#311 Cmÿter // Heavy Metal // Gregor Hraško // 19.6.2026

 

1. Kto si, čo robíš, čo ťa najviac zaujíma práve v týchto dňoch ?

Ahoj, volám sa Gregor Hraško a okrem toho, že som spevák a rytmický gitarista, tak momentálne pôsobím ako učiteľ na strednej umeleckej škole, kde vyučujem predmety ako počítačová grafika, virtuálna grafika, výtvarná príprava a figurálne kreslenie.

Vo voľnom čase sa momentálne najviac zaujímam o NHL a fandím tímu Montreal Canadiens. Nedávno som dočítal knihu Exil a království od autora Alberta Camusa a aktuálne čítam Hrobka od H. P. Lovecraft.

Camus patrí medzi mojich obľúbených autorov — prečítal som od neho už tri knihy a po „Hrobke“ od už spomenutého Američana sa chystám na "Mor".

Inač pomedzi to rád aj cvičím a športujem. 


2. Členov Cmÿter registrujem z rôznych domácich UG zoskupení hrajúcich rôzne štýly od death a black metalu až po HC/punk - ako a kedy sa dala dokopy súčasná zostava?

Na túto otázku odpovedám už asi štvrtýkrát, haha.

Celé sa to začalo v novembri 2023, keď sme boli s Palom, naším basákom, na pive — myslím, že v Randali. Spomínal tam, že končí v Betone, pretože ho už nebaví spievať a radšej by sa venoval basgitare, ideálne v nejakej heavy metalovej kapele. Ja som sa toho okamžite chytil, vtedy ešte len ako spevák.

Palo následne oslovil Holupa na bicie, ktorý nám veľmi rýchlo vybavil aj skúšobňu. Potom však trvalo dosť dlho, kým sme našli ochotného gitaristu. Nakoniec som sa naštval a popri speve som začal hrať aj na gitaru. Na skúšanie a prvé hranie nám to zatiaľ úplne stačilo. Problémy nastali keď bolo treba nájsť druhého (lead) gitaristu.

3. Na nedávnom koncerte v Bratislavskej Fuge ste predstavili nového gitaristu - o koho sa jedná a ako zapadol do kapely?

Volá sa Matúš Šimončič a dovolím si povedať, že momentálne patrí medzi najmladších muzikantov na našej CZ/SK scéne, keďže má iba 21 rokov.

A či zapadol? Okrem toho, že druhý gitarista bol pre nás v podstate nevyhnutnosť — pretože hrať heavy metal s jednou gitarou, kde spevák zároveň hrá, je prakticky nemožné — zapadol úplne perfektne. Jednoducho sadol ako riť na šerbeľ.


4. Kedy sa zrodila myšlienka na Cmÿter a ako dlho trvalo od myšlienky k skutkom (a zanedbávaniu dobrého)?

Už som to spomenul v predošlej otázke — kapela začala aktívnejšie fungovať približne v lete 2024. Ako som vravel, najväčší problém bol nájsť druhého, teda lead gitaristu.

Pôvodne sa do toho chceli zapojiť dvaja chalani, no nakoniec neprišli ani na jednu skúšku. Do kapely sa tak reálne zapojili až ďalší dvaja gitaristi. Rozdiel bol v tom, že tí prví „teoretici“ mali hrať v zostave súčasne, zatiaľ čo tí ďalší sa pri mne vystriedali postupne.

Najskôr s nami odohral pár skúšok Dano, ktorý už predtým hrával so mnou na gitare, no neskôr odišiel na prax do Prahy. Po ňom prišiel Frederik, ktorý nakoniec nahral aj gitary na našom EP z leta 2025.

Žiaľ, časom sa ukázalo, že sa na neho nedalo úplne spoľahnúť. Počas nahrávania bolo cítiť, že má ešte čo doháňať, a situácia sa veľmi nezlepšovala. Pravdepodobne na to už nemal dostatok času ani kapacity, keďže dochádzal až z Brna. Nakoniec to viedlo k tomu, že sme sa s ním museli rozlúčiť. 

5. Ako ťažké bolo nájsť vo svete extrémneho metalu, crustu a UG ľudí, ktorí sú zapálení pre heavy metal?

Keď si to teraz tak vezmem, tak nie je to úplne nemožne ako som to kedysi vnímal. Treba len chcieť.  


6. Ako ste sa dostali k heavy metalu? Čo vás pritiahlo k tomuto pôvodnému žánru, aj keď ste už mali skúsenosť s extrémnejšími štýlmi?

V tomto mám zatiaľ asi najväčší vplyv ja. Osobne sa však nevnímam ako niekto, kto patrí k tvorcom extrémnejších štýlov — práve naopak.

Heavy metal som počúval a vnímal ako svoju prioritu už dávno predtým, než som začal hrať v Goatcraft. Ako pätnásťročný gitarista som síce začínal pri thrash metale s kapelami ako Sodom, Slayer, Exodus, Dark Angel alebo Possessed, no postupom času sa môj hudobný vkus začal meniť — alebo skôr rozširovať.

Momentálne si už veľmi neviem predstaviť, že by som hral v death metalovej kapele. Čiastočne aj preto, že dnes tento žáner vnímam ako niečo, čo je často nezaslúžene a trochu mylne prezentované ako hlavná definícia metalu ako takého. Zároveň mám pocit, že sa z toho na istý čas stal zvláštny trend. Zdá sa mi však, že to už pomaly ustupuje — a možno je to nakoniec dobre aj pre samotný death metal.

7. Ako spätne vnímate ČSSR školu heavy metalu, ktoré kapely podľa vás patrili k tomu najlepšiemu a aké boli hlavné hudobné rozdiely medzi slovenskou a českou školou?

Najlepšia, najkvalitnejšia s najväčšou aj umeleckou hodnotou bola bezpochybne Tublatanka. Ešte by som mohol povedať, že prvý album Metalinda ale tento album zvykneme nazývať ako aj slovenský Halloween. Tublatanku sa nedá nijak označiť než len ako  Tublatanku. Ešte tu boli samozrejme Dereš, Makar Čudra, Kobra atď. ale tie prerazili maximálne s jednou alebo dvoma skladbami. 


8. Je ešte možné dosiahnuť kvalitu, ktorú na prelome 80s/90s tvorila Tublatanka, alebo je tento level domácej tvorby definitívne nenávratne preč - čím boli podľa vás Maťo, Paľo a Ďuro unikátni?

Podľa mňa už nie. Heavy metal vždy vychádzal z určitej kultúrnej a národnej identity, ktorá bola ovplyvnená politickým a spoločenským pozadím danej doby. Aj preto hovoríme napríklad o britskej vlne heavy metalu.

Tublatanka je typickým príkladom toho, ako sa vtedajšia realita, ale aj umelecká rebélia odrážali v hudbe na Slovensku (vtedajšom ČSSR), a vlastne aj v živote Bratislavy počas komunistického režimu – alebo, aby som bol korektný voči niektorým snílkom, počas bývalého socialistického režimu.

Prostredie pre tento žáner bolo úplne iné ako dnes. Tublatanka, podobne ako mnohé ďalšie kapely, mala svojho textára (Martin Sarváš) – básnika, ktorý sa aktívne podieľal na tvorbe. Aj preto hovorím o umeleckej rebélii. Takáto spolupráca nepochybne výrazne prispela ku kvalite a nadčasovosti ich tvorby.

Čo by som ja dal za to, aby mal Cmÿter vlastného textára. Osobne je pre mňa písanie textov najmenej záživnou časťou tvorby.

9. V rámci toho že členovia pochádzajú z rôznych zákutí UG muziky, ako sa vám darí udržať štýl hry v rámci heavy metalovej formy - má niekto v kapele hudobné "zlozvyky" ktoré musí potláčať aby z heavy metalu nebolo niečo iné?

Jediný zlozvyk je asi pochopiť, že na rozdiel od extrémnej muziky tomuto treba venovať omnoho viac času a tréningu a sústredenia sa... a to niekedy dosť aj bolí. 


10. Na konte máte prvé EP "Ave Lucifer" s troma skladbami, ako bolo prijaté na scéne a odkiaľ všade ste naň dostali pozitívne odozvy? 

