FFO: Danse Macabre, Disposing of False Halos, Eva Ras, In Loving Memory, IWroteHaikus..., The Truth About Dreaming
I came across this project through an email from someone claiming to be based in Serbia. Digging deeper didn’t reveal much - there’s virtually no background information on the Bandcamp page, no lineup, no context. In situations like this, the choice is either to ignore it entirely or take the release at face value and let the music speak for itself. I went with the latter.
The EP What We Do Is Sacred, released last August, feels very much like a solo project -bedroom production, synthetic drums, and a distinctly DIY approach throughout. That’s hardly a drawback in this scene, where plenty of one-person projects operate on raw urgency rather than polish.
Across nine tracks and just under ten minutes, the EP delivers brief but intense bursts of chaotic lo-fi emoviolence. Tight, frantic drumming drives the songs forward, guitars jerk and collapse in sharp fragments, and the vocals are raw and unfiltered. The production can feel a bit abrasive and “icky” at times, but the emotional charge carries it through and ultimately gets the job done.
This is a short, violent listen that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Recommended for hardcore screamo listeners who are always on the lookout for compact releases built on urgency, tension, and emotional overload rather than refinement.
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Na ovaj projekat sam naišao preko mejla osobe koja tvrdi da je iz Srbije. Dubljim kopanjem nisam došao do skoro ničega - na Bandcamp stranici praktično nema pozadinskih informacija, nema postave, nema konteksta. U ovakvim situacijama izbor je ili potpuno ignorisati izdanje ili ga prihvatiti takvim kakvo jeste i pustiti da muzika govori sama za sebe. Odlučio sam se za ovo drugo.
EP What We Do Is Sacred, objavljen prošlog avgusta, vrlo jasno deluje kao solo projekat - bedroom produkcija, sintetički bubnjevi i izražen DIY pristup kroz celu stvar. To ovde teško da je mana, s obzirom na to da u ovoj sceni mnogi one-man projekti funkcionišu na sirovoj urgentnosti, a ne na uglačanosti.
Kroz devet pesama i nešto manje od deset minuta, EP isporučuje kratke, ali intenzivne nalete haotičnog lo-fi emoviolence zvuka. Zategnuti, frenetični bubnjevi guraju pesme napred, gitare trzaju i raspadaju se u oštrim fragmentima, dok su vokali sirovi i nefiltrirani. Produkcija u momentima može delovati abrazivno i pomalo „lepljivo“, ali emotivni naboj sve to nosi i na kraju funkcioniše.
Ovo je kratko, nasilno slušanje koje ne ostaje duže nego što treba. Preporuka za ljubitelje hardcore screamo izdanja koji stalno traže kompaktne materijale zasnovane na hitnosti, tenziji i emotivnom preopterećenju, a ne na rafiniranosti.
Members: Marko (bass, vocals), Mladen (drums), Vuk (guitar, vocals)
Related bands: ????
FFO: Amanda Woodward, Belle Epoque, Mihai Edrische, Raein, With Engine Heart
Žudnja was a short-lived trio from Novi Sad. Somewhere in early 2015 they started performing, sharing stages with Eaglehaslanded, Muerto Rico and others. Months later they self-released their debut EP "Nervoza // Nekroza". They released a two-track EP 'Svemora' in 2018. There was no activity of the band afterwards.
Their music can be somewhat aligned with the European post-rock/screamo, especially French screamo. Their tracks are slightly lengthy (clocking around 4 minutes), progressive and flowing with emotion. The production of 'Nekroza//Nervoza' is lo-fi, raw and demo-like in design, while 'Svemora' is a lot more fresh and tighter.
Žudnja’s two EPs, Nervoza // Nekroza and Svemora, read like fragments of the same unease. Rather than direct statements, the band relies on metaphor and repetition to describe life under constant pressure... authority that feels arbitrary, work that leads nowhere, fear that slowly becomes routine. The lyrics circle around exhaustion, confusion, and the feeling of being shaped by forces that remain unnamed but ever-present.
While Nervoza // Nekroza leans toward inner collapse and psychological tension, Svemora shifts into stagnation and cyclical existence, movement without progress, history repeating itself without resolution. Taken together, these releases document a quiet but persistent anxiety, where understanding comes slowly, if at all, and silence sometimes feels like the only remaining form of control.
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Žudnja je bio kratkotrajan trio iz Novog Sada. Početkom 2015. godine započinju sa nastupima, deleći bine sa bendovima poput Eaglehaslanded, Muerto Rico i drugima. Nekoliko meseci kasnije samostalno objavljuju debitantski EP Nervoza // Nekroza. Godine 2018. izlazi još jedan EP sa dve pesme, Svemora. Nakon toga, bend više nije bio aktivan.
Njihova muzika može se svrstati u okvir evropskog post-hardcore/screamo zvuka, sa izraženim uticajem francuskog screama. Pesme su nešto duže (u proseku oko četiri minuta), progresivne i emotivno protočne. Produkcija Nervoza // Nekroza je lo-fi, sirova i demo-orijentisana, dok Svemora zvuči znatno svežije i zategnutije.
Dva EP-ja benda Žudnja, Nervoza // Nekroza i Svemora, deluju kao fragmenti iste nelagode. Umesto direktnih poruka, bend se oslanja na metaforu i ponavljanje kako bi opisao život pod konstantnim pritiskom... autoritet koji deluje proizvoljno, rad koji ne vodi nikuda, strah koji vremenom postaje rutina. Tekstovi kruže oko iscrpljenosti, konfuzije i osećaja da čoveka oblikuju sile koje ostaju neimenovane, ali stalno prisutne.
Dok se Nervoza // Nekroza više naginje unutrašnjem raspadu i psihološkoj tenziji, Svemora se pomera ka stagnaciji i cikličnom postojanju, kretanju bez napretka, istoriji koja se ponavlja bez razrešenja. Posmatrani zajedno, ovi radovi dokumentuju tihu, ali upornu anksioznost, u kojoj razumevanje dolazi sporo, ako uopšte dolazi, a tišina ponekad deluje kao jedini preostali oblik kontrole.
