SUPLEXX

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2024 - Current

Members: Nemanja Ciric

Related bands: Eaglehaslanded, New Church, New Way Kids, Radost-Stradanje, Sv. Pseta

FFO: Mohinder, Embrace, Unwound, Glassjaw 

Early October, a friend of mine - Nugazing - sent me a IG teaser for their Changeover's 2024 Festival, the one which i was invited to perform at the time. While i wanted to attend to their gig, i was unable to due to scheduling conflicts. Then during mid-late October, i finally got the chance to see them as one of the openers for the stoner rock band Constellation in SKC, and let me tell you: their performance is one i would consider the wildest i've ever seen and that is enough to compel me into writing about them. What surprises me more is that Nemanja (of Sv. Pseta and Eaglehaslanded) is the vocalist of the band, further his pivotal role in the Belgrade punk scene.

Suplexx (named after an offensive move used in wrestling sports) is a newly formed 4-piece post-hardcore/emo band hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, straight out of 2024. When describing their music, they claim themselves to be 'inappropriate violent act' due to their wild, often unpredictable nature of their stage presence and their - at times - experimental songwritings. To this day, they've released two EP's: 'SWEET CHIN MUSIC' and 'RUDE AWAKENING'.

Starting with their debut EP 'SWEET CHIN MUSIC', Suplexx kicks off with their two old-school sounding emo/post-hardcore tracks, spiced up with math rock and borders on metalcore a bit. Dissonant, punky riffs, groovy bass line, desperate yelps all held together with steady, balanced drums. These two tracks help sandwich 'intermezzore', an experimental electro-acoustic track clocking around 6 minutes.

Following next with the latest one, 'RUDE AWAKENING' follows the similar formula, except the intermezzo 'Pillow666talk' is kept hidden from streaming, which adds a layer of mystery in their discography. While the punk tracks maintain the raw energy of their debut, the EP feels like an extension rather than a departure, possibly a deliberate strategy to build anticipation through smaller, punchier releases.

Their songwriting is dark, reflective and poetic, but also encourages its listeners to explore deep into their vulnerabilities. They tackle the themes of introspection, identity and struggles between isolation and connection, as well as existential questioning, blending emotional vulnerability with an underlying sense of resistance and defiance. It's honest and goes straight at you. Tracks like MILLION DOLLAR DREAM and RAZOR'S EDGE feel less like passive listening experiences and more like a call to delve deep into one’s psyche.

Compared to Nemanja’s past work, Suplexx feels like a raw nerve: confrontational, introspective, and unflinchingly honest. Whether it’s the furious punk energy or the experimental interludes, Suplexx’s music is designed to suplex your ego and challenge your perspective, leaving you grounded yet invigorated.

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YÖU

Location: Skopje, North Macedonia

Year active: 2015 - Current

Members: Bojan Stanić, Erik Omeragić, Marko Krstevski, Martin Mitevski, Teodora 'Tejka' Vasiljević

Related bands: Emma, Mindless Violence, Omowsky, Палиндром

FFO: Touche Amore, My Iron Lung, Keyes, Daitro

I'm finally taking this opportunity to cover this band, just days after they dropped their latest offerings. They're not the first to from North Macedonia to make wave (shout out to Irritatement!) and certainly won't be the last. But, i am really stoked to be talking about YÖU.

Band photo by Aleksandar Ilijevski

YÖU is a screamo/post-hardcore band from Skopje, North Macedonia, formed in 2015. After a handful of previous punk acts such as Палиндром, Mindless Violence, Omowsky and Emma, YÖU was formed to create something new. They dropped their first debut album "We Sing The Blues..." in 2017, with the help of Deny Records. It was also Martin Mitevski's debut album to perform in before the multiple line-up changes

We Sing The Blues... spans 7 tracks, delivering a raw, emotional punch. The sound is heavily reminiscent of Touche Amore, with traces of Daitro peeking through. The production is on the thin side, especially with the lack of distortion on the guitars, which gives it a similar vibe to At The Drive-In’s Acrobatic Tenement. Despite this, the album has a melancholic, stripped-down energy that really resonated with me. It’s raw, unpolished, but there’s something real there—something solid.