Na česko-slovenskej scéne je to asi tak 50 na 50. Niektorí sú nadšení, iní sú zase „múdri“, ale to berieme s rezervou, keďže si uvedomujeme, že naše dve krajiny patria k hlavným rodiskám mudrlantov.

Na zahraničnej scéne sú ohlasy citeľne pozitívnejšie. Veľkého uznania sa nám dostalo najmä od Nemcov, Rakúšanov, ale aj Poliakov. Objavili sa tiež recenzie a príspevky na sociálnych sieťach z Mexika či Južnej Ameriky, ktoré boli veľmi pozitívne. 


11. Ak sa nemýlim, artwork Ave Lucifer zobrazuje čerta z rozprávky "S čerty nejsou žerty" čo ponúka dve navzájom protichodné teórie - buď si tak trochu robíte srandu z tradičnej satanskej tématiky alebo naopak je to potvrdenie toho, že túto tému beriete úplne bez žartov. ktorá z týchto teórií je bližšie pravde?

Ani s jednou z dvoch teórii nepracujeme. Na obale je zobrazený Karel Heřmánek lebo za prvé je to istá pocta jeho pamiatke a za druhé je to aj istý symbol toho čím Cmÿter vlastne je a čo rozoberá. 
So satanizmu si myslím vedome nikto nerobíme srandu v Cmÿteri ale zasa nikto ho s plnou vážnosťou nepraktizujeme.

Osobne satanizmus nevnímam takto čiernobielo a vlastne nič tak nevnímam. Nevnímať veci čiernobielo aj znamená aj neveriť na dobré a zlé alebo dobro a zlo.

12. Kto bol Gróf Reisenstein a kde sa nachádza Čierny dom?

Postava v knihe od Josefa Váchala - Krvavý román


13. Ako prebiehalo nahrávanie EP a čo bolo pre vás najkomplikovanejšie?

Najkomplikovanejšie? Nahrávanie haha. 

Celé to prebiehalo DIY a to sprevádzalo požičiavanie si rôznych techník a žiadanie pomocí aj od ostatných. 

Zaujímavá skúsenosť ale môžem povedať aj za ostatných že toto už nechcem znova zažiť. 


14. Kapela nedávno vystúpila vo Viedni - o akú akciu išlo a ako prijalo domáce publikum kapelu so slovenskými textami?

Vystúpili sme tam aj s čílskou kapelou Asedio, ktorá spieva po španielsky. Podobne to bolo aj na HMT. Hoci sa festival koná v Česku, viac ako 85 % návštevníkov tvoria ľudia zo zahraničia a naša hudba so slovenskými textami bola veľmi dobre prijatá. Myslím si, že rovnako to bolo aj v prípade Asedio.

Dnes už ľudia na svetovej metalovej scéne veľmi neriešia, či textom rozumejú alebo nie, a podľa mňa to tak funguje už dlhší čas. Ak niekoho texty naozaj zaujímajú, nie je problém zapnúť si prekladač a skopírovať si ich napríklad z Metal Archives.

 

15. Kde všade uvidíme Cmÿter v roku 2026?

Nič ešte nie je oficiálne potvrdené, ale črtá sa nám festival v Rakúsku a niekoľko koncertov v Poľsku. Zatiaľ však nebudem prezrádzať konkrétne miesta.

Je možné, že k tomu pribudne aj nejaké mesto na Slovensku.

Tento rok sme už odohrali v Bratislave dosť koncertov a pokiaľ sa nenaskytne podobne zaujímavá príležitosť, akou bol koncert s Deströyer 666, tak tento rok už v Bratislave hrať nebudeme.


16. Akým smerom sa bude uberať tvorba kapely a kedy môžeme očakávať nové veci? 

Nadviažeme na naše EP a chceme nahrať album.

Tentoraz by sme chceli, aby mala kapela čo najprofesionálnejší prístup k nahrávaniu v rámci NWOTHM scény. Uvidíme však, koľko nás to bude stáť a aké budú naše kapacity.

 
17. Ave Lucifer vyšiel na českom labeli Tapes of Terror. Ako došlo k spolupráci a aké očakávania máte od spolupráce — teraz aj do budúcna?

Petr Kolář, ktorý za tým všetkým stojí, je v tomto podobný ako ja. Tým myslím, že na slovné spojenie „heavy metal“ reaguje ako dobre vycvičený pes na aport.

Keď sme oficiálne oznámili vydanie EP, Petr sa toho okamžite chytil. Po vypočutí nášho dovtedy nevydaného dema nám ponúkol spoluprácu so svojím labelom a zároveň aj vystúpenie na už spomínanom festivale Heavy Metal Thunder.

Myslím si, že pre nás zatiaľ urobil všetko, čo mohol, a sme mu za to veľmi vďační. V budúcnosti sa ešte ukáže, do akej miery sa bude chcieť angažovať pri vydaní albumu. Či sa opäť postará napríklad o kazetovú edíciu, či svoju podporu rozšíri aj na ďalšie formáty, alebo nás naopak prenechá inému labelu.

18. Aký gear používa kapela na dosiahnutie vášho soundu? Používate nejaké konkrétne nástroje, aparatúru alebo presety na dosiahnutie toho ako chcete znieť?

Dosť nerďácka otázka, haha.

Na EP sú gitary nahrávané cez zosilňovač EVH 5150 Iconic bez pedálov a cez box Marshall 1936 Lead, ktorý nepatrí ani mne, ani nikomu z kapely. Trochu mi je ľúto, že som vtedy ešte nemal svoj Marshall 1960 Lead, ktorý je podľa mňa o dosť lepší.

Na spev používam na EP aj na koncertoch hall a echo.

Čo sa týka gitár, bez pedálov (okrem ladičky) hrávam všetky koncerty na Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2017 alebo na mojej „novej“ Greco Les Paul Custom EG-600 z roku 1978.

Matúš má vlastný pedalboard a hrá cez hlavu Orange Thunder 30H. Zároveň má nespočetné množstvo gitár, takže si logicky nepamätám všetko, čo vlastní.

Palo hrá na Fender Jazz Bass cez aparát Ampeg, taktiež bez pedálov.

A Holup je bubeník, haha. Pokiaľ viem, hrá na biciu súpravu Ludwig.


19. Minule sa mi priznal známy, že jeho "guilty pleasure" je Keep the Faith od Bon Jovi. Na to som mu v mobile ukázal svoj 90s dance floorový playlist a on pochopil že peklo nemá len jedno poschodie a pojem hanba je relatívny. Čo sú vaše guilty pleasures za ktoré vás Lucifer pošle do najhlbšej pekelnej priepasti?

Hmm... Ja nemávam svoje playlisty. Počúvam albumy, epečká a dema. 

Ale ak sa to dnes už vôbec dá brať ako "guilty pleasure", tak mám strašne rád AOR alebo úplne opačný proti pól post-punk alebo dokonca sem tam indie rock. 

20. Čo počúvate, pozeráte a čítate v týchto dňoch?

Na tie prvé dve veci som už prezradil na začiatku a naposledy som počúval nový Tyrann - Tyrann Forever. Dosť sa teším na nový The Night Eternal.

Ináč furt do okola počúvam Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Blue Öyster Cult, Ratt, Tank,  Dark Angel, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Metallica, Repulsion, Steröid, Axxion, Whitesnake a mohol by som takto pokračovať do nekonečna. 


21. Je niekto s kým by ste si radi prečítali rozhovor na JDØS?

Nó skús Remiho z kapely Morax osloviť, či sa na to dá haha. 


22 Motto alebo odkaz na záver.

Veľmi pekne ďakujeme za priestor aj za recenziu, veľmi si to vážime.
Cmÿter postupuje pomaly, ale isto.

 

1. Who are you, what do you do, and what interests you the most these days?

Hi, my name is Gregor Hraško and besides being a vocalist and rhythm guitarist, I currently work as a teacher at a secondary art school, where I teach subjects such as computer graphics, virtual graphics, visual preparation, and figure drawing.

In my free time, what interests me the most these days is the NHL, and I’m a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. I recently finished reading Exile and the Kingdom by Albert Camus, and at the moment I’m reading The Tomb by H. P. Lovecraft.

Camus is one of my favorite authors — I’ve already read three of his books, and after The Tomb by the aforementioned American, I’m planning to read The Plague.

Apart from that, I also enjoy working out and doing sports.

