#necrocock

1991. Ritual

is the debut album by Czech black metal band Master's Hammer,  Many tracks of the album were re-recorded from their 1990 demo tape The Fall of Idol. The band once claimed that Ritual. sold over 25,000 copies in the Czech Republic alone.

Fenriz has called this the first Norwegian black metal album despite not being made in Norway. it's not hard to see why this makes all the top black metal album lists of all time. The production is perfect, not to tinny like so many other black metal albums but just raw enough that you can feel the sharpness of the guitars. There is the oddity of not a single word of English being spoken on this album but if you love black metal, that should be a non-issue. There's also the perfect mix of "black" and "metal" which even a few of the classics have trouble balancing out. Highly, highly recommended!

Highlights: " Jama Pekel", "Cerna Svatozar", "Zapalili Jsne Onen Svet"

MASTER’S HAMMER “Klavierstück”, EP 1991 (”Among the hills a winding way...”)

MASTER’S HAMMER “The Mass”, Demo 1989 (The third legendary and absolutely killer Demo of the Czech Occult Black Metal eccentric geniuses)

MASTER’S HAMMER “Formulæ”, LP 2016 (Seventh album of the Czech masters of Spiritualist Black Metal eccentricity. “Formulæ are simple incantations to summon spirits ; vulgar chants for everyday use.”)

“Stačí se napít liány smrti abys zjistil že všechno už máš. Bliješ žáby, bliješ hady vidíš se zevnitř, klátíš se v mátohách. Kotouče barev v hodovní sluji mamutí ptáci po řece plují. Opustit tělo a do vyšších sfér vyblitá duše nabírá směr.”

MASTER’S HAMMER “Jilemnický Okultista”, LP 1992 (The second fabulous album of the Czech lords of the Occult, surely the first Black Metal operetta, and a unique masterpiece of its own)

“By the misery of fate I’m haunted My body is already penetrated by alcohol, Like a blind badger I laze around the forest And the moon shines silver on the river. The sound of the rapids is a deadly noise, The voice of my soul is suddenly the same. Remember me sometime in Jilemnice Because here the path of Blether ends !”

MASTER’S HAMMER “Jilemnicky Okultista”, Demo 1992 (An Occult Czech Black Metal operetta masterwork !)

MASTER’S HAMMER “Transgalaktický řezník / Barva kosmu”, 7″ EP 2012 (Beware of the TransGalactic Butcher !)