Fast forward 7 years, and YÖU’s newest release, the four-track EP River of Sadness, shows just how much they've evolved. Released through I! Brutalist! Records, their production has deepened, and their songwriting feels more refined, more introspective. The B-side of the EP includes two versions of one of their tracks, featuring guest vocals from Fitz (aka Feetz). One version is their usual screamo sound, while the alternate version, with the drummer Tejka on vocals, is an absolute standout for me. It reminds me a lot of Keyes and Now, Now, leaning into a more melancholic, atmospheric vibe that really hits home.

YÖU remains one of the shining examples of North Macedonia's DIY scene. Their persistence, creativity, and ability to keep dropping solid releases after nearly a decade show that this scene, though small, is filled with bands like YÖU who prove that anything is possible.

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Eaglehaslanded

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2012 - 2017

Members: Stefan Ćirić, Nemanja Ćirić, Djidji Kjajić

Related bands: Sv. Pseta, New Church, New Way Kids, радост-страдање

FFO: Eyelet, The Usual, Potence, Caust, Danse Macabre, Ekkaia, Idiedthisfebruary

Around the Y2K's in Serbia, Novi Sad has Reflections of Internal Rain. A decade later, Eaglehaslanded blossomed its way in Belgrade. The Ćirić brothers, who are born Serbian, spent their lives growing up in Russia, thus jokingly referring themselves to be from Russia, which flew over people's heads.

I've got this opportunity to see them for the first time in the defunct club Žica, along with No Omega and ROIR, especially for it being a screamo punk show. They were absolutely going fucking wild for it and everyone freaked out. It was definitely an experience for me and i've been frequenting their shows over the years. They've been extensively touring until parting ways in 2017. Nemanja would play in Sv. Pseta and New Church while Stefan does his tattooing business.

One of my favorite pics i took from them.

So far, Eaglehaslanded had released their Demo in 2012, an EP "eternal sleep of never ending nightmare" and an 8-bit album "Bringing the pizza home" in 2013, their self-titled 7" in 2014, and another self-titled 7" in 2016. They also did splits with Les deux minutes de la haine, Foxmoulder Cult of Pythagoras and finally, Left To Starve. I think i've bought almost every release there is to find, except for the first two releases and the one with Foxmoulder.

My semi-complete collection of EHL discography, 2018.

Eaglehaslanded used to play, in their words "street screamo". What i hear is in the vein of raw and chaotic metallic neocrust genre and have a knack of including their instrumental 8-bit compositions as intros or interludes. Most of the songs are sung in English, Russian and Serbian. If i would pick a few favorite songs, it would be "College Girl" for its use of samples from an iconic Emir Kusturica movie, building up to frantic-panic breakdowns for 1:35, the pure desperation in "Mora Samo Da Se Umre", the solemn melancholy of semi-instrumental "Raul and Julia (Lizards and Queens)" for the good 4 minutes and the amazing closure of "Mirage" featuring the vocalist of Les deux minutes de la haine.

Eaglehaslanded was definitely something special—a band that brought raw intensity and emotion to every show, blending cultures, languages, and genres into their unique take on screamo. Their music wasn’t just chaotic; it was a powerful reflection of the underground scene in Serbia and beyond. From the blistering energy of their live performances to their eclectic discography, Eaglehaslanded left a lasting imprint on those who experienced their sound. Even though they parted ways in 2017, their legacy remains a vital piece of Serbia's punk and screamo history, and for those of us who were there, it’s a memory all of us won’t soon forget.

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FULL CANDOR

Location: Novi Sad, Serbia

Year active: 2022 - Ongoing

Members: Andrew, Vladimir

Related bands: Polywhy, Biskup Zauvek

FFO: Jawbreaker, Jimmy Eat World, Sore Eyelids, Title Fight, The Hated, Pianos Become The Teeth

As soon as i started writing for another band, someone commented on my Facebook page, correcting me of Biskup Zauvek's origin apparently being in Novi Sad. I replied to them saying that their Bandcamp states they're from Belgrade, but given the share of its members from multiple places, i guess it's probably both. 

Either way, it got me thinking about that other band that they have. The one in particular, that had ALSO dropped a debut EP the same month that the Bishops did. That one kind who sounds almost identical, almost in a back-to-back kind of way.

Indeed, I'm talking about Full Candor, the supergroup duo recently formed by members of the Polywhy crowd. They dropped their debut EP titled Captions for a Battle, mixed by Ilija Kalinić and featuring artwork by Sara Subotin.