2. I know the members of Cmÿter from various domestic underground bands playing different styles, from death and black metal to HC/punk — how and when did the current lineup come together?

I think this is already the fourth time I’m answering this question, haha.

It all started in November 2023, when I was having a beer with Palo, our bassist — I think it was at Randál. He mentioned that he was leaving Beton because he was no longer enjoying singing and would rather focus on bass guitar, ideally in some heavy metal band. I grabbed onto that idea immediately, at that point still only as a vocalist.

Palo then contacted Holup for drums, who quickly managed to secure us a rehearsal space. But after that, it took quite a long time before we found a willing guitarist. In the end, I got fed up and started playing guitar alongside singing. For rehearsals and our first shows, that was enough. The real problems started when we had to find a second (lead) guitarist.

3. At your recent show in Bratislava’s Fuga, you introduced a new guitarist — who is he, and how has he fit into the band?

His name is Matúš Šimončič, and I dare say he’s currently one of the youngest musicians on the CZ/SK scene, since he’s only 21 years old.

And did he fit in? Besides the fact that a second guitarist was basically a necessity for us — because playing heavy metal with one guitar while the singer is also playing is practically impossible — he fit in perfectly. Simply put, he fit like a glove.

4. When was the idea for Cmÿter born, and how long did it take from the idea to actual action (and neglecting the good)?

I already touched on this in the previous question — the band started functioning more actively around the summer of 2024. As I said, the biggest problem was finding a second, meaning lead guitarist.

Originally, two guys wanted to join, but in the end they didn’t even come to a single rehearsal. So in reality, two other guitarists became part of the band. The difference was that the first “theorists” were supposed to play in the lineup at the same time, while the later ones took turns alongside me.

First, Dano played a few rehearsals with us — he had already played guitar with me before — but later he left for an internship in Prague. After him came Frederik, who eventually recorded the guitars on our EP from summer 2025.

Unfortunately, over time it became clear that we couldn’t fully rely on him. During the recording, it was obvious that he still had a lot to catch up on, and the situation didn’t improve much. He probably no longer had enough time or capacity, especially since he was commuting all the way from Brno. In the end, we had to part ways.

5. How difficult was it to find people in the world of extreme metal, crust, and the underground who are genuinely passionate about heavy metal?

Looking at it now, it’s not as impossible as I used to think. You just have to want it enough.

6. How did you get into heavy metal? What attracted you to this original genre, even though you already had experience with more extreme styles?

In this regard, I’m probably the biggest influence in the band so far. Personally, though, I don’t see myself as someone who belongs among the creators of more extreme styles — quite the opposite.

I was listening to and prioritizing heavy metal long before I started playing in Goatcraft. As a fifteen-year-old guitarist, I started out with thrash metal bands like Sodom, Slayer, Exodus, Dark Angel, or Possessed, but over time my musical taste started changing — or rather expanding.

At this point, I can hardly imagine myself playing in a death metal band anymore. Partly because nowadays I see the genre as something that is often undeservedly and somewhat mistakenly presented as the main definition of metal itself. At the same time, I feel like for a while it became a strange trend. But it seems that’s slowly fading away — and maybe that’s ultimately good for death metal itself.

7. Looking back, how do you see the Czechoslovak school of heavy metal? Which bands do you think belonged among the very best, and what were the main musical differences between the Slovak and Czech schools?

The best, highest-quality, and most artistically valuable band was without a doubt Tublatanka. I could also mention the first Metalinda album, although we often refer to that record as the Slovak Helloween. But Tublatanka can’t really be compared to anything else — it’s simply Tublatanka.

Of course there were also Dereš, Makar Čudra, Kobra, and others, but those bands broke through with maybe one or two songs at most.

8. Is it still possible to achieve the kind of quality that Tublatanka created at the turn of the 80s/90s, or is that level of domestic songwriting gone for good? What made Maťo, Paľo, and Ďuro so unique in your opinion?

In my opinion, no.

Heavy metal has always come out of a certain cultural and national identity, shaped by the political and social background of its time. That’s why, for example, we speak about the British wave of heavy metal.

Tublatanka is a typical example of how the reality of that era, as well as artistic rebellion, was reflected in music in Slovakia (then Czechoslovakia), and in life in Bratislava during the communist regime — or, to be fair to some dreamers, the former socialist regime.

The environment for this genre was completely different back then. Tublatanka, like many other bands, had its own lyricist (Martin Sarvaš) — a poet who actively participated in the creative process. That’s why I speak of artistic rebellion. This kind of collaboration undoubtedly contributed greatly to the quality and timelessness of their work.

What I would give for Cmÿter to have its own lyricist. Personally, writing lyrics is the least enjoyable part of creating music for me.

9. Since the members come from different corners of underground music, how do you manage to keep the playing style within a heavy metal framework? Does anyone in the band have any musical “bad habits” they have to suppress so the heavy metal doesn’t turn into something else?

The only bad habit is probably understanding that, unlike extreme music, this requires much more time, training, and concentration... and that can hurt quite a bit sometimes.

10. You have your first EP, Ave Lucifer, with three songs out — how has it been received on the scene, and where have you gotten positive feedback from?

On the Czech-Slovak scene, it’s about fifty-fifty. Some people are enthusiastic, others are “wise” in their own way, but we take that with a grain of salt, since we realize our two countries are among the main birthplaces of know-it-alls.

On the international scene, the reactions have been noticeably more positive. We’ve received a lot of recognition especially from Germans, Austrians, and Poles. There have also been reviews and social media posts from Mexico and South America, and those were very positive as well.

11. If I’m not mistaken, the Ave Lucifer artwork depicts the devil from the fairy tale/movie S čerty nejsou žerty (Give the Devil His Due), which offers two contradictory theories — either you’re making a bit of fun of traditional satanic themes, or on the contrary it confirms that you take this theme completely seriously. Which of these theories is closer to the truth?

We don’t really work with either of those two theories.

The cover features Karel Heřmánek because, first of all, it’s a kind of tribute to his memory, and secondly it’s also a symbol of what Cmÿter actually is and what it deals with.

I think none of us in Cmÿter consciously makes fun of Satanism, but at the same time nobody practices it with full seriousness either.

Personally, I don’t see Satanism in such black-and-white terms — and actually I don’t see anything that way. Not seeing things in black and white also means not believing in good and evil as absolute opposites.

12. Who was Count Reisenstein, and where is the Black House located?

A character from a book by Josef Váchal — Bloody Novel.

13. How did the recording of the EP go, and what was the most complicated part for you?

The most complicated part? Recording it, haha.

The whole thing was done DIY, which meant borrowing different pieces of equipment and asking others for help.

It was an interesting experience, but I can say for myself — and probably for the others too — that I never want to go through that again.

14. The band recently played in Vienna — what kind of event was it, and how did the local audience react to a band with Slovak lyrics?

We played there together with the Chilean band Asedio, who sing in Spanish. It was similar at HMT as well. Even though the festival takes place in the Czech Republic, more than 85% of the audience consists of foreigners, and our music with Slovak lyrics was received very well. I think it was the same in the case of Asedio.

Nowadays, people on the global metal scene don’t really care whether they understand the lyrics or not, and in my opinion it’s been like that for a long time. If someone is really interested in the lyrics, it’s no problem to turn on a translator and copy them from somewhere like Metal Archives.

15. Where will we see Cmÿter in 2026?

Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but there’s a festival in Austria taking shape and several concerts in Poland. For now, though, I won’t reveal the exact places.

It’s also possible that some city in Slovakia will be added.

We’ve already played quite a lot of shows in Bratislava this year, and unless a similarly interesting opportunity comes up — like the show with Deströyer 666 — we probably won’t play in Bratislava again this year.

16. In what direction will the band’s songwriting evolve, and when can we expect new material?

We’ll build on our EP and we want to record a full album.

This time we’d like the band to approach the recording process as professionally as possible within the NWOTHM scene. But we’ll see how much it will cost us and what our capacities will be.

17. Ave Lucifer was released on the Czech label Tapes of Terror. How did that collaboration happen, and what expectations do you have from working together — now and in the future?

Petr Kolář, who stands behind it all, is very similar to me in this. By that I mean he reacts to the phrase “heavy metal” like a well-trained dog reacts to fetching.

When we officially announced the EP release, Petr grabbed onto it immediately. After hearing our still-unreleased demo, he offered us cooperation with his label and also a slot at the already mentioned Heavy Metal Thunder festival.