Members: Filip Stojiljkovic (vocals, guitar, drums, piano, bass)
Related bands: Art of Heartwork, Ask for Answers, Bradikardija, Logical Flora, Minutes of Decay, Ruined Tongues, Sueisntfine, tužan dečak kavr bend, WAAS
FFO: Orchid, Hassan I Sabbah, Pg.99, Jeromes Dream, Louise Cyphre
Eva Ras began the way most reckless and sincere projects do - by accident.
While in college, I started assembling leftover instrumentals into something new and named the project after a Serbian-Hungarian actress from the Black Wave. The name felt absurd. It stuck.
The earliest releases (2016 demo, two 5-way splits) were pure DIY collapse: GarageBand, Mixcraft drums, an acoustic guitar pushed into a dying microphone. They sounded exactly like that. Somehow, they circulated.
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Eva Ras je počela onako kako većina nepromišljenih i iskrenih projekata počinje - slučajno.
Tokom studija sam počeo da sklapam preostale instrumentalne snimke u nešto novo i dao projektu ime po srpsko-mađarskoj glumici iz crnog talasa. Ime je delovalo apsurdno. Ostalo je.
Najranija izdanja (demo iz 2016, dva petostruka splita) bila su čisti DIY kolaps: GarageBand, Mixcraft bubnjevi, akustična gitara gurana u mikrofon na izdisaju. Zvučalo je tačno tako. Nekako je krenulo da kruži.
After switching to electric guitar and Logic Pro X, the 2017 self-titled EP followed - still lo-fi, still Orchid-obsessed, still structurally unstable, but intentional. Cheap programmed drums, no bass, harsh vocals. It was the project finding its shape.
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Posle prelaska na električnu gitaru i Logic Pro X, usledio je istoimeni EP iz 2017. — i dalje lo-fi, i dalje opsednut Orchidom, i dalje strukturalno nestabilan, ali nameran. Jeftino programirani bubnjevi, bez basa, oštri vokali. Projekat je tada počeo da dobija oblik.
Live shows followed: MKC Kombinat, Fijuk Sajam, later Hali Gali’s Nightmare at Drugstore - where I performed alone, screaming over playback from an iPod Touch. It was chaotic, awkward, and unexpectedly effective. For the first time, Eva Ras felt real in front of people.
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Usledili su nastupi uživo: MKC Kombinat, Fijuk Sajam, kasnije Hali Gali’s Nightmare u Drugstoreu — gde sam nastupao sam, urlajući preko playbacka sa iPod Touch-a. Bilo je haotično, neprijatno i neočekivano efektno. Prvi put je Eva Ras delovala stvarno pred ljudima.
The full-length Proliferation of Broken Dreams came next, released through my now-defunct Confusion Specialist Records. Reception was split. Some praised the ferocity; others (correctly) criticized the production and sloppy execution. Both readings were fair.
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Zatim dolazi album Proliferation of Broken Dreams, objavljen preko mog sada ugašenog Confusion Specialist Records-a. Reakcije su bile podeljene. Neki su hvalili ferocitet; drugi su (s pravom) kritikovali produkciju i aljkavu izvedbu. Obe interpretacije su bile tačne.
A turning point came with the double EP/Prekretnica dolazi sa duplim EP-jem:
This was the clearest version of Eva Ras: fast, suffocating screamo with no dead space. Tracks like “Dekonstrukcija Yugoviolence” finally matched what I’d been trying to express for years. Reviews reflected that - Maximum Rocknroll called it “exceptionally harsh,” and for once, the description fit.
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Ovo je bila najjasnija verzija Eve Ras: brz, zagušujući screamo bez praznog prostora. Pesme poput „Dekonstrukcija Yugoviolence“ su konačno zvučale onako kako sam godinama pokušavao da ih izrazim. Recenzije su to potvrdile - Maximum Rocknroll ga je opisao kao „izuzetno brutalan“, i po prvi put je opis zaista odgovarao.
Between 2019 and 2023, the project existed mostly as live shows and short releases, including the split Similar Genes, Distant Relatives with give.me.the.gun, followed by two structurally experimental EPs.
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Između 2019. i 2023. projekat je uglavnom postojao kroz nastupe uživo i kratka izdanja, uključujući split Similar Genes, Distant Relatives sa give.me.the.gun, a zatim dva strukturalno eksperimentalna EP-ja.
In 2025, while writing Moje ime, moj dom i moj teret amid political collapse, violence, and exhaustion, it became clear I no longer had the capacity to continue.
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Godine 2025, dok sam pisao još jedan album usred političkog raspada, nasilja i iscrpljenosti, postalo je jasno da više nemam kapacitet da nastavim.
Eva Ras began as a coping mechanism, became a weapon, and eventually drained everything it could.
Ending it with an album felt necessary.
This isn’t a hiatus or a tease.
Eva Ras is finished.
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Eva Ras je počela kao mehanizam za preživljavanje, postala oružje, i na kraju iscrpela sve što je mogla.
Members: Filip Gašić (guitar), Kosta Jovanović (bass, vocals), Stefan Slavković (drums)
Related bands: Cannot, Young Husbands, Yobo
FFO: Loma Prieta, Amanda Woodward, The Farewell Reason, Lumber Lung
Muerto Rico was a post-hardcore / screamo trio from Belgrade, Serbia, active in the mid-2010s. They released their demo EP in August 2014, followed a year later by two EPs: Worst Coast and Undermost. Around the time of these releases, they played a show with Birds in Row (Deathwish Inc.) and Eagleshaslanded at Klub Fest. While Birds in Row were stopped at the Serbian border and couldn’t perform, the two opening bands continued with the show. They also appeared in numerous comps such as Miss the Stars’ third sample.
