These ruthless Slovakian death dealers are ready to attack with their debut opus, a putrid Death and Doom Metal abomination that evokes a sense of dread and desolation.
Founded in the beautiful Slovakian capital of Bratislava in 2021 by vocalist ansd guitarist Michal Matúš Uharček and guitarist Kiko Kavický as a side-project to their band Krudus, the indomitable Death/Doom Metal creature Hrob ( a word of Slavic origin, primarily meaning “grave” or “tomb”) is unleashing hell with their debut offering, entitled Brána Chladu, or “gate of cold” from Slovakian. Recorded by Michal Matúš Uharček and Kiko Kavický, mixed by Michal Matúš Uharček, mastered by James Plotkin at Plotkinworks, and displaying a bitterly cold artwork by Jan Vlášek, the striking debut by the aforementioned Michal and Kiko alongside bassist Anton “Vrana” Rozbora and drummer Matej Žitňanský is a putrid Death and Doom Metal abomination that evokes a sense of dread and desolation, shifting between slime-slow passages soaked in brooding heaviness and shake-you-from-a-trance pummeling blasts.
The album’s sinister, atmospheric Intro will penetrate deep inside your mind before you’re dragged into darkness to the sound of Chrám Prázdnoty, or “temple of the void” from Slovakian, a beyond infernal display of Blackened Death and Doom Metal led by Matej’s crushing drums, all boosted by the gruesome, evil vociferations by Michal. Their Death and Doom Metal attack goes on in full force in Tiene Stromov (“shadows of the trees”), a lecture in the style where the guitars by Michal and Kiko exhale sulfur and obscurity, while the neck-breaking Genocída Snov (“genocide of dreams”) offers more of the band’s trademark sound, with Michal’s demonic guttural walking hand in hand with the sluggish beats by Matej. Then after the folk-ish interlude Medzihra we face Zotročený Oheň (“enslaved fire”), alternating between sheer Death Metal violence and grim Doom Metal passages, with Vrana and Matej hammering their instruments manically. And lastly, the title-track Brána Chladu concludes the album on a demolishing mode, with Michal and Kiko once again firing Stygian riffs nonstop.
Brána Chladu is undoubtedly a morbid celebration of those fertile years of the early-to-mid 90’s when death-doom rose from rotting Death Metal and each bled b(l)ack into the other, being therefore highly recommended for fans of early Paradise Lost and Septic Flesh as well as Disembowelment, Asphyx, and Gorement, among several others. Those Slovakian death dealers are not fooling around when it comes to delivering sheer heaviness and doom in their debut offering, and you can get in touch with them to let them know how much you love their obscure music via Facebook and Instagram, stream their savage creations on Spotify, and grab a copy of their devilish album from the Night Terrors Records’ BandCamp or webstore. Brána Chladu is as deadly as it is cold, bringing to us all a venomous fusion of Death and Doom Metal that will certainly keep the band moving forward for years to come, letting their harsh music reverberate to the four corners of our decaying world.
Best moments of the album: Tiene Stromov, Genocída Snov and Zotročený Oheň.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Memento Mori/Night Terrors Records
Track listing
1. Intro 1:25
2. Chrám Prázdnoty 7:15
3. Tiene Stromov 5:31
4. Genocída Snov 6:19
5. Medzihra 1:16
6. Zotročený Oheň 5:58
7. Brána Chladu 9:00
Band members
Michal Matúš Uharček – vocals, guitars
Kiko Kavický – guitars
Anton “Vrana” Rozbora – bass
Matej Žitňanský – drums