I think he’s done everything he could for us so far, and we’re very grateful for that. In the future, we’ll see how much he’ll want to be involved with the album release. Whether he’ll take care of a tape edition again, expand his support into other formats, or on the contrary pass us on to another label.

18. What gear does the band use to achieve your sound? Do you use any specific instruments, amps, or presets to get the sound you want?

That’s quite a nerdy question, haha.

On the EP, the guitars were recorded through an EVH 5150 Iconic amplifier without pedals and through a Marshall 1936 Lead cabinet, which doesn’t belong to me or anyone else in the band. I’m a bit sorry that back then I still didn’t have my own Marshall 1960 Lead, which I think is much better.

For vocals, both on the EP and live, I use hall and echo.

As for guitars, I play all shows without pedals (except for a tuner), either on a Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2017 or on my “new” Greco Les Paul Custom EG-600 from 1978.

Matúš has his own pedalboard and plays through an Orange Thunder 30H head. He also owns countless guitars, so naturally I can’t remember everything he has.

Palo plays a Fender Jazz Bass through an Ampeg setup, also without pedals.

And Holup is a drummer, haha. As far as I know, he plays a Ludwig drum kit.

19. Recently, a friend confessed to me that his “guilty pleasure” is Keep the Faith by Bon Jovi. I showed him my 90s dance-floor playlist on my phone and he realized hell doesn’t have just one floor and that shame is relative. What are your guilty pleasures that Lucifer would send you to the deepest pit of hell for?

Hmm... I don’t really make playlists. I listen to albums, EPs, and demos.

But if that can even still count as a “guilty pleasure” nowadays, I really love AOR, or on the completely opposite end of the spectrum, post-punk or even some indie rock now and then.

20. What are you listening to, watching, and reading these days?

I already revealed the first two at the beginning, and the last thing I listened to was Tyrann Forever by Tyrann. I’m really looking forward to the new album by The Night Eternal.

Otherwise I keep listening to Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Blue Öyster Cult, Ratt, Tank, Dark Angel, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Metallica, Repulsion, Steröid, Axxion, Whitesnake, and I could keep going forever.

21. Is there anyone you’d like to read an interview with on JDØS?

Well, try reaching out to Remi from Morax and see if he’s up for it, haha.

22. A motto or final message.

Thank you very much for the space and for the review, we really appreciate it.

Cmÿter moves slowly, but surely.

#193 Flork Reviews: Ničiteľ - Biela (2026)

 

Ničiteľ - Biela (2026)
By Flork

A while back, when I previously reviewed Ničiteľ‘s previous album, I was immediately floored by the band‘s thunderous sound and uncompromising vision. It was like discovering one of Slovakia‘s best-kept secrets (in terms of heavy music)—a band whose combination of heavy emotional intelligence and fearless social commentary deserved far more attention than it has so far received. Since this time, Ničiteľ have quietly built one of the country‘s most compelling discographies, even if they‘ve often remained overshadowed by more visible names in the underground. Their fourth full-length album Biela, which is due out on July 7, proves that this is no accident. While Anna examined the destructive legacy of patriarchy, Biela abandons a single overarching narrative in favour of nine interconnected songs named after colours: White, Black, Blue, Grey, Purple, Yellow, Green, Red and Brown. Each of these tracks become symbolic entry points into different aspects of the modern human condition. Complementing the concept, vocalist Tamara has created an original painting for every track, giving the album a visual identity that mirrors its lyrical ambitions. Sung predominantly in Slovak and delivered through an exhilarating collision of blackened crust, sludge, d-beat and hardcore, Biela is another reminder that Ničiteľ belong among the finest heavy bands currently emerging from Central Europe.

Starting of course with the title track Biela (White), which may possibly serve as the emotional heart of the record, the track confronts mortality with a rare sense of grace rather than despair. Its repeated reminder that „you can‘t stop time“ is a call to value the fleeting moments we have. From there, Ničiteľ guides the listener through a series of sharply focused reflections on contemporary life. For example, Čierna (Black) channels climate anxiety into unforgettable imagery of burning forests and a dying black swan stranded in a muddy riverbed, while Modrá (Blue) lashes out against misinformation and the deliberate blurring of objective truth, insisting that opinions should be questioned, but facts should not. Sivá (Grey) offers one of the album‘s most affecting moments by portraying a person consumed by ecological grief and social injustice until they become emotionally hollow. All throughout these songs, the band avoids simplistic slogans, instead relying on poetic imagery and emotionally-charged metaphors that linger long after the final notes fade. Compared to Anna and previous releases like Matka (mother), Ničiteľ have taken their craft again to a higher level. Tamara‘s impassioned vocal performance gives every lyric an unmistakable urgency, while the band‘s heavy riffs and thunderous rhythm section ensure the emotional impact remains as crushing as the music itself. The music of course is top-notch with talent resonating at the highest peak from each instrument. 

 

 

The remaining tracks lose none of that intensity. Purpurová (Purple)is a furious condemnation of abuse within the Church, refusing to separate institutional authority from the suffering inflicted upon children. Žltá (Yellow) transforms pain into empowerment, rejecting manipulation and reclaiming dignity after emotional abuse. Zelená (Green) dismantles the comforting myth that poverty can always be overcome through determination alone, exposing the privilege behind those assumptions with heartbreaking clarity. Červená (Red) celebrates artistic sincerity over performative celebrity, especially by encouraging artists to stand for something instead of merely posing on the proverbial red carpet. The closing track Hnedá (Brown) confronts the spectre of fascism through images of brown shirts, disappearing bodies, and humanity standing at the edge of annihilation. Despite its bleakest moments, this composition searches for love as an act of resistance, beginning with pounding guitars then switching to the sombre sounds of a church organ, concluding the album on a thought-lingering note. 

And the Florkman’s prognosis? What makes Biela so remarkable is not simply its weight, but rather its empathy. Every song tackles a different issue, whether it’s death, environmental collapse, inequality, abuse, corruption, artistic integrity or authoritarianism, they all feel connected through the band‘s deeply human perspective. The colour concept could easily have been reduced to a clever gimmick, however, Ničiteľ transform it into a thoughtful framework that ties together an album of extraordinary thematic breadth. Their music remains abrasive, uncompromising and often devastatingly heavy, yet beneath the distortion lies compassion and genuine conviction. Few bands manage to balance ferocity with introspection as effectively as Ničiteľ do here. Biela is not just another excellent record from an already impressive band, but feels like the work of artists continuing to refine both their sound and their message. If there was ever any doubt that this overlooked group deserves a place among the leading voices in European extreme music, Biela should finally put it to rest.

 

JDØS Special: A blaze through the vinyl collection - Part II. (1995-1996)

 

       

 

Darkthrone je kapela, ktorá ma sprevádza väčšinu môjho života. Neznamená to však, že bola vždy mojou najobľúbenejšou kapelou, ani že som každý nový album prijímal nekriticky hneď po jeho vydaní. Boli obdobia silnejšie aj slabšie. Bez ohľadu na to, v akej životnej situácii som sa práve nachádzal, Fenriz a Nocturno Culto pracovali na ďalšom albume, ktorý ma skôr či neskôr vždy utvrdil v tom, že Darkthrone sú mojou krvnou skupinou už od roku 1992. Dovolil som si preto napísať pár slov o svojej ceste vlastnou zbierkou ich vinylov. Tom / EZR

 

PART I. (1991-1994) PART II. (1995-1996) 

 

⏭️ ⏭️ 

 

Panzerfaust (1995)

 

 

Nahrané: February-April 1994 at Necrohell Studio Produkcia: Darkthrone Vydané: 6th June 1995 (Moonfog Productions FOG005) Zostava: Fenriz (all instruments), Nocturno Culto (vocals) Zoznam skladieb: A1 En vind av sorg A2 Triumphant Gleam A3 The Hordes of Nebulah B1 Hans siste vinter B2 Beholding the Throne of Might B3 Quintessence B4 Snø og granskog (Utferd) CELKOVÝ HRACÍ ČAS 39:03

"Darkthrone is certainly not a nazi-band nor a political band, those of you who still might think so, you can lick Mother Mary's asshole in eternity."

