ROOT - CZECH REPUBLIC

Zjevení - 1990 - Zeras
Hell Symphony - 1991 - Zeras
The Temple In The Underworld - 1992 - Monitor
Kärgeräs - 1996 - Black Hole
The Book - 1999 - Redblack
Black Seal - 2001 - Redblack
Madness Of The Graves - 2003 - Redblack
Capturing Sweden - Live In Falkenberg - 2005 - Monster Nation
Daemon Viam Invenient - 2007 - Shindy
Heritage Of Satan - 2011 - Agonia
Kärgeräs - Return From Oblivion - 2016 - Agonia

Root image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Vega, Solo, Equirhodont>>JIRÍ BIG BOSS VALTER>>Solo, Equirhodont

Guitar
Vega, Crux, Cales, Entrails, Big Boss>>Petr "Blackosh" Hošek/Blackie>>Crux, Cales, Entrails, Big Boss, ABBand, Klamorna, Master’s Hammer, Nifelheim - Dan "Mr. D.A.N." Janáček - Death Sentence, Equirhodont, Inner Fear>>Ashok [Marek Šmerda]>>Equirhodont, Inner Fear, Cradle Of Filth, Titanic - Terror, Gallery Of Dead Batteries, The Squirm>>Alesh A.D. [Aleš Dostál]>>The Squirm, Ravenoir - Poison [Aleš Jedonek] - Terror, Gallery Of Dead Batteries, The Squirm, Ravenoir>>ALESH A.D. [ALEŠ DOSTÁL]>>The Squirm, Ravenoir - Demogorgon, Tears Of Styrbjørn>>Jan ‘Hanz’ Konečný>>Tears Of Styrbjørn

Bass
Cales>>Petr "Blackosh" Hošek/Blackie>>Cales - Entrails, Equirhodont, Hypnos, Solfernus>>IGOR HUBIK>>Entrails, Equirhodont, Hypnos, Solfernus - Jan "Hanz" Konečný

Drum
Rostislav "Mr. Black Drum" Mozga>>Insania, Cafileric Mortůra - Crux, Cales, Endless>>René ‘Evil’ Kostelňák>Crux, Cales, Endless - Thief, Regon, Solfernus>>Paul Dread [Pavel Kubát]>>Thief, Regon, Solfernus, Jerem.I, Niakara

Keyboard
Gallery Of Dead Batteries, The Squirm, Terror, Ravenoir>>Alesh A.D. [Aleš Dostál]>>Gallery Of Dead Batteries, The Squirm, Terror, Ravenoir




History & Biography
Founded by three former Vega (1987-1988) members, Root was a dark avant-garde band that became less extreme overtime. Reap Of Hell was the 1988 demo. Despite the title, the lyrics were in Czech. The band played its first gig in September 1988. The band was singer Dr. Fe, guitarists Mr. Zet and Blackosh and drummer Big Boss. The last name would also recall being imprisoned for his occult activities in the old Czechoslovakia. War Of Rats was the next immediate demo. The 1989 demo was called Messengers From Darkness. This was followed by The Trial. The act had dropped the inverted cross in its logo. Big Boss was now on vocals.

The debut record was released at the end of 1990. Zjevení, which was issued by a Czech label, featured singer Jirí Big Boss Valter, guitarists Petr "Blackosh" Hošek and Dan "Mr. D.A.N." Janáček and drummer Rostislav "Mr. Black Drum" Mozga. The album’s cover was courtesy of Master’s Hammer singer František Štorm. The word ‘Satan’ was deliberately replaced by the word ‘Rootan’ in order to avoid censorship and the authorities. Root included the Czech hymn Hrbitov exclusively on the Death Metal Session compilation. The band also shot a video for the song. The lyrics to Hell Symphony were in English as the band went through a litany of demons. Petr "Blackosh" Hošek handled the bass here. The Temple In The Underworld, featuring drummer René Kostelňák was on the Monitor label. The label would later attempt to stop the band from rereleasing the album on other formats with the same cover artwork. Kärgeräs was delayed to 1996 and was on a new label. Janáček had departed. Big Boss was also playing the flute. Hošek was on synthesisers. The Book was next. Hošek was now called Blackie. Big Boss’ father was a guest on piano on this album. Alesh A.D. left only to return in 2014. The Revelation may sound like a new album, but in 2010 it was an English language version of Zjevení. This was issued by someone called Sheer Records.

The next chapter was called Black Seal. Lava Productions’ manager Igor Hubik joined on bass in 2000. And The Hunt Starts Again/Ancient Mysteries was a split single with Australia-based Atomizer in 2003. The same year brought a full-length called Madness Of The Graves. A live compilation DVD of the band featuring older material was called The Devil's Diary and released through Lava Productions in 2004. The band played at Open Hell festival with Watain and others. Blackosh departed at this point although reports of tensions between him and Big Boss had surfaced ten years prior. The departed musician would focus on his other act, namely Cales. The 2005 album Capturing Sweden - Live In Falkenberg immortalised the band’s first visit to Scandinavia in 2001. Deep In Root was another compilation DVD from the band and was issued in 2006. Shindy Productions worked with Root next. Poison was on guitar here. Root travelled to Canada and appeared at Noctis Fest in Calgary in 2010. The band began working with a Polish label next, which took Root to 2011. Heritage Of Satan featured rockier material and artwork courtesy of Watain’s Erik Danielsson. Pavel Kubát was the new drummer here having replaced Evil. Root was booked for Hammer Open Air in Finland, Brutal Assault in 2012 (where it had been billed in 2007) and Gothoom Open Air Fest 2013. Viginti Quinque Annis In Scaena was a live DVD in 2013. Footage included the Canadian sojourn. A massive cassette box set of all the band’s albums was called Into Dark Crypts in 2016. The limited edition product was released by Darkness Shall Rise Productions. The second album for Agonia Records was called Kärgeräs - Return From Oblivion. Alesh Ad Dostál was on guitar and keyboards. Jan "Hanz" Konečný was on guitar and bass. Kärgeräs - Return from Oblivion was a continuation of the story of the Kärgeräs album of 1996. The group made it to the USA and appeared at Maryland Deathfest in 2017. Jiří Háb joined on guitar. He replaced Jan Konečný. The band appeared at Czech Death Fest in 2021..Big Boss’ health necessitated retirement as of 2022. Root promised a final album called The Legend Nizostratio.

Early singer Dr Fe died in 2023. Big Boss founded the Czech branch of Church Of Satan and also led the same for a while. He was a former rock and blues singer. The band’s monicker was inspired by the Czech band Törr, which was (almost) reversed. Törr’s Vlasta Henych booked gigs for the Brno band in Prague. Several Root bandmates have assisted Root with his solo records. Root and Master’s Hammer are often cited in the same breath due to their origins, time-lines and affinity for avant-garde and non-metal instrumentation.


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