Master’s Hammer – Live in Prague, 13th June 2017

by Daniel Maarat on July 3, 2017

Master’s Hammer played their first live show in over twenty five years recently at the Futurum bar in Prague this June. Most of the set, which entirely consisted of tracks from Ritual, was filmed by Tomáš Havránek who uploaded it to his Youtube channel. The performances are excellent and energetic so fans of the band should watch it. Word of warning, the presence of nude models makes this not safe for American workplaces in contrast to the Cronenbergian imagery our staff loves.

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Master’s Hammer to Play Bjorgvin Black Mass 2017

by Daniel Maarat on February 25, 2017

Legendary Czech black metal originators Master’s Hammer are playing this years Bjorgvin Black Mass in Bjorgvin, Norway. This is Master’s Hammer’s first indoor live set in over a quarter century. The band is exclusively playing their early, metal material such as Ritual. Enslaved is also playing an exclusive Vikingligr Veldi anniversary show. Scandinavian black metal fans should check this out.

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Upcoming Törr Reissues

by Daniel Maarat on July 13, 2016

torr logo

Törr’s first two albums, Armageddon and Institut klinické smrti, and are being reissued on CD for the first time since their original release by Dark Symphonies / The Crypt. Czech black metal completionists should keep an eye out later this year. In the meantime, check out Death Metal Underground’s recent Master’s Hammer and Root reviews.

TÖRR (CZ) Armageddon + Institut Klinické Smrti official CDs / LPs coming from DARK SYMPHONIES / THE CRYPT

We are proud to announce our cooperation with cult Czech Black/Death/Thrash metal band TÖRR to reissue their classic debut album “Armageddon” featuring the bonus tracks from the “Vlalka S Nebem” single, as well as their sophomore album “Institut Klinické Smrti”. Extremely hard to find nowadays, we are pleased to make these long lost gems available again! Both releases will be mastered from the original analog sources for the best possible sound.

Both CDs will be designed after the original 1990 and 1991 CDs respectively, taking elements from the original layout with attention to detail, even down to the logo and typeface for a touch of nostalgia. Also featured are unpublished band photos, lyrics and new liner notes by original vocalist / bassist Vlasta Henych.

CD Limited to 1000 copies worldwide! Stay away from BOOTLEGS! Support the band and official releases!!

Also we will be pressing both releases on vinyl in both black and color vinyl options, limited to 500 copies each and housed in 350 gram gatefold jackets.

Coming later this year

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Master’s Hammer – Ritual (1991)

by Daniel Maarat on June 26, 2016

Master's Hammer - Ritual

Ritual is the pinnacle of the Central European black metal style characterized by continuing the riffing tradition of traditional heavy metal and strict adherence to speed metal song structure; Hellhammer, Mercyful Fate, Slayer, and even Megadeth influences are easily heard along with Bartók’s folkishness and Chopin’s romanticism. While their compatriots Root presaged the Hellenic scene, Master’s Hammer’s operatic use of the mellotron inspired the divergent atmosphere Emperor employed on In the Nightside Eclipse.

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Root – Zjevení (1990)

by Staff on May 23, 2016

Root Zjevení

Article by Lance Viggiano

Root’s Zjevení updates Merciful Fate from Halloween to haunt by exorcising the clownish camp while maintaining their high degree of theatricality. A textural treatment gives speed metal riffs a spectral significance that allows for it to have expressive power in dreary dungeons at midnight lit only by a faint moon that is slowly swallowed by black vapor. Tonally and thematically, Root sets the stage for later Greek acts such as Varathron and Rotting Christ to further develop this music through melodious – relatively speaking – ambience which expelled punk’s poltergeist.

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