The thing that got me interested in this band is the fact they are from Slovakia and they certainly seem to be proud of it. Why else would Hromovlad sing all their lyrics on their second full length Ohna Hlad, Vody Chlad in Slovakian?

Hromovlad claims that their lyrics are mostly about the power of nature, which is a bit predictable since they are a black metal band with folk influences. Whether their main theme actually is the force of nature, remains unknown to me. Unfortunately, I still don’t speak Slovakian, so I have to take their word on it. To me it’s a big plus by the way that they stay true to their origin and sing in their native language, but then again I’m a huge foreign language freak. I can understand why people won’t appreciate it, simply for the reason that you can’t follow at all what these guys are talking about. An advantage on that account is that there are multiple bands singing about nature and such, so at least you won’t get bored to tears since the risk exists Hromovlad doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

Enough about languages and let’s turn to the essence. The sound of Hromovlad has something raw about it, mostly caused by the black metal voice of Beelphegor. There’s a good balance between the black metal aspect, which is recognizable by the harsh voice and the somewhat simple riffs, and the folkish element which is constituted by the presence of pipes, flutes and the typical group incantations.

The overall atmosphere on Ohna Hlad, Vody Chlad is somewhat aggressive and cold, but as the album proceeds the sound turns more and more into the festive Viking sphere. It’s a strong album and definitely recommended to those who are into the whole pagan thing and aren't bothered by some black metal vibe.