V roku 1995 som skončil tretí ročník na gympli v polomŕtvom meste na slovensko-poľskej hranici a rozhodol sa odísť do maturitného ročníka na jazykový gympel v Banskej Štiavnici - meste, kde som nikdy predtým nebol. Prijímačky boli niekedy v máji a začiatkom septembra nástup na stredoškolský intrák, kde od prvého momentu prebiehali zoznamky s dlhovlasými jedincami, ktorí ešte nevybalení pofajčievali vonku pred budovou. 

Štiavnica bola malé mesto plné vybývaných a polorozpadnutých budov s perfekntou atmosférou. Naša škola bola nad Trojičným námestím neďaleko tajchu Veľká vodárenská. Napriek ošuntelosti mala Štiavnica šmrnc a bolo v nej živo vďaka niekoľkým stredným, školám a internátom, v ktorých údajne študovalo a žilo okolo desaťtisíc stredoškolákov. 

Black metal na Slovensku štandardne meškal. Nikto z metalistov, ktorých som spoznal na intráku ho nepočúvali. Všade navôkol bolo veľa death metalu, grind-core a nu-metalu. Vďaka osvete, ktorú som svedomito šíril aj formou duplikovania kaziet na rodičovskom Panasonicu, ten rok v Štiavnici konvertovalo na black metal niekoľko známych. Jeden z prvých koncertov, na ktorom som bol, bola akcia death metalových Masacroot v Martine kde hrali spolu s Mentally Parasites. Masacroot sa o pár mesiacov neskôr premenovali na Mystic Death, zmenili radikálne image a začali hrať black metal.

 

 

Black metal sa v prvej polovici roku 1995 šíril zo severu ako mor. Bolo to kvôli mixu legendami opradených udalostí z rokov 1993-1994 a vďaka legendárnym albumom ku ktorým sa vďaka mediálnemu pokrytiu dostávala čoraz širšia metalová komunita. Pre mňa bol hudobný rok 1995 do istej miery sklamaním - okrem pár zásadných kapiel ako Darkthrone a Immortal, ktoré vydali nové albumy som mal pocit, že zvyšok buď príliš experimentuje alebo kopíruje. Niekedy na jeseň roku 1995 som nadobudol pocit, že všetci moji hrdinovia prvej polovice dekády sú mŕtvi alebo vo väzení a napriek tomu, že black metal pre mňa ostával hlavným hudobným žánrom, bol som viac otvorený novým podnetom.

Odpoveďou na tento stav bol VHS koncert brooklynskej štvorky Type O Negative z holandského Dynama z roku 1995, ktorý som v jedno sobotné dopoludnie videl na intráku a ktorý ma doslova prevalcoval. Pár dní na to som si od spolužiačky požičal nahratú kazetu Bloody Kisses - a to už bol začiatok iného celoživotného príbehu... 

Kazetu Panzerfaust od Darkthrone, ktorá vyšla v lete roku 1995 som prijal s nadšením. Po  Transilvanian Hunger, ktorý bol pre mňa hudobne ťažko stráviteľný a nezaujímavý bol Panzerfaust návrat k melodickejším a rozmanitejším skladbám pri zachovaní black metalového feelingu. Produkcia albumu ostala lo-fi - album nahral Fenriz rovnako ako Transilvanian Hunger v domácich podmienkach. Album prebieha v niekoľkých meniacich sa rýchlostných režimoch a tým pádom to nie je celé štart-cieľ 140 BPM nuda. Riffy sú chytľavé a melodické - zdá sa, že pri skladaní albumu, Fenriz a Nocturno Culto nesledovali len jediný cieľ - a to ten, aby si skladby poslucháči užili čo najmenej... 

 

 

Za všetky skladby z albumu vyzdvihnem Hans siste vinter a Quintessence. K tej druhej napísal z poza mreží na dnešné pomery mierne machistický text nikto iný než "let's find out" man Varg Vikerness "Five million christians on a ride towards us / Oh, I slaughtered the bunch with one single hit (with my spear) / Five million women so alone in the night / Oh, I had them all satisfied profusely (every night by myself)". Album končí ambientnym outrom, do ktorého Fenriz "prednáša" báseň o smreku v zimnej krajine. Keďže bol prednes v nórštine a internet vtedy našťastie neexistoval, mohol som sa len domnievať o aké necro odkazy prichádzam. 

 

"For example, in your country, Germany, nobody wants to distribute ‘Panzerfaust’ or ‘Transilvanian Hunger.’ And the same thing is happening in many other...” Fenriz (ABLAZE 1995)

Wikipedia, Rateyourmusic, Metal-Archives, Discogs

 

⏭️ ⏭️ 

 

Total Death (1996)

 

  

Nahrané: August and October 1995 at Ancient Spectre Ruins (Skoklefald, Nedodden, Norway) Produkcia: Nocturno Culto Vydané: 15th January 1996 (Moonfog Productions FOG011) Zostava: Fenriz (drums, bass), Nocturno Culto (vocals, guitars, bass) Zoznam skladieb: A1 Earth's Last Picture A2 Blackwinged A3 Gather for Attack on the Pearly Gates A4 Black Victory of Death B1 Majestic Desolate Eye B2 Blasphemer B3 Ravnajuv B4 The Serpents Harvest CELKOVÝ HRACÍ ČAS 35:47

"Darkthrone plays unholy black metal exclusively. The envy of loosers we piss on." 

Rok 1996 bol pre mňa dosť zásadný z pohľadu životných zmien, a keďže Darkthrone v ňom vydali dva albumy, pokúsim sa pospomínať trochu viac. V prvom polroku som pokračoval v štúdiu na strednej škole v Banskej Štiavnici. Domov som cestoval každé dva týždne a cesta niekoľkými spojmi s prestupmi v troch až štyroch mestách trvala osem hodín. Čiže ak som v piatok na obed odišiel z Banskej Štiavnice, domov som sa dostal o ôsmej večer. Naspäť do na internát som cestoval v nedeľu doobeda s príchodom o siedmej večer. Cestoval som zvyčajne sám, na ušiach stále walkman, v ruke kniha. 

V Banskej Štiavnici som od prvého mesiaca začal míňať rodičovské peniaze na stravné lístky na cigarety a pivo. Moja strava pozostávala výlučne z parížskeho šalátu, tresky, bieleho pečiva a spolubývajúceho preexpirovanej Nutelly, ktorú dostával od rodičov čo mali obchod s potravinami. Dvojfarebnú Nutellu som vedel vyjesť tak odborne, že zvonku vyzerala vďaka polmilimetrovému filmu ako neporušená. O to viac bol spolubývajúci prekvapený, keď po otvorení naoko nedotknutej Nutelly načrel lyžicou do prázdna. O konzumácii pečiva v rôznych štádiach jeho starnutia a začínajúceho rozkladu by som mohol napísať diplomovku, prípadne si založiť necro food blog. Všetky voľné peniaze, ktoré som mal, boli utratené za pivo v krčme u Mateja, prípadne U Barbory. 

 

 

So stúpajúcou spotrebou jedov mi na kazety ostávalo čoraz menej voľných prostriedkov. Na internáte som mal kamaráta z Humenného, ktorý počas víkendov hrával v lokálnych death-doomových Daybreak a Bizarre of Brutality. Iný kamarát z Martina, veľmi dobrý technický gitarista hral zase v Martinských deathových kapelách. Vždy keď stretnem metalistu z Martina, ukáže sa, že je skvelý gitarista - pýtam sa, ako je to možné? Okrem nich boli na intráku chalani, ktorí mali slušne zvládnutú klasickú gitaru, ale aj basgitaru - od nich som niečo odchytil a naučil na svojej otlčenej španielke, ktorej zmoknutý krk sa mi po jednom nočnom žúre v exteriéri vyhol skoro do pravého uhla. Ako to típek v oprave nástrojov dal dokopy, netuším - musel to byť priamy potomok majstra Pavla z Levoče, lebo španielku mám doma a stále hrá ako víno. 

Polrok ubehol rýchlo, v máji som zmaturoval a nasledoval odchod z Banskej Štiavnice domov, oslava plnoletosti v lete a plánovaný nástup na VŠ v Bratislave v septembri - počas letných prázdnin som brigádoval a našetril peniaze, o ktorých som si myslel že vydržia aspoň pol roka - tento falošný optimimizmus mi na rozdiel od peňazí vydržal dodnes. 

