Huggin ’N’ Munninn

Today we'll introduce a young band from Kladno. Many people associate Kladno with Jaromír Jágr, but we'll show that it's also a city of metal. The band doesn't have a debut album yet, but they already have several original songs to their name. I like to call them the Vikings from Kladno – mainly because they go by the name Huggin 'n' Munnin. Let's take a look at how the band was formed, what inspires them, and what it's like to stand right at the beginning of a musical journey. Thanks to that, we can peek behind the scenes of a starting band and see how demanding it all really is.

Let's start with a classic, maybe slightly unoriginal question. Why these ravens? And will there be a song about them too?

It's simple – we like Viking mythology and they're an inseparable part of it. Plus, we have to come up with songs and then remember them, so it fits. 
And yes, there will definitely be a song about them one day.

Who actually makes up the band, and how did you get together?

The main guitarist and founder of the band is Petr, but everyone calls him Benny. He composes the music, does backing vocals, and is basically the head of the whole band.
The second guitarist is also a co-founder, Radek – he has great solos, long fingers, and a short memory. 
Vocals are handled by our Maky, who combines clean vocals, growl, and scream, and most importantly writes the lyrics.
On bass we have Erik, a little devil who's constantly jumping out of the box… but in the best sense of the word. He really enjoys playing and sometimes the stage is simply too small for him.
Behind the drum kit sits, paradoxically, the oldest member of the band, Tomáš. His years of experience give us a solid rhythm.
And how did we get together? Thanks to forgotten beer. We were heading to MoR, sitting on a train with a group of friends, and we had a supply of beer in our backpack to make the trip go faster. I hand a beer to Benny and across from me there's this guy in a kilt, looking extremely sad. I ask what's going on and he blurts out: "I forgot my beer at home in the fridge…"
Well, guess who it was – Radek.
He got a beer, the guys started chatting about guitars, one word led to another, and they started hanging out together… in the rehearsal room, of course.
Maky was there from the start and tried coming up with lyrics. Then the first bassist came along, but we didn't really click, so he was replaced by Erik. After that came the first drummer, but he was unreliable, so Erik found Tomík. And in this lineup, we're finally complete.

What style do you actually play? Are you aiming more at fans of Sabaton, or closer to Korpiklaani?

Sometimes Amon, sometimes Slayer. We don't have a strictly defined style yet, and we're happy that it's diverse.

Where would you like to head next? More towards the Czech scene, or abroad?

First, we want to conquer the Czech scene, and if international success comes along, we won't complain. After all, we have lyrics both in Czech and in English.

What was your first concert like? Was it special in any way?

The first concert is special simply because it's the first. We didn't have many songs yet, but we went for it and it worked out. Benny was celebrating his birthday, so we combined it. It definitely helped that the bands Odraedir and Falcar accepted the invitation – huge thanks to them. It took place at the Poldofka club in Kladno, which is smaller, but definitely a great little venue for events like this.

What would you reveal about yourselves? Who's late for rehearsals and who causes the biggest chaos?

We're probably all late sometimes. And so far, someone always messes something up at rehearsals – we're just starting out, so it's still a bit of controlled chaos.

And one serious question to finish with: would you like to make a living from music one day?

If it were possible, definitely. But let's be honest – it's not as easy as it looks.

Huggin 'n' Munnin are definitely not your typical beginners without an identity. The Vikings from Kladno combine energy, music, and distinctive humor, creating a real experience for listeners on stage. As they say themselves, their goal is to deliver a proper dose of music that pulls you in — and off stage, they're mainly a group of friends who want to enjoy playing together with the fans. Huggin 'n' Munnin are a band worth keeping an eye on — and their journey is only just beginning.

You can support them on their social media as well, such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.