GENRE: Blackened Thrash Metal
COUNTRY: Czechia
YEAR: 1990
STAND-OUT TRACK(S): Samota v Smrti, Zlej Sen. Zlej se
Törr is a Czech metal band founded in Prague in 1977. They are considered one of the first Czech black metal bands.
Törr, named after the unit of pressure, was formed in 1977 by vocalist and guitarist Ota Hereš and drummer Pavel Kadeřábek, though the original spelling of their name lacked the metal umlaut it sports today. The band began by playing heavy metal, and a year later, they were joined by bass player Filip Moldan. Michael Jakubův soon replaced Kadeřábek on drums and in 1980, they added a second guitarist, Jiří Podzimek, becoming a foursome. Podzimek left a year later, however, and the band returned to playing as a trio until 1983, when David Strnad took on second guitar duties. Around this time, following Motörhead's example, the band added the metal umlaut to their name. In the summer of 1984, David Strnad was replaced by Miroslav Mach and a year later, Bogan Chadt took over on vocal duties. Several more lineup changes took place and in 1986, the band broke up due to other commitments.
In 1986, bassist Vlasta Henych and Törr founder Ota Hereš decided to form the band 666 together with drummer Pavel Konvalinka. Later that year, Milan Háva, who had previously played with Törr, took over on drums, and the trio switched to playing black metal under their old name. At this time, Henych and Hereš shared vocal duties. The band released their first demo tape in 1987, titled Witchhammer. In 1988, due to negative publicity relating to their stage shows, the group was banned from performing by the Czechoslovak government. This situation lasted until 1989, when the band released their second demo, the live recording Törr Gang Live '89. The same year, Hereš had to leave the band in order to perform his mandatory military service. Törr released one more demo that year, titled Masturbace mozku, which included guest vocals by Arakain singer Aleš Brichta.
In 1990 Törr, then consisting of Henych on bass and vocals, Daniel "Šakal" Švarc on guitar and vocals, and Martin "Melmus" Melmuka on drums, released their debut album, titled Armageddon, which went on to sell over 60,000 copies.[3] The record also included a contribution from Ota Balage on keyboards. The same year, the band was joined by second guitarist, Pavel "Monroe" Kohout, who also contributed additional vocals. In 1991, Törr followed their successful debut with the album Institut klinické smrti, which shocked audiences with cover art depicting a flayed Jesus Christ on a cross. After Kohout's departure in 1992, the band, once more a trio, released their third album, Chcípni o kus dál, which bore a mixed sound, less the pure black metal of their previous efforts.
In 1992, Vlasta Henych won the Černá vrána rock/metal poll as best bassist. The poll was intended to put together a group which would bring to life the music of Jiří Schelinger, who had died in 1981. The supergroup, which also included vocalist Aleš Brichta, guitarist Miloš "Dodo" Doležal, and drummer Štěpán Smetáček, was called Zemětřesení, and they released a self-titled album in 1993.
To this day, the band is still active.
THE ALBUM: ”Armageddon” was released in 1990 on the label Multisonic. The LP was released in an edition of ca. 80,000 copies. The cover photo was taken at the "Bone Church" in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic. Which is aN awesome place in itself. Look it up!
The album came out at the exact right time. Metal had been forbidden and very underground but after the fall of communism it became a major culture in the Czech Republic for the youth. Rebellions teens were buying metal like crazy and ”Armageddon" have been said that it sold about 40.000 in their home country. You could at these times se a lot of metal acts on the best selling lists. Even Masters Hammer got up there with both the own album and the ‘Ultra Metal Compilation’ album. However things soon calmed down and the ones that had been buying metal music because it was fashionable soon stopped and soon metal was back where it belonged, among the most faithful. If you can find this album or the follow up ‘Institut Klinicke Smrti’ and like blackened thrash metal then don’t hesitate to spend your money. Some parts of it should be appriciated by Doom/Death fans as well.
"Smlouva s peklem" and "Posedlá" were originally Fata Morgana songs brought by Šakal. The original versions can be found on Fata Morgana's "Zombie" demo under the titles "Memento" and "Čarodějnice" respectively.
SHORT COMMENT: I’m a big, big fan of Thrash, Death and Black from Czechia released in the late 80’s/early 90’s. This is a classic album from the former eastern European bloc when Czechia and Slovakia were still one country named Czechoslovakia. I like this album a lot, but it’s maybe a bit too slow at times for me to really appreciate it and put it at the heights so many underground metal fans do.
