Members: Srđan Janjić (vocals), Vladimir Pantić (guitar), Filip Gašić (guitar), Borko Vesković (bass), Stefan Dunjić (drums), Nikola Dimić (bass), Jovan Pavlović (drums), Mihajlo Đorović (guitar)
Related bands: Incomplete, Muerto Rico, Summer Deaths, Zicer Inc.
FFO: Taking Back Sunday, Cursive, Joyce Manor, Dreamwalk, Fall Out Boy
Technicolor Lies was an alt-rock / post-hardcore / emo-pop band from Belgrade, Serbia, formed in 2011. During their active years, they released two EPs and several standalone tracks. They shared stages with Serbian acts such as Sv. Pseta, Reflection, Young Husbands, and Incomplete, and toured the Balkans, most notably Romania and Bulgaria. After releasing a handful of singles, the band quietly disbanded. Guitarist Mihajlo Đorović later formed the project Summer Deaths and became involved with the rap collective Zicer Inc.
Their debut EP, Eclectic Youth, leans toward a more radio-friendly alternative rock and emo-pop framework, built on familiar pop-rock structures with occasional bursts of screamed vocals reminiscent of bands like Refused. Lyrically, it revolves around emotional displacement, fading youth, and post-utopian disillusionment, often framed through grand imagery - collapsed cities, dead suns, false gods - to express deeply personal feelings of isolation and exhaustion. While accessible on the surface, the EP carries a persistent sense of emptiness and unrealized promise beneath its melodic exterior.
With Wasted/Years/Broken/Words, the band noticeably hardens both its sound and tone. Screamed vocals move to the forefront, the songwriting becomes more confrontational, and the emotional focus shifts from abstract loss to accumulated damage - burnt relationships, hypocrisy, exhaustion, and self-blame. The production is more rigid and at times monotonous, which arguably mirrors the record’s themes of stagnation and burnout. While less immediate than its predecessor, the EP feels more inward-looking and abrasive, documenting the aftermath of disillusion rather than its onset.
The standalone singles (Air Max, Dementia & Daddy) released afterward sit somewhere between these two approaches, often sounding more balanced and focused, as if attempting to reconcile melody with the harsher emotional register the band had grown into.
In contrast to their relatively modest discography, Technicolor Lies were most memorable as a live band - energetic, emotionally charged, and the kind of act people would return to see multiple times. Their songs may have evolved unevenly, but their live presence consistently carried a sense of urgency that made their shows feel immediate and worth revisiting.
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Technicolor Lies je bio alt-rock / post-hardcore / emo-pop bend iz Beograda, osnovan 2011. godine. Tokom aktivnih godina objavili su dva EP-ja i nekoliko samostalnih singlova. Delili su bine sa domaćim bendovima poput Sv. Pseta, Reflection, Young Husbands i Incomplete, kao i na balkanskim turnejama, naročito u Rumuniji i Bugarskoj. Nakon objavljivanja nekoliko singlova, bend se tiho razišao. Gitarista Mihajlo Đorović kasnije je osnovao projekat Summer Deaths i uključio se u rap kolektiv Zicer Inc.
Njihov debitantski EP Eclectic Youth naginje pristupačnijem, radiofoničnom okviru alternativnog roka i emo-popa, oslanjajući se na poznate pop-rok strukture uz povremene izlive vrištavih vokala, koji podsećaju na bendove poput Refused. Tematski, tekstovi se bave emocionalnim izmeštanjem, nestajanjem mladosti i postutopijskim razočaranjem, često oblikovanim kroz grandiozne slike - srušeni gradovi, mrtva sunca, lažni bogovi - kako bi izrazili duboko lične osećaje izolacije i iscrpljenosti. Iako na površini pitom, EP ispod melodične spoljašnjosti nosi uporan osećaj praznine i neispunjenog potencijala.
Sa izdanjem Wasted/Years/Broken/Words bend primetno zaoštrava i zvuk i ton. Vrištavi vokali izlaze u prvi plan, pisanje postaje konfrontacionije, a emocionalni fokus se pomera sa apstraktnog gubitka na nagomilanu štetu - sagorele odnose, licemerje, umor i samookrivljavanje. Produkcija je rigidnija i povremeno monotona, što se može tumačiti kao odraz tema stagnacije i sagorevanja koje EP obrađuje. Iako manje neposredno od prethodnika, ovo izdanje deluje introspektivnije i abrazivnije, beležeći posledice razočaranja, a ne njegov početak.
