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{{Short description|Polish black metal band}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Mgła
| image             = Mgla Dark Troll 2019 10.jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Mgła performing in 2019
| origin            = [[Kraków]], Poland
| genre             = [[Black metal]]<ref name="p4k-list-1">{{cite web | url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9772-the-best-metal-albums-of-2015/ | title=The Best Metal Albums of 2015 | publisher=[[Pitchfork Media|Pitchfork]] | date=21 December 2015 | accessdate=16 February 2017 | author=Stosuy, Brandon}}</ref>
| years_active      = 2000&ndash;present
| label             = [[Northern Heritage Records]]<br>No Solace<br>Malignant Voices<br>Garazel Productions<br>Todeskult
| associated_acts   = [[Clandestine Blaze]]<br>[[Kriegsmaschine]]<br>Holy Death<br>Blade of the Sword<br>Massemord<br>Crionics<br>Medico Peste<br>Owls Woods Graves<br>Ashes
| website           = {{url|https://no-solace.bandcamp.com/}}
| current_members   = M.<br>Darkside
| past_members      = Daren
}}
[[File:Mgła Logo.svg|thumb|Logo]]
'''Mgła''' ({{IPAc-pl|m|g|ł|a}}; {{langx|en|"Fog"}}) is a Polish [[black metal]] band from [[Kraków]], formed in 2000. The duo consists of vocalist, guitarist and bassist M. (Mikołaj Żentara) and drummer Darkside (Maciej Kowalski).
The band has released four albums and began performing live in 2012, featuring a touring guitarist and bassist.
==History==
Initially founded as a studio project in 2000 in [[Kraków]] by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mikołaj "M." Żentara with the collaboration of drummer Dariusz "Daren" Piper, both originally from the band Kriegsmaschine.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mgła {{!}} Życie i twórczość {{!}} Artysta |url=https://culture.pl/pl/tworca/mgla |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Culture.pl |language=pl}}</ref> Together, the duo recorded two unreleased demos, their first 2 EPs and a split album ''Crushing the Holy Trinity'' with the bands [[Deathspell Omega]], [[Clandestine Blaze]], Exordium and Musta Surma.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2017-05-16 |title=Clandestine Blaze / Northern Heritage interview |url=https://www.bardomethodology.com/articles/2017/05/17/clandestine-blaze-northern-heritage-interview/ |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Bardo Methodology |language=en-US}}</ref> Daren left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Maciej "Darkside" Kowalski. The band signed to Northern Heritage Records in 2008 and released their debut album ''Groza'' in that same year. Mgła has been signed to Northern Heritage ever since.
In 2012, after the release of their second album ''With Hearts Toward None,'' the band played its first concerts. Mgła's first live lineup included guitarist Silencer from the band Medico Peste and bassist The Fall. According to M., the live lineup rehearsed for over a year before hitting the road.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.metalstorm.net/bands/band.php?band_id=1951|title=Mgła - Metal Storm|website=www.metalstorm.net|access-date=2018-05-07}}</ref> In 2015, Silencer left the live band and was replaced by E.V.T., also from Medico Peste. Mgła's third album [[Exercises in Futility (Mgła album)|''Exercises in Futility'']] was released in 2015 as well, and the band embarked on their inaugural North American tour; its first show in the United States was on 6 November in [[New York City]]'s [[Saint Vitus (venue)|Saint Vitus]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Kim |date=2015-08-29 |title=Hey Black Metal Fans, You're Welcome: Mgla's 'Exercises in Futility' Is Now Streaming in Its Entirety |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rjxd8d/mgla-exercises-in-futility-stream |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sperry-Fromm |first=Rob |date=2015-10-06 |title=Mgla streaming new album 'Exercises In Futility,' touring, playing NYC's Martyrdoom Fest |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/mgla-streaming/ |access-date=2023-07-23 |website=BrooklynVegan |language=en-US}}</ref>
That year, M. and Darkside created the No Solace label, named after Żentara's music studio, which releases music from Mgła, Kriegsmaschine and other projects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=No Solace |url=http://www.no-solace.com/ns.html |website=No Solace}}</ref> In 2015 and 2016, the duo served as the backing band for several shows of the one-man black metal project Clandestine Blaze.<ref name=":0" />