In that same year, Muerto Rico would expand into a quartet before announcing their breakup in 2019. Members have since gone on to play in bands such as Cannot, Young Husbands, and Yobo.
The band’s earlier material leaned heavily into rawness, often sounding unfinished and rough around the edges. Undermost, however, stands apart as their most focused and fully realized release. Across four tracks, Muerto Rico sharpen their sound into something heavier, darker, and more deliberate, with clear nods to Loma Prieta–style intensity.
Rather than relying on sheer chaos, the EP balances emotional volatility with structure, making it their most impactful statement.
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Muerto Rico je bio post-hardcore / screamo trio iz Beograda, aktivan sredinom 2010-ih. Demo EP objavili su u avgustu 2014. godine, a godinu dana kasnije izlaze dva EP-ja: Worst Coast i Undermost. U tom periodu svirali su koncert sa bendovima Birds in Row (Deathwish Inc.) i Eagleshaslanded u Klubu Fest. Iako su Birds in Row bili zaustavljeni na srpskoj granici i nisu mogli da nastupe, dva predgrupna benda su ipak odsvirala koncert.
U toj godini su se Muerto Rico proširili u kvartet, a 2019. godine bend zvanično objavljuje razlaz. Članovi su kasnije nastavili da sviraju u bendovima kao što su Cannot, Young Husbands i Yobo.
Rani materijal benda oslanjao se na sirovost i često je zvučao nedovršeno, grubo i neispeglano. Undermost se, međutim, izdvaja kao njihovo najfokusiranije i najzrelije izdanje. Kroz četiri pesme, Muerto Rico oblikuju zvuk koji je teži, mračniji i promišljeniji, sa jasnim uplivima intenziteta u stilu benda Loma Prieta.
Umesto oslanjanja na čisti haos, EP pronalazi balans između emotivne nestabilnosti i strukture, čineći Undermost njihovom najsnažnijom i najubedljivijom izjavom.
Members: Marko Rusjan (vocals), Miran Rusjan (guitar, vocals), Sašo Kotnik, Valter (bass), Nenad (drums), Jani
Related bands: Analena, Elodea, Elvis Jackson, Entreat., Hellcrawler, Iamdisease, Scuffy Dogs
FFO: Embassy, Fingerprint, Floodgate, Jasemine, Reach Out, Seven Sioux, Still Life
Man in the Shadow was a six-piece emocore band from Nova Gorica, Slovenia, and one of the very first emo acts to emerge from the Ex-Yugoslav region. During their short-lived activity, they released two 7” records and a demo tape, along with appearances on several compilations, before breaking up in 2000. After the split, members went on to play in bands such as Analena, Elodea, Entreat., and Iamdisease, among others. A full discography was released by Choose Life Records in 2001. The band reunited once more to play their final show at Mostovna in 2005.
Their sound sits somewhere between hardcore punk, anarcho-punk, and emocore, with lyrics that are largely political in nature and mostly sung in Slovenian. They were heavily influenced by French emo acts such as Ivich Fingerprint and Jasemine, as well as the California-based band Still Life - influences that are clearly audible throughout their work. The self-titled 7” leans more toward repetitive anarcho-punk structures, while Pax Americana expands further into emocore territory, marked by pained screams and raw, desperate growls.
Even if the sound is undeniably dated, that hardly matters. Their relatively small discography remains well worth revisiting, especially for fans of old-school hardcore and early emocore.
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Man in the Shadow je bio šesteročlani emocore bend iz Nove Gorice, Slovenija, i jedan od prvih emo sastava koji su se pojavili na prostoru bivše Jugoslavije. Tokom svoje kratke, ali intenzivne aktivnosti, objavili su dva 7” izdanja i demo kasetu, kao i učešća na nekoliko kompilacija, pre nego što su se razišli 2000. godine. Nakon raspada, članovi benda nastavili su da sviraju u sastavima poput Analena, Elodea, Entreat. i Iamdisease, između ostalih. Kompletna diskografija objavljena je 2001. godine za Choose Life Records. Bend se ponovo okupio još jednom kako bi odsvirao svoj poslednji koncert u klubu Mostovna 2005. godine.
Njihov zvuk se nalazi na raskršću hardcore punka, anarho-punka i emocorea, sa tekstovima koji su u velikoj meri politički intonirani i uglavnom pevanim na slovenačkom jeziku. Snažan uticaj imali su francuski emo bendovi poput Ivich, Fingerprint i Jasemine, kao i kalifornijski sastav Still Life - uticaji koji su jasno čujni kroz čitav njihov opus. Istoimeni 7” više naginje repetitivnim anarho-punk strukturama, dok Pax Americana ide dublje u emocore izraz, obeležen bolnim krikovima i sirovim, očajničkim growl vokalima.
Čak i ako zvuk danas deluje neosporno zastarelo, to je u suštini nebitno. Njihova relativno mala diskografija i dalje vredi ponovnog slušanja, naročito za fanove old-school hardcorea i ranog emocorea.
Members: Marijana Nikolovska (vocals, guitar), Stefan Apostolovski (guitar/drums), Aleksandar Petrovski (bass), Bojan Stanikj (drums, bass)
Related bands: YÖU
FFO: Ashes, Analena, Jejune, Mineral, Now now, Sore Eyelids, Squirrel Brain, 125, Rue Montmartre
heart-on-sleeve is an emogaze band formed in Bitola, North Macedonia. It was formed as a kind of a side project in 2020, sharing members from other DIY MK bands, such as YÖU.
Their only material to this day is a live recording session taking place in Trnovo. It was recorded in collaboration with SPC Centar-Jadro, as part of their annual music program.
Live at Trnovo consists of seven tracks, all of them midwest emo lamentations soaked in reverberation, at times bordering on dream pop (though not in a psychedelic sense). It serves as a reminder of what emo sounded like in the ’90s - longing, somber, bittersweet, and heartfelt all at once.
