Satellite

Satellite is a Polish neo-progressive rock band from Poland, formed in 2000 and led by drummer, composer and lyricist Wojtek Szadkowski. The group includes Mirosław Gil, Sarhan Kubeisi and Wojciech Szadkowski. It is closely linked to Collage, as several members come from that earlier Polish outfit, and Satellite functions in part as a continuation of Szadkowski’s work there.

Formation and line-up

The band begins as a project centred on Szadkowski, with Robert Amirian on vocals, Sarhan Kubeisi on guitar, Przemek Zawadzki on bass, Krzysiek Palczewski on keyboards and Szadkowski on drums and acoustic guitar. Later, Jarek Michalski joins on bass. Over time, the group moves from a studio-based project to a full live band, with regular rehearsals beginning in 2005.

Releases

Satellite releases its debut album A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset in 2003 through Metal Mind Productions. Its second album, Evening Games, follows in 2005 and reaches number 8 in Poland’s top 100 best-selling records. The band also issues the live DVD Evening Dreams in 2006.

In 2007 Satellite returns with Into The Night, and in 2009 it releases Nostalgia, described as its fourth studio album. Much of that record is recorded in Szadkowski’s home studio, with music and lyrics written by him. The album appears in both standard CD and digipak CD editions with two bonus tracks.

Style and recognition

The band’s music combines 1970s-inspired elements with a modern progressive rock sound. Its lyrics on Nostalgia are linked thematically, dealing with memory, change, starting again and distance from the past. Satellite’s albums receive strong attention in progressive rock press, including coverage in Colossus Magazine, Rock Hard, Eclipsed, iO Pages and Dutch Progressive Rock Page.

Live activity

Satellite plays the Baja Prog Festival in Mexico in 2007 and performs at a range of events and festivals in New Zealand in the separate Christchurch-based project of the same name. The Polish band’s live work and recordings establish it as one of the notable neo-progressive rock groups associated with the country’s scene.