 

 

Kazetu Total Death som si kúpil hneď keď vyšla a pamätám si mierne sklamanie respektíve niečo ako únavu materiálu. Na jednej strane som začínal vnímať širšie spektrum hudby aj vďaka novým hudobným vplyvom od nemetalových kamarátov - už som spomínal Type O Negative, ale napríklad aj Heroes Del Silencio a iné mäkkoty. Na strane druhej, aj u Darkthrone bolo cítiť čoraz viac, že si už v rámci scény nepotrebujú dokazovať kultové a líderske statusy a môžu sa sústrediť na skladanie a vydávanie hudby, ktorá baví hlavne ich samých, bez ohľadu na to čo si o tom myslí niekto iný. 

Total Death bol album založený na surových gitarových riffoch, avšak chýbala mu "hitovosť" albumov Panzerfaust alebo Under a Funeral Moon. Na rozdiel od predchádzajúcich albumov, kde dominoval Fenriz, Total Death je v réžii Nocturno Culta, ktorý napísal ďakovačku a polovicu textov na albume. Druhú polovicu otextovali Garm (Ulver), Ihsahn (Emperor), Carl-Michael Eide (Ved Buens Ende) a Satyr (Satyricon). V niektorých momentoch mi nápady dokonca pripomenuli istý typ temnej veselosti alebo až čierneho optimizmu - napríklad v skladbe Gather for Attack on the Pearly Gates. U iných ako napríklad Black Victory of Death je cítíť Bathory worship, ale aj odkazy na Mayhem prípadne na vlastnú tvorbu staršieho dáta. Kazetu som neskôr venoval k narodeninám bubeníkovi kapely, do ktorej som v roku 1998 v Bratislave nastúpil. Pamätám sa, že z nej bol nadšený tak na polovicu. 

 

 

Dnes sa k Total Death vraciam rád ako k albumu, ktorý vôbec nie je podpriemerný, len trochu prvoplánovejší a vyžaduje od poslucháča väčšie sústredenie na vyextrahovanie silných pasáží. V roku 1996, keď nové smerovanie black metalu začali diktovať kapely ako Cradle of Filth alebo Dimmu Borgir, ostal Darkthrone verný svojej za studena kovanej drsnej tradícii, nepodliehal žiadnym módnym trendom ani experimentom a bolo čoraz jasnejšie, že Fenriz a Nocturno Culto majú bližšie k punkovej energii Motörhead než k 'vysokému' umeniu Emperor. 

"I was in charge of album covers until TOTAL DEATH album in 1996, then I lost interest in the visual thing. Unfortunately that meant that PHOTOSHOP technique snuck into the covers of Darkthrone, and I didn’t care much until I took a bit charge of album covers again in 2007, with F.O.A.D. album...” Fenriz (NOCTURNAL CULT 2012)

Wikipedia, Rateyourmusic, Metal-Archives, Discogs

 

 

⏭️ ⏭️ 

 

Goatlord (1996)

 

 

Nahrané: Instruments in 1990-1991 during rehearsal. Vocals in 1994. Produkcia: Darkthrone Vydané: 24th October 1996 (Moonfog Productions FOG013) Zostava: Nocturno Culto (guitars), Zephyrous (guitars), Fenriz (drums, vocals) and Dag Nilsen (bass) Zoznam skladieb: A1 Rex A2 Pure Demoniac Blessing A3 (The) Grimness of Which Shepers Mourn A4 Sadomasochistic Rites A5 As Desertshadows B1 In His Lovely Kingdom B2 Black Daimon B3 Toward(s) the Thornfields B4 (Birth of Evil) Virgin Sin B5 Green Cave Float CELKOVÝ HRACÍ ČAS 37:50 

"This album was meant to be the second inline of releases."  

V septembri, týždeň pred nástupom na vysokú školu som sa ubytoval na internáte v Bratislave. V meste som poznal jedine Croma, kamaráta z detsva, s ktorým som udržiaval písomný kontakt o metalovej hudbe (a knihách Stephena Kinga) po mnoho rokov. Crom ma pozval do krčmy U Matúša, kde som spoznal miestnu black metalovú sociétu. 

Prvý zážitok pozostával so stretnutia s dvoma staršími chalanmi, ktorí si práve chceli založit black metalové vydavateľstvo a xeroxový zin - jeden z nich, nositeľ veľmi temného okultného mena, si dával utopenca s kofolou a neustále sa hystericky chichotal. Druhý s vlasmi po pás rozprával vysokým hlasom, bol starší od všetkých naokolo a pôsobil seriózne - budil dojem leadra. Krátko nato prišli dvaja údajne čerstvo krčmou exkomunikovaní štamgasti, ktorí sa predtým previnili proti Matúšovmu poriadku a tak dostali ban - tento sa práve pokúsili prelomiť. Obaja nastúpili v plnej black metalovej zbroji - klincové rukávy, pentagramy, kríže smerom nadol, koža a plechom obité kanady - jeden z nich v momente zapichol obrovský nôž do stola pri ktorom sme sedeli, ten druhý sa vyjadroval štýlom "čodopičikokotdopiči" v každej vete a mal za opaskom bodák z prvej svetovej vojny. Bol som nadšený - takýchto oddaných, zlovestne pôsobiacich a imidžovo dokonalých blackmetalistov som dovtedy nestretol. 

Nasledovalo pár žúrov, kde padli všetky doteraz známe laťky dekadencie a tak som sa stal členom jadra skupiny ľudí, ktorá sa roky stretávala U Matúša a neskôr aj v iných bratislavských krčmách. Vďaka tomu, že som býval na intráku som viedol dvojitý party life - po príchode z Matúša som pokračoval s nemetalovými kámošmi a budoval tak svoju alko-imunitu, alebo tzv. beh na dlhé trate. Na internáte som sa spoznal s Florkom, učiteľom angličtiny z Kanady, s ktorým sme pol roka moderovali metalovú reláciu Symfonický večer v IRŠ. Utorok 23:00 vysielací čas patril nám a našim hosťom. Po pol roku nám šéf rádia vypovedal kontrakt, kvôli porušovaniu interných pravidiel netolerujúcim intoxikáciu moderátorov v priamom prenose. 

 

 

U Matúša sedávalo niekoľko skupiniek metalistov a iných štamgastov, medzi ktorými dochádzalo k rôznym typom interakcii - od priateľských až po bitky - väčšinou medzi starými štamgastami a metalistami alebo medzi čašníkmi a metalistami. Boli 90s a dostať niekde pár popapuli kvôli výzoru, pohľadu alebo len tak preventívne bolo niečo s čím človek tak nejak automaticky počítal. 

Mobily neboli, na rýchlych stretkách sa dohodnúť nedalo. Jedno bolo ale isté - kedykoľvek v týždni o hociktorej dennej alebo nočnej hodine som sa vybral do Matúša, bol tam niekto zo známych, s kým sa dal tráviť čas pri pive, kecať o hudbe a spriadať temné plány o založení kapely. V rámci tejto čoraz početnejšej skupiny sme chodili na chaty, žúry, akcie, ale aj koncerty po Slovensku. Vychádzalo tu niekoľko tlačených zinov, orientovaných na hudbu, ale aj na krčmovo spoločenské aktivity - nikdy predtým (ani potom) som nezažil takto zomknutú komunitu relatívne úzkoprofilovo orientovaných hudobných maniakov. Po udalostiach z Nórska pár rokov predtým sa aj v rámci našej skupiny našli priaznivci Euronyma a Grishnacka, ktorí viedli dlhé debaty o tom kto bol dobrý/zlý (a trve kvlt) človek, muzikant, textár, atď. 

Napriek tomu, že mimo Slovenska to na blackovej scéne vrelo, u nás sme boli stále v plienkach a kapely tu neboli žiadne. Bez internetu sa o žiadnych domácich hudobných "kutiloch" z rôznych častí Slovenska nedalo dozvedieť a kto nechodil do Matúša alebo na spoločné akcie neexistoval. V krčme sa riešili rôzne projekty a zoskupenia - v druhom polroku 1996 však stále len v teoretickej rovine. 