Personal highlights from the release include Nevermind, City Lights, Happy Ever After, and Again and Again, mostly due to their emotional crescendos and the cathartic moments spread throughout the set.
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heart-on-sleeve je emogaze bend nastao u Bitolju, Severna Makedonija. Projekat je započet 2020. godine kao svojevrsni sporedni poduhvat, a članovi su istovremeno bili aktivni i u drugim makedonskim DIY bendovima, poput YOU.
Njihov jedini dosadašnji materijal je live snimak sesije održane u Trnovu. Snimanje je realizovano u saradnji sa SPC Centar-Jadro, u sklopu njihovog godišnjeg muzičkog programa. Nakon toga, bend nikada nije objavio studijski snimljen materijal.
Live at Trnovo sadrži sedam pesama - sve redom midwest emo lamentacije natopljene reverbom, koje se povremeno približavaju dream pop atmosferi (mada ne u psihodeličnom smislu). Ovaj snimak deluje kao podsetnik na to kako je emo zvučao devedesetih: čežnjivo, sumorno, gorko-slatko i iskreno, sve u isto vreme.
Lični favoriti sa izdanja su Nevermind, City Lights, Happy Ever After i Again and Again, pre svega zbog snažnih emotivnih kulminacija i katarzičnih trenutaka razasutih kroz ceo nastup.
FFO: Whirr, Wisp, Slowdive, Jejune, Sore Eyelids, Title Fight (later)
Lars from Norway is an emocore/shoegaze band formed in Ljubljana, Slovenia. They released their first demo single in November 2024, followed by a demo tape (stylized as D(emo) Tejp) a year later - notably recorded on a phone.
Since then, the band has dropped two more singles, some of which received airplay and support from Radio Študent. This led to greater visibility in the Slovenian DIY scene, pushing them onto stages across the country and into lineups alongside newer acts such as Falesia (ITA/SLO).
Their debut single leans heavily into old-school punk. At just around a minute and a half, it can come off repetitive and doesn’t quite reflect the musical direction Lars would explore in their later work.
D(emo) Tejp, on the other hand, shows a dramatic shift. The blurry, reverb-soaked fuzz gives the songs a dreamy, ethereal mood - complete with alternating dual vocals and the occasional harsh shout. It’s raw, lo-fi, and imperfect, but it’s also the first glimpse of the identity the band seems to be carving out for themselves.
The first thing that catches your ears is the way the project builds atmosphere - with slow, saturated chords, teenage sadness and vocals that sound like they're coming from some foggy bedroom. It's the kind of music that doesn't try to be "big" or production-heavy; on the contrary, it relies on intimacy, rawness and a sense of inner distances.
As part of a scene that is rarely associated with such genres in our country, Lars from Norway brings something fresh: music that stands between shoegaze melancholy and the emo sensibility of the early 2000s. It's not just nostalgia, but a real attempt to capture the moment - that mixture of tiredness, longing and tenderness that you feel when the world quiets down a bit.
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Lars from Norway je emocore/shoegaze bend iz Ljubljane, osnovan 2024. godine. Članovi su Tilen Boršič, Anja Mikulan i Martin Tomažič. Prvi demo singl objavili su u novembru 2024, a godinu dana kasnije izbacili su demo kasetu pod nazivom D(emo) Tejp - snimljeno direktno na telefonu.
U periodu posle toga objavili su još dva singla, a nekoliko pesama dobilo je i emitovanje na Radio Študentu. To im je donelo veću vidljivost u slovenačkoj DIY sceni i omogućilo nastupe širom zemlje, uključujući lineupe sa novijim grupama poput Falesia (ITA/SLO).
Njihov debitantski singl oslanja se na old-school punk pristup - kratak, repetetivan i ne baš pokazni primer onoga što će kasnije razviti. D(emo) Tejp, s druge strane, predstavlja veliki estetski zaokret: mutni, reverbom zamagljeni fuzz stvara sanjivu, eteričnu atmosferu, vokali se smenjuju i povremeno pucaju u oštrije krike. Sirovo, lo-fi i tehnički nesavršeno, ali istovremeno prvi pravi nagoveštaj identiteta koji bend danas gradi.
Prvo što upada u uši jeste način na koji projekt gradi atmosferu - sporim, zasićenim akordima, tinejdžerskom tugom i vokalima koji zvuče kao da dopiru iz neke maglovite spavaće sobe. To je onaj tip muzike koji ne pokušava da bude „velik“ ili produkcijski ispeglan; naprotiv, oslanja se na intimnost, sirovost i osećaj unutrašnjih daljina.
Kao deo scene koja se kod nas retko povezuje sa ovakvim žanrovima, Lars from Norway donosi nešto sveže: muziku koja stoji između shoegaze melanholije i emo senzibiliteta ranih dvihiljaditih. Nije to samo nostalgija, već pravi pokušaj hvatanja trenutka – one mešavine umora, čežnje i nežnosti koju osećaš kad se svet malo utiša.
Well, what do we have here? A release review? A compilation album, perhaps? Yup, that's exactly what it's about. A little change of pace here and there and honestly, it wouldn’t hurt to shed some light on something this obscure.
In the middle of internet deep hole digging (using various tools for google searches etc.), i found myself an online zine mentioning one band that played emocore and their music can only be heard on this compilation. I was intrigued by this so i had to see if i can find a way to get this on my hands and voila! Found a copy on Kupindo.com. It now proudly sits on my shelf and is on my "to-play-on-car-radio" list.
"KOMPILACIJA BRODSKIH BENDOVA" contains demo songs from local bands Faak Am See, Faul, Kriva Istina and Lotus - formed in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. All except Faul recorded in the Firov Kraj 43 studio. The compilation was released in 2003 and it's marked as the bands' starting point. Almost each band shares its members. Faul formed a little earlier before FAS and KI. Later on, FAS and KI would make a split together in 2006. To this day, only Kriva Istina remains as the longest running active band in the Croatian punk scene. The entire comp lasted for only thirty minutes.
