Opera Historian Drops Black Metal Debut
PhDr. MgA. Martin Kajzar, Ph.D., MBA, an opera historian and director of an Ostrava art school, has released a black metal album titled Níu líf Einars hrafns on Canadian label Hypnotic Dirge Records, Novinky reported.
The record draws heavily on Kajzar’s academic background in opera singing at the University of Ostrava and his scholarly work on Wagnerian tenor Josef Ticháček. Kajzar conceived the album’s motifs and storyline during a stay in Iceland before recording most instruments by himself in Ostrava during late-night sessions.
Kajzar Performs Principal Vocal Tracks with Guest Contributors
The project bridges the gap between the extreme emotions of Richard Wagner’s opera and the atmosphere of black metal. Kajzar performed the principal vocal tracks himself using a cold, piercing shriek that conveys the stark desperation of the album’s narrative.
Guest contributors include Ostrava opera singer Veronika Rovná, Czech metal veteran Jiří „BigBoss“ Valter, former Cradle of Filth guitarist Ashok, and Sólstafir member Aðalbjörn Tryggvason.”
An Icelandic Journey Culminating in Ragnarök
The concept album follows a young boy who falls to his death from a cliff into an Icelandic fjord, with his soul returning to earth as a raven seeking final rest. The narrative culminates in Ragnarök, which Kajzar views not as an absolute end but as a catalyst for new beginnings. The release has garnered substantial attention, including an in-depth, two-part feature in the rock magazine Spark.
Documenting the Legacy of FC Baník Ostrava
Beyond his musical output and administrative role at the Ostrava art school, Kajzar maintains a deep involvement with football culture as a lifelong supporter of FC Baník Ostrava. This dedication resulted in his book Legendy Baníku: Historie v rozhovorech a fotografiích, which chronicles the club from its early days at Stará střelnice through modern eras represented by figures such as Milan Baroš and Marek Jankulovski.
