The legendary Czech act Root, with Jiri ‘Big Boss’ Valter (also a founder of the Czech-Slovakian Church Of Satan), must be one of East Europe’s oldest and most influential bands. Together with, let’s say, Vader, Tormentor, Master’s Hammer, Behemoth and a couple of others, Root sort of metalized the musical expressions behind the Iron Curtain.
Viginti Quinque Annis In Scaena is a live registration done on November 19th 2011 at Melodka Music Club in Brno, Czech Republic, and the whole has been mixed and mastered afterwards at CH Studio. The talking in between the tracks is not understandable for any non-native-tongue (what the f*ck is Big Boss talking about?), but who cares about that?
The sound, to start with, is more than decent. The whole has been mixed and mastered at a professional studio (CH Records Studio) afterwards, but I’m glad the production team didn’t leave the interaction with the audience away. When it comes to the performance, one cannot deny the experienced skills and craftsmanship of the members. The rhythm section and leads, the vocals, as well as the interaction and teamwork, it’s all the result of a well-oiled and close family. The choice of the songs might be a point of discussion, but since the band released nine albums (the gig included songs from their 2011-album Heritage Of Satan as well; for the interested ones: the review on that last studio-album was posted on February 9th 2012, and available within the Archive-tab of this site), it is impossible to have a selection that fits everyone. I am pleased with the choice, for it brings both old and new stuff, both slow and fast material, and both obscured as well as fun-laden pieces.
The CD-edition, limited to 666 digi-pack copies, comes with a bonus-DVD, which features backstage documentaries and live stuff from this specific concert, as well as from other live performances done in e.g. Prague, as well as Finland, Canada etc. The vinyl-version, finally, comes in a limited edition of 300 copies.