Starting off with a South Park sample, FAAK AM SEE kicks off with their fast, brief and raw hardcore punk with three songs for a 5 minute runtime. Following FAUL whose energetic melodic hardcore elements pave their way for seven plus minutes and KRIVA ISTINA following Faul's footsteps, albeit in a more brooding way for eight more minutes.
Then lastly, we're having a change of pace with LOTUS here. This right here belongs to the slow-burning 90's emocore vibe, featuring Tijana on vocals and a different drummer. Quiet/loud dynamics and some passionate clean singing and shouting here and there. Sort of bordering between Directed Crew, Analena and Eldritsch Anisette. Raw and promising. It's definitely a treasure worth finding.
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Pa šta imamo ovde? Recenziju izdanja? Kompilaciju, možda? Pa, upravo to. Malo promene ritma tu i tamo, i iskreno, ne bi škodilo da se osvetli nešto ovako opskurno.
Kopajući po internetu (koristeći razne alate za pretragu), naleteo sam na online fanzin koji je pomenuo jedan bend koji je svirao emocore, a njihova muzika se može čuti jedino na ovoj kompilaciji. Intrigirano, morao/la sam da vidim da li mogu da dođem do nje i evo ga! Našao sam primerak na Kupindo.com. Sada ponosno stoji na mojoj polici i na listi “za puštanje u kolima”.
KOMPILACIJA BRODSKIH BENDOVA sadrži demo pesme lokalnih bendova Faak Am See, Faul, Kriva Istina i Lotus — svi iz Slavonskog Broda. Sve osim Faula snimljene su u studiju Firov Kraj 43. Kompilacija je objavljena 2003. i označava početak ovih bendova. Skoro svi članovi su svirali jedni s drugima. Faul je nastao nešto ranije nego FAS i KI, a kasnije su FAS i KI izdali split 2006. Danas, jedino Kriva Istina ostaje najdugovečniji aktivni bend na hrvatskoj punk sceni. Kompilacija traje oko 30 minuta.
Počinje South Park semplom — FAAK AM SEE startuje brzo, kratko i sirovo hardcore punkom kroz tri pesme od ukupno 5 minuta. Sledi FAUL sa energičnim melodic hardcore pristupom od preko 7 minuta, pa KRIVA ISTINA koja ide stopama Faula, ali malo mračnijim tonom, još 8 minuta.
Na kraju imamo promenu tempa sa LOTUS. Ovo je onaj polako-tinajući 90’s emocore zvuk, sa Tijanom na vokalu i drugim bubnjarom. Quiet/loud dinamika, malo strastvenog čistog pevanja i vikanja. Negde između Directed Crew, Analene i Eldritsch Anisette. Sirovo i obećavajuće. Pravi dragulj za pronaći.
Related bands: Clean, Counterfit, Don't Mess With Texas, Lunar, Minimum System Requirements, Nikad, Radio Free Isaac, Razlog za, Senata Fox
FFO: Farside, Quicksand, Shift, Shutter To Think
Latest was a short-lived post-hardcore band from Zagreb, Croatia, active between 1999 and 2000. Featuring members of key local acts like Clean, Nikad, and Don’t Mess With Texas, the project was a brief but deliberate homage to the mid-'90s wave of emotive post-hardcore, echoing the sounds of Dischord Records, Quicksand, and Farside, with a touch of alt-rock melody.
After playing a handful of shows, they released their sole EP Platform Shoes, initially as a promotional CD, and later on cassette through Čakovec’s DIY label Lifeline Records.
To be blunt: it’s solid, it flows well, but it’s not exactly game-changing. It sounds like what it is, friends from other bands trying something new before disappearing into other projects. The production is clean, the songs are listenable, and while nothing really jumps out, it’s the kind of EP you put on during a slow afternoon when you’re tired of everything else.
It's not legendary, it’s not forgotten, it’s just there. And sometimes, that’s fine.
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Latest je bio kratkotrajni post-hardcore bend iz Zagreba, Hrvatska, aktivan između 1999. i 2000. godine. U sastavu su bili članovi ključnih lokalnih bendova poput Clean, Nikad i Don’t Mess With Texas, a projekat je predstavljao kratak, ali promišljen omaž talasu emotivnog post-hardcora sredinom devedesetih, uz zvučne odjeke izdavačke kuće Dischord Records, bendova Quicksand i Farside, te sa dozom alt-rock melodije.
Nakon nekoliko odsviranih koncerata, izdali su svoj jedini EP Platform Shoes, prvo kao promotivni CD, a kasnije i na kaseti preko čakovečkog DIY labela Lifeline Records.
Da budemo direktni: solidno je, teče glatko, ali nije ništa revolucionarno. Zvuči tačno onako kako jeste — prijatelji iz drugih bendova koji su htjeli isprobati nešto novo prije nego što su se razišli u druge projekte. Produkcija je čista, pjesme se lako slušaju, a iako se ništa posebno ne izdvaja, to je onaj tip EP-ja koji pustiš tokom sporog poslijepodneva, kad ti je svega drugog preko glave.
Nije legendarno, nije ni zaboravljeno — jednostavno postoji. I ponekad, to je sasvim dovoljno.
PROMOTIONAL CD
LIFELINE'S TAPE VERSION
Thanks for Igor of GuranjeSLitice for uploading the full EP.
FFO: Rolo Tomassi, Naked City, Me and Him Call It Us, Mara'akate, Rep Seki, Usurp Synapse, Honeywell
Every once in a while, a band appears briefly and burns out fast, leaving behind a single document of their existence so dense and chaotic it feels like a transmission from another realm. That band is Stepa.
Formed in 2020 in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, Stepa was a short-lived trio that only released one self-titled album, thirteen minutes of sheer dissonant fury. It was released on cassette via Quebec’s LeBlast Records, a fitting match given the label’s taste for sonic extremity.