Jeden z prvých reálnych krokov, ktorý som týmto smerom učinil bola kúpa tmavomodrej Jackson Performer PS-4, ktorú som raz našiel v hudobnom obchode na Vysokej ulici. Bola to prvá šípka, ktorú som v živote videl na vlastné oči a jediná v tom čase, aká sa v Bratislave dala zohnať. Stála 17 000 SKK, čo bol vtedy priemerný dvojmesačný plat. Rodičov som postavil pred jednoduchú dilemu - buď sa vykašlem na vyšku a pôjdem si na gitaru zarobiť poctivo ako novopečený člen manuálne pracujúcej triedy, alebo sa dostanem k peniazom nejakou inou - nie nevyhnutne legálnou cestou. Mama po krátkom uvažovaní predala knižku z kupónovej privatizácie a dala mi peniaze na gitaru - týmto jej ešte raz dodatočne a naveky ďakujem. Gitaru som mal, bolo potrebné zohnať už len kapelu. 

 

 

Goatlord bol šiesty a posledný album Darkthrone, ktorý som si kúpil na kazete. Po vágnejšom Total Death som bol zvedavý s čím Fenriz a Nocturno Culto prídu po tak krátkej pauze. Bez vedomia toho, že sa jednalo o staršiu nahrávku, som album sprvu konzumoval rozpačito. Na scéne sa čoraz častejšie objavovali rôzne experimenty - black a iní metalisti sa posúvali do avantgardných polôh - a ja neznalý veci a vyzbrojený starými dobrými predsudkami typu avantgarda = sranie a maľovanie, som mal pri Goatlorde pocit, že Darkthrone spadli práve do tejto pasce... 

... a pritom pri poznaní kontextu a s vyzretejším hudobným vkusom sa tento album dá uchopiť úplne krásne. Jedná sa o skúšobňovú nahrávku, ktorá vznikla medzi Soulside Journey a A Blaze In the Norhtern Sky, ku ktorej Fenriz neskôr dohral všetky vokály - áno aj tie, ktoré pripomínajú ženský spev. 

Album zachytáva obdobie žánrovej zmeny kapely. Skladby sú mixom death metalovej tvorby s prechodom na chaotickejší nekro feeling A Blaze ... Goatlord je dokonalým hybridom prvých dvoch albumov. Gitary a veľká časť riffov stále znejú ako Soulside ale bicie a spôsob hry sú už prevažne A Blaze... 

Čo vyniká sú vokály - rozmanitosť, ktorú som prvý krát zaznamenal na A Blaze ... je tu obohatená o nové polohy Fenrizového spevu. Ten miestami obsahuje anathemovské lamentácie, žensky znejúce popevky, diabolské rehotanie a výkriky a klasický nahalovaný blackový škrek. Vokálnych partov je na albume skutočne veľa čo je plus - melodické spevy mi pripomínajú Fenrizove bočáky Storm a Isengard. Blackové vokály miestami tiež Deada z Live in Liepzig - konkrétne v skladbe In His Lovely Kindgom. 

Zvuk je patrične lo-fi, v deathových polohách cítiť aj vplyv raných Immolation (napr. (Birth of Evil) Virgin Sin) a v blackových je to neskorší charakteristický Darkthrone. Goatlord je neobrúsený diamant a skvelý doplnok ich diskografie.  

 

"Goatlord" was just a rehearsal tape that was conducted between late ’90 and early ’91. About the wait, I think it’s because we just didn’t make the lyrics for that. And then in ’94 we listened to that rehearsal tape and listened to it again. The music on "Goatlord" is basically better than on "Soulside Journey", so what can I say man, I did some vocals on that rehearsal tape called "Goatlord" in ’94 and then we released it in ’96. Just a few people have that rehearsal tape. We should have released it without the vocals, it would have been better, it should just be a rehearsal tape.” Fenriz (SOURCE)

Wikipedia, Rateyourmusic, Metal-Archives, Discogs

 

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Vďaka za support, Tom/EZR 

 

 

Venované pamiatke Andrewa Orlocka (1984-2019).

 

 

Darkthrone is a band that has accompanied me through most of my life. That doesn’t mean they were always my favourite band, nor that I accepted each new album uncritically the moment it was released. There were stronger periods and weaker ones. Regardless of where I happened to be in life, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto were always working on another album that, sooner or later, reaffirmed that Darkthrone have been my kindred spirits since 1992. That is why I decided to write a few words about my journey through my own Darkthrone vinyl collection. Tom / EZR

Panzerfaust (1995)

 

In 1995 I finished my third year of high school in a half-dead town on the Slovak-Polish border and decided to transfer for my final year to a language-focused secondary school in Banská Štiavnica—a town I had never visited before. The entrance exams took place sometime in May, and at the beginning of September I moved into the student dormitory, where introductions with long-haired individuals smoking outside the building began before they had even unpacked their belongings.

Štiavnica was a small town full of worn-out and semi-derelict buildings with a perfect atmosphere. Our school stood above Trinity Square, not far from the Veľká Vodárenská reservoir. Despite its shabby appearance, the town had a certain charm and felt alive thanks to several secondary schools and dormitories, which supposedly housed around ten thousand students.

Black metal arrived in Slovakia with the usual delay. None of the metalheads I met at the dorm listened to it. Death metal, grindcore, and nu-metal were everywhere. Thanks to the missionary work I diligently carried out—often by duplicating cassettes on my parents' Panasonic deck—a number of people in Štiavnica converted to black metal that year.

One of the first concerts I attended was a show in Martin featuring the death metal band Masacroot alongside Mentally Parasites. A few months later, Masacroot changed their name to Mystic Death, radically altered their image, and started playing black metal.

Black metal spread from the north like a plague during the first half of 1995. This was partly due to the legendary events of 1993–1994 and partly thanks to a series of classic albums that, aided by increasing media coverage, were reaching a wider section of the metal community.

For me, however, 1995 was somewhat disappointing from a musical perspective. Apart from a few essential bands such as Darkthrone and Immortal releasing new albums, I felt that everyone else was either experimenting too much or merely copying others. Sometime during the autumn of 1995 I got the feeling that all of my heroes from the first half of the decade were either dead or in prison. Although black metal remained my primary musical genre, I found myself becoming more open to new influences.

The answer to that feeling came in the form of a VHS recording of a 1995 performance by the Brooklyn quartet Type O Negative at Dynamo Open Air in the Netherlands. I saw it one Saturday morning in the dormitory, and it absolutely flattened me. A few days later I borrowed a dubbed copy of Bloody Kisses from a classmate—and that was the beginning of a completely different lifelong story.

I welcomed Darkthrone's Panzerfaust cassette, released in the summer of 1995, with great enthusiasm. After Transilvanian Hunger—which I found musically difficult to digest and not particularly interesting—Panzerfaust felt like a return to more melodic and varied songwriting while retaining the black metal spirit.

The production remained lo-fi; like Transilvanian Hunger, the album was recorded by Fenriz under home-studio conditions. The songs move through several different tempos and moods, which means the album avoids becoming one long, start-to-finish exercise in 140 BPM monotony. The riffs are catchy and melodic. It seems that while writing this album, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto were not pursuing a single goal—namely making sure the listener enjoyed the music as little as possible.

Of all the songs on the album, I'd especially highlight Hans siste vinter and Quintessence. The latter features lyrics written from behind bars by none other than the original "let's find out" man himself, Varg Vikernes:

"Five million christians on a ride towards us / Oh, I slaughtered the bunch with one single hit (with my spear) / Five million women so alone in the night / Oh, I had them all satisfied profusely (every night by myself)"

The album ends with an ambient outro in which Fenriz “recites” a poem about a spruce tree in a winter landscape. Since the recitation was in Norwegian and the internet thankfully didn’t exist back then, I could only guess what kind of necro references I was missing out on.

⏭️ ⏭️ 

 

Total Death (1996)

The year 1996 was quite a major one for me in terms of life changes, and since Darkthrone released two albums that year, I’ll try to recall a bit more. In the first half of the year, I continued my studies at a secondary school in Banská Štiavnica. I traveled home every two weeks, and the journey—using several connections with transfers in three or four cities—took eight hours. So if I left Banská Štiavnica at noon on Friday, I would get home around eight in the evening. I traveled back to the dorm on Sunday morning, arriving around seven in the evening. I usually traveled alone, always with a Walkman in my ears and a book in my hand.