Samostalni singlovi (Air Max, Dementia & Daddy) objavljeni nakon toga nalaze se negde između ova dva pristupa, često zvučeći izbalansiranije i fokusiranije, kao pokušaj pomirenja melodije sa grubljim emotivnim registrom u koji je bend vremenom ušao.
Uprkos relativno skromnoj diskografiji, Technicolor Lies su ostali najupamćeniji kao live bend - energični, emotivno nabijeni i onaj tip izvođača kome se publika rado vraćala. Iako se njihove pesme nisu uvek ravnomerno razvijale, nastupi uživo su dosledno nosili osećaj hitnosti koji je koncerte činio neposrednim i vrednim ponovnog gledanja.
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.
Leitmotif were a short-lived trio from Skopje, North Macedonia around 2013. They released their debut EP ‘Luminescence’ through Deny Records and Подземни Фреквенции and a split with a fellow post-rock band Khara, as well as some live recordings such as ‘Point First’ for Radio 103 and a recording session made for the Maximum Rocknroll fundraiser at Kula.
The band eventually dissolved in 2018 and the members would eventually play in bands such as Disclone, Disease, Мариналеда and Nova Generacija, etc.
Leitmotif plays the slow-burn post-rock that resembles much of the post-rock/emo hybrid, much under the vein of Moonraker, Slint, Uzmi Ruke and a bit of Mono with ocassional shouting vocals. Despite their small discography, some of their songs can go well up to 10 minutes. The lyrics are not only minimalistic and cryptic but also completely heartfelt.
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Leitmotifje bio kratkotrajni trio iz Skoplja, Severna Makedonija, aktivan početkom 2010-ih. Debitantski EP Luminescence objavili su 2013. godine za Deny Records i Подземни Фреквенции, nakon čega je usledio split sa post-rock bendom Khara. Pored zvaničnih izdanja, bend je iza sebe ostavio i nekoliko zapaženih live i session snimaka, uključujući Point First za Radio 103, kao i live session snimljen u Kuli u sklopu Maximum Rocknroll fundraisera.
Bend se raspao 2018. godine. Nakon toga, članovi su nastavili da sviraju u različitim projektima, među kojima su Disclone, Disease, Мариналеда i Nova Generacija, između ostalih.
Muzički, Leitmotif je delovao unutar sporog, postepenog post-rock izraza koji se snažno oslanjao na preklapanje post-rocka i emo-a - često poređen sa bendovima poput Moonraker, Slint, Uzmi Ruke, a povremeno i sa Mono. Njihove kompozicije bile su uglavnom dugog formata i strpljivo građene, sa pojedinim numerama koje su prelazile i deset minuta, oslanjajući se na postepeno podizanje tenzije umesto trenutnog efekta. Vokali su bili retki i povremeno vrisnuti, korišćeni više kao emotivni lom nego kao narativni vodič.
Uprkos skromnoj diskografiji, Leitmotif je ostavio jasan trag. Tekstovi su bili minimalistički i zagonetni, ali nikada ornamentalni - funkcionisali su pre kao fragmenti osećanja nego kao jasne poruke, dodatno naglašavajući fokus benda na atmosferu, uzdržanost i emotivnu težinu, ispred jasnoće ili razrešenja.
Members: Mirna Čupić (vocals, guitar), Janet Beriša (vocals, guitar), Duga Bavoljak (vocals, trumpet), Andro Žamboki (bass), Martin Palčić (drums)
Related bands: Bongorodica, Gungula, panakota
FFO: Everyone Asked About You, Gregory & The Hawk, Modest Mouse, The Microphones
kaleido are an indie rock / midwest jazz-inflected quintet from Zagreb, Croatia. They dropped their first single “Snivaš” in 2021, followed by the 2022 debut EP Ja umirem ovdje (trans. I’m dying here), which drew considerable attention within the Croatian indie scene. A few years later, the band self-recorded and self-released their debut full-length Čiji je ovo pas? (trans. Whose dog is this?), with mixing by Anja Tkalec and Duga Bavoljak, and mastering by Uroš Mikić of Down There Studios.
While Ja umirem ovdje hinted at Kaleido’s direction, Čiji je ovo pas? is where their vision fully takes shape. Across eight tracks, the band sharpens their songwriting and gathers their ideas around a loose but persistent image - the dog - a subtle metaphor for inner tension, quiet exhaustion, and the feeling of constantly watching oneself from the outside.