Their style? Call it emoviolence. Call it grindcore. Call it whatever you want, but the result is a twelve-track onslaught where no song breaches the two-minute mark. The shortest, "Vrtača," clocks in at a mere 26 seconds, while the longest, "Hodnik," barely reaches two minutes but somehow feels massive.
This is music that doesn't beg for attention, it kicks the door down. Krempl’s guitar playing is like shards of broken math equations. Dissonant, fractured, and constantly mutating. Šiba's drumming is absurdly fast, channeling the relentless speed and stop-start chaos of bands like Honeywell or Usurp Synapse. And Želo’s vocals? Unhinged. It’s raw-throated desperation with zero restraint, like a flesh wound set to blast beats.
The highlight here is unquestionably "Hodnik", the closing instrumental. In a bold move, Stepa drops the vocals entirely and leans into dissonant chaos filtered through a start-stop rhythmic breakdown. It’s almost like the eye of the hurricane, if the hurricane had no eye. The mathy structures collapse into themselves and re-emerge, only to combust again. It’s unsettling, dynamic, and perfectly in line with what the genre’s more experimental edge they had to offer.
Stepa never stuck around to release a follow-up. No extensive touring. No cryptic new project hints. Just one record, some cassettes, and a whole lot of noise. But in those fifteen minutes, they delivered something Slovenia rarely sees: a band unafraid to go full chaos mode and leave it all in the wreckage.
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S vremena na vreme pojavi se bend koji kratko zasvetli i brzo nestane, ostavivši iza sebe samo jedno izdanje: gusto, haotično i toliko posebno da zvuči kao da je stiglo iz nekog drugog sveta. Takva je bila Stepa.
Bend je nastao 2020. godine u Novom Mestu, Slovenija, i radio je kratko, tek dovoljno da snimi svoj jedini, istoimeni album. Trinaest minuta sirove energije i nesvakidašnjeg zvuka objavljeno je na kaseti preko kanadskog izdavača LeBlast Records iz Quebeca, poznatog po ljubavi prema DIY emo/screamo muzici.
Kako opisati njihov stil? Pa neko bi rekao emoviolence, neko grindcore, a istina je da je to dvanaest kratkih, žestokih pjesama, nijedna ne prelazi dve minute. Najkraća, "Vrtača", traje tek 26 sekundi, a najduža, "Hodnik", jedva dve minute, ali ipak ostavlja jak utisak.
Ovo je muzika koja ne traži pažnju, jer je ona jednostavno osvoji. Gitara Kremla oštro reže i stalno mijenja smjer, bubnjevi Šibe srljaju nezaustavljivim tempom, a vokal Žela donosi sirov i neispeglan naboj, kao da prenosi osećaj trenutka bez ikakvog filtera.
Poseban trenutak na albumu je "Hodnik", završna instrumentalna pjesma. Bez vokala, bend se prepušta igri ritma i disonantnih dionica koje se ruše i ponovo grade. Dinamično, nepredvidivo, i potpuno u skladu s njihovim eksperimentalnim pristupom.
Stepa nije imala nastavak priče, nije bilo novih izdanja, velikih turneja ili tajanstvenih najava. Samo jedan album, nekoliko kaseta i puno buke. Ipak, u tih petnaestak minuta ostavili su trag nečim što se kod nas rijetko čuje: bendom koji se usudio pustiti da ga haos vodi do kraja.
Members: Milica (vocals), Igor (guitar), Aljoša (guitar), Bojan (bass), Maksim (drums)
Related bands: Otih, Rahela Ferari
Labels: Good Samaritan Records, Castrato Records
FFO: Amygdala, Habak, Detestation, .fuckingcom, Cady, Drei Affen
Deer In The Headlights was a five-piece neocrust/screamo band from Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina. The band described themselves as “blackened crust.” It was formed by members of the defunct crust punk band Rahela Ferari (named after the Serbian actress).
Their first appearance was a 2010 split with Reflection of Internal Rain, from which some tracks were re-used on their demo EP a year later. Due to a dispute between bands, Deer In The Headlights eventually re-recorded their side in 2015.
In 2012, they dropped a 7" split with Croatian hardcore band Black Sails, supported by Good Samaritan Records. In 2013, they appeared on Dog Knights Productions’ Orchid Tribute Compilation, covering “36 Day Syndrome.”
Their self-titled debut EP was released in 2014 via Good Samaritan and Boslevan Records, followed by their second full-length, Mental Health, in 2016.
The band toured extensively across Europe during the 2010s, playing alongside regional peers such as Eaglehaslanded, Ponor, and Mališa Bahat, as well as international acts like Amygdala. They've performed at Fluff Fest a couple of times. After a long active period, the band eventually went on hiatus.
“Lately we’re trying to make a difference but it’s really hard because people are not so motivated. They’re not aiming at something bigger. In general, speaking about hardcore, there isn’t even a scene in Bosnia or the city where I live in. People are just trying to be mediocre and live their daily lives without expressing their full potential... but I guess that’s also because they don’t have money, which is their main concern”, said the vocalist Milicafor the DIY Conspiracy interview.
The band’s sociopolitical stance ran deep, inspired by both older anti-nationalist DIY efforts and the lived experience of post-war Bosnia.
“Luckily, people in my band are not that young so they are a great source of information to me because of their experience. They grew up in the old country of Yugoslavia and they have these experiences that we (the young people) can’t have... And definitely, people should unite and tear down the walls, they should push each other and join in some kind of force using their potential.”
“In some aspects, we see that happening. There are a lot of shows and connection between people from neighbouring countries, there are also festivals like Monte Paradiso in Croatia, and everything’s easier in general because of the internet. But of course, my view is kind of pessimistic, because the change I see is very slow... at your place everything’s kinda stagnating. That’s really frustrating.”
Despite this, Milica emphasized how vital it was to stay active and not let cynicism get in the way of purpose.