The EP's four tracks kick off with an immediate punch, blending explosive post-hardcore with noisy shoegaze and emo elements. From the first note, it's clear that Full Candor isn't afraid to push boundaries, creating a sound that feels raw yet meticulously crafted. The expressive clean vocals cut through the dense layers of distortion, lending a melodic edge to their otherwise chaotic sound.

"Drowning" stands out as the most striking track on the EP. It captures the band’s ability to oscillate between contrasting emotions - starting with melodramatic somberness before plunging into panic-laden dissonant breakdowns. There's a sense of urgency in the song, both lyrically and instrumentally, which pulls the listener into its emotional vortex. It's almost as if the track mirrors the push-and-pull nature of a drowning experience—moments of calm before the storm hits, and everything descends into chaos. It’s no wonder I can’t get enough of it; the tension keeps you hooked.

Captions for a Battle is an impressive debut for Full Candor. The duo's ability to channel such intense emotions into their music, while maintaining a tight, cohesive sound, makes this EP stand out. It’s rare to find a debut that feels this fully formed, but Full Candor manages to balance rawness and refinement in a way that few bands do, especially so early in their career.

Their blend of genres of post-hardcore, shoegaze and emo feels organic rather than forced, which only adds to the overall impact. For fans of bands like Title Fight or Pianos Become the Teeth, Full Candor offers something familiar yet distinctly their own. With Captions for a Battle, they’ve cemented themselves as a band to not sleep on, and I’m excited to see what they’ll do next.

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BISKUP ZAUVEK

Location: Belgrade/Novi Sad, Serbia

Year active: 2022 - Ongoing

Members: Andrew, Igor, Vladimir

Related bands: Full Candor, Nabod!, Neven, Polywhy

FFO: Jimmy Eat World, Valovi, Sore Eyelids, Title Fight, My Bloody Valentine, Now, Now

In all honestly, i cannot imagine that something like this would appear out of the blue this year. It's a year full of surprises... Great surprises. What kind of surprises, you may ask? Well, here's what these guys have to offer! 

A bunch of members from Serbia's already established hardcore bands such as Nabod!, Neven (both from Belgrade) and Polywhy (from Novi Sad) decided to form a supergroup called Biskup Zauvek two years prior and up until recently they dropped their first EP Kada Bismo Vratili Vreme Bar Malo Unazad (trans. If We Could Just Turn Back Time A Bit), containing an artwork done by Lara Majkic (ig: elusivara). 

This little EP contains three tracks of angsty, but energetic and melodic indie rock with the striking influences of 90's emo and shoegaze. Although those influences are a bit subdued under the primary of Indie Rock and are treated as secondaries, these guys have done an incredible job of mixing those together, carrying the genres on their sleeves and creating their tunes both catchy and cathartic. To me, this is an amazing debut EP from them.

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Idiedthisfebruary

Location: Novi Sad, Serbia

Year active: 2023 - Ongoing

Members: Em Drakulic, Luka Salak, Stefan Duka

Related bands: give.me.the.gun, Labud, Plik

FFO: Jeromes Dream, Eaglehaslanded, In/Humanity, .minmo

Ah, yes. Novi Sad, the great old punk kingdom and Odense's southeastern european sister, the city that's as flat as a board and extremely friendly to bike riding, vegan, straight-edge, antifa punks, making sure to keep fascists and neo-nazis afraid of their very own existence. A lot of those things are what makes me love this city. Even more than my own hometown.

And most importantly, my very own friends who reside there, especially Stefan of give.me.the.gun, who has formed an upcoming screamo band along with Em and Luka. With the exception of Luka, both Em and Stefan have their own noise projects respectively.

The band in question is Idiedthisfebruary. They started performing in Novi Sad a couple times and performing in Belgrade for the first time. Whilst performing, they dropped their 2 Song Demo EP.

Here we're on a Wonka boat trip to the noisy garbling sample of this legendary Japanese 90's mindfuck which sets us off to the lo-fi chaotic mess of "Caught in a Daydream" lasting 2:26 of runtime, all hell set loose until we get to that somber moment of 1:10, building up to epic catharsis mode. Then we follow up to 2:38's "Rapid Eye Movement", challenging us with their epic breakdown, being occasionally prevalent throughout the song. Here are some of the lyrics to go by:

"Used to hate the Sun and now the sky's getting red

Every day I breathe, I can't get out of bed

 All my flowers wither as I turn into a slob

The months turn to years as the days turn to fog"

If that doesn't perfectly capture depression, then i don't know what does.

