Dear friends, and you who revel in the extreme metal depravity in particular, today marks the official release of the second installment of the book series Dělníci kovu by the Czech writer and music journalist Václav Votruba, this time with the life story of Vlakin, the icon of Czech grindcore and the man behind the legendary Ingrowing!
A new book from the Czech grindcore scene now published. Dělníci kovu II: Vlakin offers the story of the Ingrowing frontman
In terms of Czech grindcore, this year belongs to Ingrowing. After years, the band is back on the scene to great delight of all fans, and now, MetalGate Records is publishing a book about their frontman Patrik “Vlakin” Staněk, entitled Dělníci kovu II: Vlakin and penned by Václav Votruba.
“It is just a coincidence that the book comes out when Ingrowing are having a comeback, though come to think of it, it is rather symbolic. By the way, I finished the manuscript just before their first comeback show, so it was as if we concluded Vlakin’s past and began a new era. I enjoyed it very much and I believe it shows,” says the author.
“I feel joy and anticipation. I believe that friends and fans alike will appreciate the book… and maybe it will provoke someone to listen to Ingrowing,” adds Vlakin, who is now fully immersed in the band of his lifetime. “It has been great so far. Since coming back, we already played some ten shows and we very much enjoy both playing live again and the interest of fans, which did not diminish, quite the contrary. Ahead of us now is another important milestone, that is, the recording of split album with Disfigured Corpse, which should be released late this year.”
Content-wise, the book is not just about Ingrowing, since Vlakin was also involved in Isacaarum and Plastic Grave, both iconic names of the local grindcore as well. In fact, the book also devotes some of its space to the history and evolution of the genre (and of hard music) in the Czech Republic, with Vlakin being first a spectator, then a devoted fan and soon after a direct participant.
Dělníci kovu II: Vlakin is structured as a book-long interview of 122 pages in total. Design, layout and typesetting was taken care of again by Tomáš F. Hanzl, a.k.a. Chymus. Also included are various rare photos from the archives of both Vlakin and Chymus.
Enjoy!
Video by Woll Design