“The fact that we’re playing all these shows and making music is very important to us. A lot of people already know us and know what we’re doing. We shouldn’t glorify the people who are active in the scene or play in a band but to know for what the band is standing for and the ideas behind it. The way they’re doing things — like the fact that we’re a DIY band — most of the people are so away from the concept of making things and music just for the sake of solidarity. I think there’s no other way, especially for Balkan countries. We just have to work together.”
As for the state of things in Bosnia, especially in Republika Srpska (the Serbian entity), she didn’t hold back.
“Bosnia is a federation of two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on one hand, and the Serbian part, Republika Srpska, on the other. In the Serbian part, there’s more conservative and aggressive politics prevailing... especially among young people — there are some really violent ones. There’s more money in the Federation and more things are finally happening there. Foreign people are coming more often, and the place is more open to new ideas.”
“What is tearing the state apart is the politicians. Those of the Serbian part are too much toward Serbia and Belgrade instead of focusing inward, on the people living here, like in Banja Luka... and the biggest problem is definitely corruption.”
After the band’s break, Igor (the drummer) started Otih, a post-punk/darkwave project during the COVID-19 pandemic, releasing a demo and a 7". However, there hasn’t been any update on a Deer In The Headlights reunion... at least, not yet.
When it comes to their music, I can't exactly pick a highlight from each release, solely because the entire discography is just too good. But what stands out to me is how it feels like a natural extension of their previous band, Rahela Ferari, gradually mutating into a more focused neocrust expression over the decade. Deer in the Headlights found a way to staple their pain and disillusionment into something tangible into art, especially in a place torn apart by two political entities. And i think their song 'OURS/THEIRS' says it best:
The nationalization of victims is a crime perpetuated by politicians. They thrive from a paranoid, delusional citizen, because being angry at your neighbor you forget you should be angry at them. Between 1992 and 1995 there was war in Bosnia that destroyed lives and families. The people living in Bosnia now are gravely affected by the consequences of that war. Instead of helping our people surpass the conflict by focusing on the future and teaching our children to look at the world with better eyes, the media powered by national politics still only serves as a tool for enraging people of different nations and religions against each other.
Не постоје наше и њихове жртве. Жртве су жртве.
(There are no such things as our victims and their victims. Victims are victims.)
It's the chaos, the tension, and the unresolved trauma that leaves you stunned, unable to move. Just like a deer in the headlights.
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Deer In The Headlights je bio petočlani neocrust/screamo bend iz Banjaluke, Bosna i Hercegovina. Sami su sebe opisivali kao blackened crust. Nastali su od članova ugašenog crust punk benda Rahela Ferari (nazvanog po srpskoj glumici).
Prvo su se pojavili 2010. godine na split izdanju sa Reflection of Internal Rain, odakle su neke pesme kasnije prebačene na njihov demo EP iz 2011. Zbog nesuglasica među bendovima, Deer In The Headlights su svoju stranu ponovo snimili 2015.
Godine 2012. izdali su 7" split sa hrvatskim hardcore bendom Black Sails, u saradnji sa Good Samaritan Records. Učestvovali su 2013. na Orchid Tribute kompilaciji Dog Knights Productions-a, obradivši pesmu "36 Day Syndrome".
Debi EP Deer In The Headlights objavili su 2014. preko Good Samaritan i Boslevan Records, a drugi album Mental Health izašao je 2016. Bend je tokom 2010-ih intenzivno svirao po Evropi, delio binu sa regionalnim bendovima kao što su Eaglehaslanded, Ponor i Mališa Bahat, ali i sa međunarodnim imenima poput Amygdala. Nastupili su nekoliko puta na Fluff Festu. Nakon dužeg perioda aktivnosti, bend je otišao na pauzu.
Pevačica Milica je u intervjuu za DIY Conspiracy izjavila:
„U poslednje vreme pokušavamo da napravimo neku razliku, ali to je zaista teško jer ljudi nisu dovoljno motivisani. Ne teže ka nečemu većem. Generalno, što se hardkora tiče, u Bosni, pa ni u gradu gde ja živim, zapravo i ne postoji scena. Ljudi su prosto zadovoljni da ostanu prosečni i da vode svoje svakodnevne živote bez izražavanja svog punog potencijala... ali pretpostavljam da je to i zato što nemaju para, što im je glavna briga.“
Njihov društveno-politički stav bio je duboko ukorenjen, inspirisan starijim antinacionalističkim DIY naporima, ali i životnim iskustvom posleratne Bosne:
„Srećom, ljudi iz mog benda nisu toliko mladi, pa su mi oni veliki izvor informacija zahvaljujući svom iskustvu. Odrasli su u staroj zemlji, Jugoslaviji, i imaju ta iskustva koja mi mlađi ne možemo da imamo... I definitivno, ljudi bi trebalo da se ujedine i sruše zidove, da se guraju međusobno i udružuju u neku vrstu snage koristeći svoj potencijal.“
„U nekim aspektima to i viđamo. Ima dosta koncerata i povezivanja između ljudi iz susednih zemalja, postoje festivali poput Monte Paradisa u Hrvatskoj, i generalno je sve lakše zahvaljujući internetu. Ali naravno, moj pogled je pomalo pesimističan, jer su promene koje vidim veoma spore... kod vas sve nekako stagnira. To je baš frustrirajuće.“
Uprkos tome, Milica je naglasila koliko je važno ostati aktivan i ne dozvoliti cinizmu da uguši smisao:
„Činjenica da sviramo sve te svirke i pravimo muziku nama je jako bitna. Mnogi ljudi već znaju ko smo i šta radimo. Ne treba veličati ljude koji su aktivni u sceni ili sviraju u bendu, nego znati za šta se bend zalaže i koje ideje stoje iza toga. Način na koji se stvari rade — recimo to što smo mi DIY bend — većini ljudi je jako daleko od samog koncepta pravljenja muzike iz čiste solidarnosti. Mislim da za balkanske zemlje nema drugog puta. Prosto moramo da radimo zajedno.“
O stanju u Bosni, posebno u Republici Srpskoj, nije štedela reči:
„Bosna je federacija dva entiteta: Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine s jedne strane, i srpskog dela, Republike Srpske, s druge. U Republici Srpskoj preovlađuje konzervativnija i agresivnija politika... posebno među mladima — ima i dosta onih nasilnih. U Federaciji ima više para i konačno se dešava više stvari. Stranci sve češće dolaze i mesto je otvorenije za nove ideje.“
„Ono što uništava državu su političari. Oni iz Republike Srpske su previše okrenuti ka Srbiji i Beogradu, umesto da se fokusiraju na ljude koji ovde žive, kao u Banjaluci... a najveći problem je definitivno korupcija.“
Posle pauze, bubnjar Igor je tokom pandemije COVID-19 pokrenuo post-punk/darkwave projekat Otih, izdao demo i 7", ali za sada nema najava o povratku Deer In The Headlights-a.
