Berlin Manson is a Slovak post-punk trio. In 2022, they released (as a duo Patrik Nagy – producer and guitarist, Adam Dragun lyricist and singer) their first significant single “Netancujem, kývem hlavou” where they defined their aesthetics and expression standing in the intersection of rap, punk, political commentary and irony. The Kapitál magazine wrote about them at the time, “Berlin Manson is proof of complete freedom of genre, production and attitude, without trying to conform to a pre-given image or to fit in.”
Shortly after that, they released their first EP called ‘’Život končí keď máš trinásť. They won ‘Newcomer of the year’ at Slovak national radio broadcaster awards. As a primarily live-performance-oriented band, they appeared at probably all significant Czech and Slovak festivals.
In 2023, they brought in drummer Tomáš Tabiš (known from the band 52 Hertz Whale) and they shifted their set from an electronic neurotic party towards regular punk and rap aggression as they played over 60 shows that year. They were attacked by neo-Nazis, scattered a large number of copies of Mark Fisher’s lyrics at the concerts and broke a few things on stage.
In 2024, they performed in Kyiv, Ukraine and played a packed show at MENT Ljubljana showcase to very positive international reviews. They also won the ‘Single of the Year’ award for the track Hotel Kyiv, which was created in collaboration with electronic producer FVLCRVM.
‘‘Another knock out show was given in Kino Šiška by Berlin Manson, a trio made up of some of the cream of the Slovakian underground. We were bowled over by their impassioned, scuzzy hybrids of punk and rap. The numbers, screamed out at times, dealt with urgent social issues currently plaguing Slovakian youth, such as a lack of affordable housing. We also got the odd wry sideways look at “just why” eastern Europans “should” accept western attitudes and fashions in culture. It’s good that this often unspoken assumption is now getting increasingly, openly, questioned. But to revert to a bit of blatant western stereotyping whilst hopefully furthering the band’s cause, older LTW readers will be excited to hear the singer is the spit of a young Steve Ignorant. But far, far more glam and glitzy.”
Richard Foster, louderthanwar.com
”Propping up the opening night, denizens of the Slovakian underground Berlin Manson, elevated themselves even above the lofty heights of the show we witnessed at last year’s Sharpe festival. It’s punk in spirit and genre-bending in delivery. It crams elements of hardcore punk, electronica and hip hop into a punching package that attacks social issues in their lives. Berlin Manson, forged identity away from expectations away from Western-centric ideals of “punk” and miles away from the three-chord reductiveness of old heads. It’s vitriolic, it’s glam, it’s sleazy, it’s political and it’s worryingly sex-fuelled – it’s what punk always was meant to be, by not being.”
James Thornhill, undertheradarmag.com
”The Slovakian post punk duo gives a hint of what they sound like by their very name. They are part of the dark Eastern European post punk/synth pop wave led by Molchat Doma. With their revolt and atmosphere, they bring the kind of dark dance music that we can often meet in alternative underground clubs like Močvara, and I am convinced by their quality alone that they secure invitations from bookers in our area as well.”
