and at Polskie Radio Studios. The second recording was 3 years later, at the Giełda Studio, Poznań in 1989.
I really, really like the music on this album but no matter how many times I have tried I can’t stand the vocals. Sorry! But maybe it’s something for you, in the end it’s all a matter of taste.
