Black Metal history written by the Czech messengers of darkness!

In 1988 two years prior to the iron curtains fall and at a time when playing Rock music could easily land you in jail for violating communist law, Ji Big Boss Valter and Petr Blackosh Hoek decided to join forces to found ROOT. Adverse conditions and very low funds couldn`t prevent the eager bunch from marching forward, though. When Big Boss who wasn`t yet the bands singer but played drums before switching to vocals for good on the fourth demo and ROOTs guitarist Blackosh found the late Dr. Fe who did vocals on the first 3 demos and Dr. Zet on second guitar, ROOT were ready to strike.

During their initial pre-album stage ROOT managed to come up with 4 legendary demos before eventually releasing their debut album Zjeveni in 1990. Although influences from BATHORY and VENOM are apparent especially on the first 3 demos, ROOT right from the start managed to carve their own idiosyncratic niche. Thrashy riffs, a total lack of bass, stomping, primitive drums and Dr. Fes original Czech vocals are mingled with and interspersed by acoustic interludes, strange spoken word passages, incantations and samples from movies resulting in an eerie, off-kilter cocktail unheard of even today. It wasnt until the fourth demo The Trial when Big Boss finally took over vocal duties that ROOT had finally found their unmistakable sound, though. In terms of songwriting and recording quality undoubtedly the best demo of the bunch, The Trial has everything ROOT would go on to develop further on their subsequent albums.

Exactly 10 years after ROOTs tape box was released by Darkness Shall Rise we are extremely thrilled to offer you this luxurious compilation of the first 4 groundbreaking demos of one of Black Metals founding fathers on various formats.

All 4 demos from the godfathers of Czech Black Metal ROOT finally available again in an exclusive deluxe 3LP vinyl edition. For the first time ever all audio-files were restored and mastered from the original tapes by Patrick W. Engel.

3LP triple-gatefold sleeve incl. a huge 24-page 12 booklet with a completely new in-depth interview with Petr Blackosh Hoek and many unseen pictures and a double-sided A2 poster will be added to every vinyl too.

Limited edition 222 copies on GALAXY BLACK ICE vinyl – DARKNESS SHALL RISE 2026

Side A (Reap Of Hell 1988)
1. Intro (Beethoven Allegro)
2. Litanie k Satanovi
3. Sedm jezdc
4. Pse pro Satana
5. Hbitov

Side B (Messengers From Darkness 1989)
6. Intro (Pchod posl)
7. Rootanv pchod
8. Poslov z temnot
9. tk a trest
10. 666
11. Stn a proklet
12. Otvrn hrob
13. Przdn hrob
14. Zrozen Rootanova syna
15. Outro

Side C(War Of Rats 1988)
16. 7Syn Satana
17. a Zem se otevela
18. Krl Dogra

Side D(War Of Rats 1988)
19. Voln o pomoc
20. Dogrova e

Side E (The Trial 1989)
21. Procitnut I (Intro)
22. Soud
23. Zjeven
24. Aralyon

Side F (The Trial 1989)
25. Vslech
26. Uplen
27. Cesta zkzy
28. Procitnut II (Outro)