In Banská Štiavnica, from the very first month, I started spending my parents’ money meant for meal vouchers on cigarettes and beer. My diet mainly consisted of mayonnaise salad, cod spread, and white bread, as well as my roommate’s expired Nutella, which he received from his parents who owned a grocery store. I was able to eat the two-tone Nutella so skillfully that from the outside it still looked intact, thanks to a half-millimeter-thick film. My roommate was all the more surprised when, upon opening the seemingly untouched Nutella, he dipped his spoon into emptiness. I could probably write a thesis—or start a necro food blog—about eating pastries at various stages of aging and early decomposition. All the money I had was spent on beer at the pubs U Mateja or U Barbory.

As my consumption of poisons increased, I had less and less money left for cassettes. At the dorm I had a friend from Humenné who, on weekends, played in the local death-doom bands Daybreak and Bizarre of Brutality. Another friend from Martin, a very good technical guitarist, played in death metal bands there. Whenever I meet a metal musician from Martin, it turns out they are an excellent guitarist—I often wonder how that is possible. Besides them, there were guys at the dorm who were well-trained in classical guitar and bass as well—I picked up some things from them and learned on my battered accoustic guitar, whose soaked neck once bent almost at a right angle after a night of drinking outdoors. How the repair guy managed to fix it, I have no idea—he must have been a direct descendant of Master Paul of Levoča, because the guitar is still at home and plays beautifully.

The semester passed quickly. In May I graduated, followed by leaving Banská Štiavnica, celebrating adulthood in the summer, and a planned start at university in Bratislava in September. During the summer holidays I worked part-time and saved money I thought would last at least half a year—this false optimism, unlike the money, has lasted to this day.

I bought the Total Death cassette as soon as it came out and remember a slight disappointment, or rather a kind of fatigue. On one hand, I was starting to perceive a wider range of music thanks to new influences from non-metal friends—I already mentioned Type O Negative, but also Heroes del Silencio and other softer stuff. On the other hand, with Darkthrone it was increasingly clear that within the scene they no longer needed to prove their cult or leadership status and could focus on making music that mainly pleased themselves, regardless of what anyone else thought.

Total Death was an album based on raw guitar riffs, but it lacked the “hit quality” of albums like Panzerfaust or Under a Funeral Moon. Unlike previous albums, where Fenriz dominated, Total Death is largely under the direction of Nocturno Culto, who wrote the acknowledgements and half of the lyrics on the album. The other half were written by Garm (Ulver), Ihsahn (Emperor), Carl-Michael Eide (Ved Buens Ende), and Satyr (Satyricon). At times, the ideas even reminded me of a certain kind of dark humor or black optimism—for example in the track “Gather for Attack on the Pearly Gates.” In others, such as “Black Victory of Death,” there is clear Bathory worship, as well as references to Mayhem and Darkthrone’s earlier work. I later gave the cassette as a birthday present to the drummer of the band I joined in Bratislava in 1998. I remember he was about half as enthusiastic about it.

Today I like returning to Total Death as an album that is not at all below average, just somewhat more straightforward and requiring greater attention from the listener to extract its strongest moments. In 1996, when the new direction of black metal was being defined by bands like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, Darkthrone remained loyal to their cold-forged, harsh tradition, not succumbing to trends or experimentation. It became increasingly clear that Fenriz and Nocturno Culto were closer to the punk energy of Motörhead than to the “high art” of Emperor.

⏭️ ⏭️ 

 

Goatlord (1996) 

 

In September 1996, a week before starting university, I moved into a student dorm in Bratislava. In the city, I only knew Crom, a childhood friend with whom I had maintained written contact about metal music (and Stephen King books) for many years. Crom invited me to the pub U Matúša, where I met the local black metal society.

My first experience consisted of meeting two older guys who were planning to start a black metal label and a xerox fanzine. One of them—bearing a very dark, occult-sounding name—was drinking a pickled sausage with Kofola and constantly giggling hysterically. The other, with hair down to his waist, spoke in a high-pitched voice, was older than everyone else present, and gave off a serious, leader-like impression.

Shortly after, two allegedly recently “excommunicated” regulars arrived—having previously violated Matúš’s house rules and thus been banned, they were now attempting to break back in. They both showed up in full black metal armor: sleeves with long nails, pentagrams, inverted crosses, leather, and metal-studded boots. One of them immediately stabbed a huge knife into the table we were sitting at; the other spoke in every sentence in the style of “fucking this, fucking that,” and had a bayonet from World War I tucked into his belt. I was thrilled—I'd never encountered such devoted, menacing, and visually perfect black metallers before.

This was followed by a few parties where all previously known limits of decadence were broken, and I became part of the core group of people who would meet at U Matúša for years, later also in other Bratislava pubs. Because I lived in a dorm, I led a double party life—after returning from Matúša, I would continue drinking with non-metal friends, building what I call alcohol immunity, or long-distance endurance.

U Matúša was frequented by several groups of metalheads and other regulars, among whom various interactions took place—from friendly conversations to fights, usually between old regulars and metalheads or between waiters and metalheads. It was the 90s, and getting punched for your appearance, your look, or simply “preventively” was something one more or less automatically expected.

There were no mobile phones, so arranging quick meetups wasn’t possible. One thing was certain, though: whenever I went to Matúš at any time of day or night during the week, there was always someone I knew there to drink beer with, talk about music, and hatch dark plans about starting a band.

Within this increasingly large group, we went to cottages, parties, events, and concerts across Slovakia. Several printed zines were being published, focused on music as well as pub-related social life—I have never before (or since) experienced such a tightly knit community of relatively niche musical maniacs.

After the events in Norway a few years earlier, even within our group there were supporters of Euronymous and Grishnackh, who held long debates about who was a good/bad (and true kvlt) person, musician, lyricist, etc.

Although the black metal scene was boiling elsewhere in the world, in Slovakia we were still in its infancy and there were essentially no bands. Without the internet, it was impossible to learn about any local bedroom musicians from different parts of the country, and if you didn’t go to U Matúša or shared events, you simply didn’t exist. Various projects and groups were discussed in the pub, but in the second half of 1996 only on a theoretical level.

One of the first real steps I took in this direction was buying a dark blue Jackson Performer PS-4, which I once found in a music shop on Vysoká Street. It was the first arrow shaped guitar I had ever seen in person and the only one available in Bratislava at the time. It cost 17,000 SKK, which was roughly two months’ average salary.

I gave my parents a simple choice: either I quit university and go earn an honest living as a manual worker, or I somehow get the money through other—not necessarily legal—means. After some brief consideration, my mother sold a coupon privatization bonds and gave me the money for the guitar. For that, I thank her eternally once again. I had the guitar; all that remained was to find a band.

Goatlord was the sixth and last Darkthrone cassette I bought. After the more ambiguous Total Death, I was curious what Fenriz and Nocturno Culto would come up with after such a short break. Not knowing it was an older recording, I initially experienced the album quite confusedly.

At the time, various experiments were increasingly appearing on the scene—black metal and other metal musicians were moving into more avant-garde directions—and, being ignorant and armed with my old prejudice that “avant-garde = shitting and painting pictures,” I initially felt that Darkthrone had fallen into exactly that trap.

And yet, with context and a more mature musical taste, the album can be understood beautifully. It is a rehearsal-room recording made between Soulside Journey and A Blaze in the Northern Sky, to which Fenriz later added all the vocals—including those that resemble female singing.

The album captures the band’s transitional period. The songs are a mix of death metal-era writing transitioning into the more chaotic necro feeling of A Blaze…. Goatlord is a perfect hybrid of their first two albums: the guitars and much of the riffing still sound like Soulside Journey, while the drums and playing style are already closer to A Blaze….

What really stands out are the vocals—the variety I first noticed on A Blaze… is expanded here into new forms of Fenriz’s expression. At times it includes Anathema-like lamentations, female-sounding chants, demonic laughter and screams, and classic raw black metal shrieking. There are a lot of vocal layers on the album, which is a big plus. The melodic vocal parts remind me of Fenriz’s side projects Storm and Isengard. The black metal vocals sometimes resemble Dead from Live in Leipzig, especially in the track “In His Lovely Kingdom.”

The sound is appropriately lo-fi. In the death metal passages you can also hear influences reminiscent of early Immolation (e.g. (Birth of Evil) Virgin Sin), while the black metal parts already carry the later characteristic Darkthrone identity.

Goatlord is an unpolished diamond and a great addition to their discography.

 

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