Što se same muzike tiče, teško mi je da izdvojim vrhunac svakog izdanja — cela diskografija je jednostavno predobra. Ono što je posebno jeste što deluje kao prirodan nastavak onoga što su radili u Raheli Ferari, postepeno se preobražavajući u fokusiraniji neocrust izraz tokom decenije. Deer In The Headlights su uspeli da svoju bol i razočaranje pretvore u opipljivu umetnost, pogotovo u zemlji rastrgnutoj između dva politička entiteta. I mislim da njihova pesma "OURS/THEIRS" to najbolje kaže:
The nationalization of victims is a crime perpetuated by politicians. They thrive from a paranoid, delusional citizen, because being angry at your neighbor you forget you should be angry at them. Between 1992 and 1995 there was war in Bosnia that destroyed lives and families. The people living in Bosnia now are gravely affected by the consequences of that war. Instead of helping our people surpass the conflict by focusing on the future and teaching our children to look at the world with better eyes, the media powered by national politics still only serves as a tool for enraging people of different nations and religions against each other.
Не постоје наше и њихове жртве. Жртве су жртве.
Haos, tenzija i nerazrešena trauma ostavljaju vas zatečenima, nesposobnima da se pomerite. Baš kao jelen u farovima.
FFO: Dashboard Confessional, Senses Fail, The Starting Line, Taking Back Sunday, Pidgeon
Zombie Animal is a Belgrade-based collaborative project led by Boris Milić, founded back in 1999. Their only album, simply titled Milić, was finally released in 2006 after a lengthy recording period between 2002 and 2004. Milić handled all the instruments and arrangements, while Tina Stupar contributed most of the vocals.
The album features 13 original songs and a Senses Fail cover, spanning a total runtime of 57 minutes. Musically, Zombie Animal falls somewhere between midwest emo and alternative rock. For example, the opener "Shining Mask" begins with a gentle, warm flow before launching headfirst into pop-punk territory. Stupar’s polished vocals — perhaps a little too smooth for the rawness pop-punk usually demands, are nevertheless catchy and invite listeners to sing along.
Another standout is "Trap-free", featuring Andrija Spičanović of 36 Daggers on guest vocals. While the production does feel somewhat dated by today's standards, it fits the album’s emocore sensibility, think Jawbreaker or Ashes rather than studio-polished mainstream emo. Tracks like "This Emptiness Hangs Heavy" even flirt with dream pop textures, showing surprising versatility.
Lyrically, the album deals with existential crises, the search for identity, societal alienation, and finding ways to survive in a world full of chaos, lies, and hollow values. Interestingly, the upbeat instrumentals often contrast with the dark thematic undercurrents, giving the record an almost bittersweet feeling.
That said, the album’s lengthy runtime can drag at points, and some songs start to blur together. It's not a tight or urgent listen, unless you’re joyriding with this CD on full blast, in which case it becomes a surprisingly pleasant, nostalgic soundtrack.
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Zombie Animal je beogradski kolaborativni projekat koji je 1999. godine pokrenuo Boris Milić. Njihov jedini album, jednostavno nazvan Milić, ugledao je svetlo dana tek 2006, nakon dugotrajnog snimanja između 2002. i 2004. Milić je sam odradio sve instrumente i aranžmane, dok je vokale u najvećoj meri donela Tina Stupar.
Album broji 13 originalnih pesama i jedan cover (Senses Fail), u ukupnom trajanju od skoro sat vremena. Zvukovno, Zombie Animal se kreće negde između midwest emo-a i alternativnog rocka. Već prva stvar, Shining Mask, otvara se nežnim, toplim uvodom, da bi se potom preokrenula u pop-punk pravcu. Stuparin glas je ispeglan, možda i previše gladak za sirovost kakvu taj žanr obično traži, ali i dalje dovoljno zarazan da povuče slušaoca na pevanje.
Poseban trenutak je Trap-free, gde gostuje Andrija Spičanović iz 36 Daggers. Produkcija danas zvuči pomalo zastarelo, ali zapravo se savršeno uklapa u emocore senzibilitet – bliže Jawbreaker ili Ashes nego studijski ispoliranim emo mainstream bendovima. Na mestima, kao u This Emptiness Hangs Heavy, bend čak koketira sa dream pop teksturama, pokazujući neočekivanu širinu.
Tematski, album se bavi egzistencijalnim krizama, potragom za identitetom, osećajem otuđenja u društvu i pokušajima da se opstane u svetu prepunom haosa, laži i šupljih vrednosti. Zanimljivo je da često vedra i melodična instrumentalna podloga kontrastira sa mračnijim lirskim nitima, dajući celini neku vrstu gorko-slatkog osećaja.
Ipak, dugačak format ume da bude zamoran – pesme povremeno počinju da liče jedna na drugu, pa slušanje u kontinuitetu zna da se razvlači. Ovo nije album koji nosi snagom urgentnosti, već više soundtrack za kasnu vožnju kolima, kad pustiš CD do kraja i prepustiš se nostalgičnom vajbu.