Mgła's scheduled April 2019 shows in Munich and Berlin were abruptly cancelled after the [[Antifa (Germany)|German Antifa]] group Linkes Bündnis gegen Antisemitismus München (English: Left Alliance Against Anti-Semitism Munich) launched a campaign criticising Mgła for releasing albums on Northern Heritage, a label which also sells [[National Socialist black metal]] material, and also for Żentara's solo [[Power electronics (music)|power electronics]] project Leichenhalle, whose 2000 album ''Judenfrei'' translates to "Free of Jews" in English. Mgła referred to the "smear campaign" as "false accusations of political nature", and announced a decision to take legal action for defamation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=BrooklynVegan |date=2019-05-01 |title=Mgla deny racism accusations, give statement on show cancellations |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/mgla-deny-racism-accusations-give-statement-on-show-cancellations/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=BrooklynVegan |language=en-US}}</ref>
On 3 August 2019, the band revealed their fourth album's title, ''Age of Excuse'', and released the lead single "Age of Excuse II".<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=August 3, 2019 |title="Age of excuse", the fourth full-length album of Mgła is coming soon. |url=https://www.facebook.com/422295657874462/posts/2029327900504555/ |accessdate=3 August 2019 |website=Facebook}}</ref> The album came out on 2 September. Mgła's first Latin America tour was cut short in March 2020 after seven shows because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mgła - Not unexpectedly in the current situation, after playing 7 out of 12 scheduled performances we are forced to postpone the Mexican dates of the March Latin America tour "Age of Excuse"... |url=https://www.facebook.com/mglaofficial/photos/a.719447048159320/2458587020911972/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref> The band resumed touring in late 2021. After playing 80 shows in 30 countries throughout 2022, Mgła announced in December that live concerts would be placed "on hold" in order for the band to focus on entering the studio.
==Members==
;Current
* M. (Mikołaj Żentara) – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, bass <small>(studio only)</small>, lead guitar <small>(studio only)</small> <small>(2000–present)</small>
* Darkside (Maciej Kowalski) – drums, percussion <small>(2006–present)</small>
;Former
* Daren (Dariusz Piper) – drums, percussion <small>(2000–2006)</small>
===Live musicians===
;Current
* The Fall (Michał "ShellShocked" Stępień) – bass, backing vocals <small>(2012–present)</small>
* E.V.T. (Piotr Dziemski) – lead guitar, backing vocals <small>(2015–present)</small>
;Former
* Silencer/Lazarus – lead guitar, backing vocals <small>(2012–2015)</small>
==Discography==
===Studio albums===
* ''Groza'' (2008)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sound of Records - Mgła - Groza - CD |url=http://www.soundofrecords.com/cd-1/black/mgla-groza-cd.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629022210/http://www.soundofrecords.com/cd-1/black/mgla-groza-cd.html |archive-date=2018-06-29 |access-date=2018-05-07 |website=www.soundofrecords.com |language=en}}</ref>
* ''With Hearts Toward None'' (2012)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://no-solace.bandcamp.com/album/with-hearts-toward-none-lp-2012|title=With hearts toward none LP 2012, by Mgła|website=Mgła|access-date=2018-05-07}}</ref>
* ''[[Exercises in Futility (Mgła album)|Exercises in Futility]]'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fr-ca.facebook.com/mglaofficial/posts/724143914356300|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507212726/https://fr-ca.facebook.com/mglaofficial/posts/724143914356300|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-05-07|title=Mgła - Third full lentgh album of Mgła, "Exercises in... {{!}} Facebook|date=2018-05-07|access-date=2018-05-07}}</ref>
* ''Age of Excuse'' (2019)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/mglaofficial/posts/2077865805650764|title=Mgła - Fourth full lentgh album of Mgła, "Age of Excuse" Facebook|website=[[Facebook]] |date=2019-09-02|access-date=2019-09-02}}</ref>
===EPs===
* ''Presence'' (2006)
* ''Mdłości'' (2006)
* ''Further Down the Nest'' (2007)
===Compilation albums===
* ''Mdłości + Further Down the Nest'' (2007)
* ''Presence / Power and Will'' (2013)
===Split albums===
* ''Crushing the Holy Trinity'' (2005) with [[Deathspell Omega]], [[Stabat Mater (band)|Stabat Mater]], Musta Surma, [[Clandestine Blaze]], [[Exordium (band)|Exordium]]
===Unreleased demos===
* ''Northwards'' (2000)
* ''Necrotic'' (2001)
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category|Mgła}}
*{{Official website|http://www.no-solace.com/mgla.html}}
*[http://www.myspace.com/mglamusick Mgła on MySpace]
*[https://no-solace.bandcamp.com/ Mgła on Bandcamp]
*[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXdRu_3nTYhDuIdnqHo9Mg/feed/ Mgła on YouTube]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mgla}}
[[Category:Polish black metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2000]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kraków]]
[[Category:2000 establishments in Poland]]
[[Category:Heavy metal duos]]
[[Category:Polish heavy metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Black metal controversies]]