Root

Hell Symphony (1991)

On their sophomore album, Root use an approach that is more sophisticated and melodic compared to their debut Zjevení. The album uses the English language rather than the Czech language of the debut, which really underlines the worldwide underground exposure that these types of bands were starting to attain. Root are pretty hard to pin down due to the wide array of styles and influences traversed. However, as with many of the late first-wave Black Metal albums, the sound is a dark, occult variation on an amalgam of 1980s Metal influences. On Hell Symphony there is a lot of mid-tempo melodic riffing reminiscent of Mercyful Fate, some stripped back riffing and traces of avant-garde that are akin to Celtic Frost on Into the Pandemonium, some Metallica and additionally shades of Black Sabbath. They shape these influences to their own style, and generally make them more dissonant. There is also early death metal sound in some parts, especially the low, swirling tremolo riffing sections. 

Some of what differentiates Root from the rest of the pack stems from the vocalist. He is more than a vocalist, he is a looming personality, an avatar of Satan, with an unsettling, demonic presence that dominates the album. He incorporates a wide range of styles – from shrieks, blood-curdling screams, demented wailing, eerie chanting, spoken and also deeper throaty growls (almost early Death Metal).  He often acts as a catalyst for the band to dive into their own weird idiosyncrasies – especially their love for theatrical diversions. A lot of these songs appear to be going "script", there is a sense of familiarity in their confines, then Root turn expectations of how this works on its head. There are, as mentioned, abrupt changes in vocal styles all over this album, which coincide (or precede) with the changing of tempo or melodic direction with these songs. Root also make use of strange multi-vocal sections, decidedly macabre, kind of half quasi-operatic, half chanted. In the middle of the album there is even a track which is basically a hellish sermon over marching satanic drums that fades out into a cacophonous void.

Whilst Root may not be amongst the very top Metal bands, they are still a great example of how Metal bands can incorporate experimental styles into their albums, without losing the core energy that made their music great in the first place. Hell Symphony was both a nod to the past, and also a departure point towards the Black Metal of the future.