DEMO

A year later of following their touring, the band officially dropped their debut release "These Fading Years" at this exact month after their initial demo's release. An 8-track EP was recorded in Brutal Studio, mixed/mastered by Filip Djurovic and its artwork done by Vivi. Needless to say, it was quite worth the wait.

I've spoken with Em, the guitarist at the time of their gig and he jokingly pointed out how i have to look for new words to describe their show every time i write them a gig review, which sent me laughing, saying "you're totally right, better wait for your EP then!"

The EP opens with "You raise your arm, I turn away", with wearied, monotonous spoken words, lamenting on the effects of physical abuse (One more day to feel lobotomized/Talk to me as if i were a child, But no matter what you say/You raise your arm, i turn away), building up to screaming crescendos. After the lacerating chaos of 29-sec "I Won't Play Your Fucking Songs", the band delves further into themes of existential crisis (Get in the Fucking Robot, In Love With Misery, etc.) and depression (Rapid Eye Movement, Nothing), matching the overall depressive mood to the generous amount. Despite that, the mixing can be slightly muddy and most of the guitar work (trebly at best) is almost nearly upfront than the rest, and it wasn't as punchy as i thought it would be. Nevertheless, it still maintains to be a listenable experience for half an hour.

THESE FADING DAYS

zbrucz

Location: Maribor, Slovenia

Year active: 2023

Members: Alex Češek (vocals), Denis Hornosum (guitars), Julian Lavrič (guitars), Kristijan Matjašič (bass), Urban Saletinger (drums)

Label: Self-released

Related bands: Propad

FFO: Hiretsukan, Mahria, Obroa-Skai, The Worst Is Yet To Come, Heart On My Sleeve, 125 Rue Montmartre, Vales, Tarkovsky, Dollores

zbrucz is a five-piece band that is freshly formed in Maribor, Slovenia in 2023. Their first lo-fi demo "00" came out in August of that year, followed by their subsequent tours. This year, they self-released their full-length album "Riparia riparia", mixed and mastered by Matic Medja and a magnificent artwork done by Klemen Seliškar.

The album takes a refreshing 20-minute take of late '90s and early 00's emo/screamo, with occassional emoviolencey blast beats, often reminiscing other skramz bands such as The Worst Is Yet To Come, Tarkovsky, Dollores, Mahria, Hiretsukan, Heart On My Sleeve, etc. The album of its entirety is sung in English and Slovenian.

The album opens with an intense burst of energy of '2020 by Shin Guard', combining raw vocals with intricate guitar work. The song sets the tone for the album, showcasing Zbrucz's ability to blend aggression with melody, along with its poetic and confessional lyrical themes, with 'Forty Minute Train Delay' capturing the frustration and anxiety of modern life, 'Flood of Unloved' delving into themes of abandonment and emotional turmoil. 00 serves as a spoken word interlude featuring Kill Kill Kill, providing a moment of reflection amidst the chaos. It's a nod to the band's influences and adds depth to the album's narrative.

Then follows 'Dežujem' (trans. I Am Raining) - the highlight of the album and a fan's favorite. Sung in Slovenian, this song is channeled through an introspective lens while the emotional intensity remains and builds up to the cathartic release before delving to another epic blast beat finale for the last 10 seconds.

Me Vidiš Kot Sem? (trans. "Do You See Me As I Am?"), this track is a raw, honest exploration of identity and self-perception. The band's ability to convey complex emotions through their music is evident here. 

Riparia Riparia closes the album on a hopeful note with "Konec Dober, Vse Dobro" (trans. All's Well That Ends Well). The track opens with interchanging spoken words before dissolving to fierce chaos. The imagery of smashing one's head on the concrete floor symbolizes a desperate attempt to escape the mental anguish. The Slovenian lines suggest a hope for a better day and the possibility of reconciliation and renewal. It's a cathartic release and a perfect way to close the album

"Riparia riparia" is a strong debut that captures the essence of late '90s and early '00s emo and screamo, while also carving out its own niche in the genre. Zbrucz's ability to balance intensity with emotion, and chaos with melody, makes this album a compelling listen. The band's influences are clear, but they manage to bring something fresh to the table, making "Riparia riparia" a noteworthy addition to the contemporary emo/screamo scene. For fans of the genre, Zbrucz is definitely a band to watch.

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