Introducing: Misscore

Polish band Misscore blend heavy riffs and captivating vocals in an alternative rock meets metal sound that they describe as “emotional, heavy, melodic.”

The band was first formed by vocalist Natalia Rygiel, a trained jazz vocalist who previously competed in The Voice of Poland, before an artistic reset and a new direction saw her joined by Mateusz Dzwigala (bass), Maciej Przybylski (guitars) and Jark Bielecki (drums) in 2023. In Natalia’s words: “From that point on, Misscore became a fully conscious, concept-driven project, built on independence, emotional storytelling, and complete creative control – from songwriting to production. What brought us together was a shared need to create music that balances heaviness with melody and meaning, without compromises.”

And on the sound the quartet have crafted over the last couple of years, Natalia told us: “Misscore blends alternative rock with electronic elements and strong melodic hooks. What’s interesting is that people often hear different things in our music – some pick up a gothic atmosphere, others focus on the electronic layers, while some describe it as modern or even nu metal. We don’t try to fit into a single genre. Contrast is at the core of what we do: heavy riffs versus fragile moments, raw energy versus atmosphere. Our songs are built to work both emotionally and physically – they hit hard live, but they also carry a clear narrative and message underneath.”

Our latest taste of this is Domino, which was released on Friday. It opens up with light drums and guitars that continue as Natalia’s delicate vocals take over. The guitars intensify along with rolling drums as delicious vocals develop into harsh screams through the chorus “In the world full of joy,
We are all alone, Full of division and lust, Alike, Huddle like falling dominoes, ‘Cause we all turn back to dust.” The pace slows again in a verse that builds to another chorus, which gives way to chugging guitars and rolling drums that pick up pace. It drops into a laid-back piano line, before blasting into a big final rendition of the chorus.

Speaking ahead of the release, Natalia said: “Honestly, we don’t fully know what to expect ourselves – and that’s part of the excitement. Domino opens a new chapter for us, and brings a noticeable shift in our sound. We wanted to surprise people with something new, both musically and emotionally. Whether it will be a surprise for everyone, time will tell.

“It’s definitely darker, more direct, and more rhythmic than our earlier material, but it also reflects where we are right now as a band. There’s always uncertainty, about reactions, about outcomes, but that’s the reality of making independent music. We hope Domino connects with people, and if it does, that’s already a success for us.” Domino definitely sounds like a success for us, and you can judge for yourself in the video below:

There’s plenty more music to get stuck into in the Misscore back catalogue, with their debut album DROWN released in 2024, followed by last year’s HYPOCRISY. We particularly like the sound of the catchy Away on the latter, along with tracks like the firey opener F, Fire and Tears and the feisty closing track Nothing To Say.

The Misscore sound has been heavily influenced by Bring Me The Horizon and Linkin Park, with Natalia telling us she grew up on emo and post-hardcore and “used to fall asleep listening to rawrrr by BMTH.” That said, the members have a range of influences, with Maciej bringing strong blues influences, Mateusz being big into bands like Dream Theater, and Jarek loving the energy and drive of bands like Avenged Sevenfold, along with Natalia’s jazz background.

And on what inspires them to write music, Natalia said: “I’m influenced by personal experiences, social observations, and inner conflicts, but each of our releases focuses on a slightly different emotional space. Our debut album DROWN was about facing the demons of the past – about being submerged in them, struggling to breathe, and trying to draw a line under what came before. Our second album, Hypocrisy, shifted the focus outward. It deals with hypocrisy, contradictions, and the tension between awareness and the will to act – both on a personal and social level.

“The material we’re working on now is probably the most emotionally open I’ve ever been. It’s the first time I allow myself to speak so directly about emotions, even if – as I usually do – a lot still happens between the lines. You’ll find themes of misunderstanding, sadness, depressive states, longing, and even reflections on ageing. I’m not interested in abstract lyrics without meaning. Every song starts from something real, even if it’s not always said out loud.”

Misscore is only the third Polish band we’ve interviewed in nine years, so we asked them for insight into music in their country. “Poland has a very strong and evolving rock and metal scene, and in recent years you can really see new metalcore and modern metal gems slowly emerging,” Natalia explained. “There’s a lot of talent and creativity, especially among younger and independent bands, but breaking through still requires a lot of self-initiative.

“That’s why we co-founded the Opolska Scena Alternatywna association. Through it, we not only try to secure financial support for our own projects, but also actively help other bands and musicians. We organize concerts and an independent alternative music festival Rock am Palast, create opportunities to play live, and share experience, production know-how, and practical support. In Poland, support for new bands often comes from the community itself rather than the industry – so building a scene together and helping each other is essential.

There’s plenty more to come from Misscore, who are currently working on new material that will further expand their new direction. That may also include Domino being released in Polish, which represents a new and potentially important creative step for the band. They’re also planning a small, independent tour through their Opolska Scena Alternatywna association, with the band organising everything from funding, promotion, production and visuals to merch, rehearsals, and actually getting on the road.

And Natalia added: “We don’t ask for instant belief. Come, listen – and if you fall, we’ll catch you like falling dominoes.”

You can follow Misscore on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music and YouTube.