Blending indie rock with touches of midwest emo, restrained post-punk dynamics, and understated jazz textures, the album unfolds patiently. It favors mood over immediacy and reflection over declaration, slowly building emotional weight rather than forcing catharsis.
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kaleido je indie rock kvintet iz Zagreba, sa izraženim uticajima midwest emo i jazz senzibiliteta. Prvi singl „Snivaš“ objavili su 2021. godine, nakon čega je usledio debitantski EP Ja umirem ovdje (2022), koji je privukao značajnu pažnju unutar hrvatske indie scene. Nekoliko godina kasnije, bend je samostalno snimio i objavio svoj prvi dugosvirajući album Čiji je ovo pas?, uz miks Anje Tkalec i Duge Bavoljak, te mastering Uroša Mikića iz Down There Studiosa.
Dok je Ja umirem ovdje samo nagoveštavao pravac u kom se Kaleido kreće, Čiji je ovo pas? predstavlja potpuno zaokruženu viziju benda. Kroz osam pesama, Kaleido izoštrava svoj autorski izraz i okuplja ideje oko labave, ali uporne slike - psa - kao suptilne metafore unutrašnje tenzije, tihe iscrpljenosti i osećaja stalnog posmatranja samog sebe sa distance.
Spajajući indie rock sa primesama midwest ema, suzdržane post-punk dinamike i nenametljivih jazz tekstura, album se razvija strpljivo. Prednost daje atmosferi nad neposrednošću i introspekciji nad deklaracijom, postepeno gradeći emotivnu težinu umesto da forsira katarzu.
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.
North of Me is a Zagreb-based project that is run by Dino Kezo. He plays a somber instrumental post-rock that somehow borders on the Emo Revival, while also nodding two familiar croatian post-rock bands such as Lunar and Man Zero, as well as some from abroad like Moving Mountains and Toundra.
He dropped a two-track EP 'Second Chapter' this spring. Although it was made under the demo production, it also gives us a hint of what this newly formed project would be. If that's the case, i am really looking forward new, full fleshed sounds from this project.
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North of Me je zagrebački projekat iza kojeg stoji Dino Kezo. Njegova muzika naginje ka sumornom, instrumentalnom post-roku koji povremeno skrene u Emo Revival estetiku, dok istovremeno vuče paralele s domaćim post-rock imenima poput Lunara i Man Zero, ali i sa stranim bendovima tipa Moving Mountains i Toundra.
Ovog proleća izbacio je dvopesmični EP Second Chapter. Produkcija je i dalje demo, ali dovoljno jasna da pokaže u kom se pravcu projekat razvija. Ako je ovaj EP ikakav nagoveštaj onoga što dolazi, realno — ima tu prostora za nešto vrlo lepo i zaokruženo.
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.
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.
Related bands: Ha Det Bra, Kiper, Lunar, Man in the Shadow, Schmrtz teatar
FFO: Assay, At The Drive-In, Cursive, Eldritch Anisette, Envy, Life... But How To Live It?, Lvmen, Petrograd, Portraits of Past, Refused, Still Life, Sed Non Satiata, Undone
In recent years, I’ve been looping Inconstantinopolis during drives to my language lessons. With each listen, it grew on me, enough to finally write about this legendary band.
Analena is a female-fronted band that shares members from Croatia and Slovenia. The term ANALENA comes from the ancient Sanskrit, and translates as "like/by the fire". Analena was founded in Zagreb in 1997 by Mijo, Zet, and Six. Their first vocalist was Irena, before Ana joined as the permanent singer a year later. Miran - associated with Moonlee Records, the defunct emocore band Man in the Shadow, and the 13.brat zine- joined as guitarist in 2003. Six left in 2006. After a period with a substitute bassist, Ana eventually took on bass duties herself, solidifying a lineup that remains unchanged to this day.
According to the DIY Conspiracy interview, Mirjan stated that "there were many punk bands with anti-war and anti-nationalistic message at that time, but there were also »punk« bands that promoted nationalistic ideas" and also mentioned a 1996 7" compilation “Preko zidova nacionalizma i rata” (Against the walls of nationalism and war), furthering the idea that nationalism in the region can and should be overcome.
Beyond touring Croatia and Slovenia, they performed across Europe, including appearances at major festivals like the now-defunct Fluff Fest in the Czech Republic.
They recorded their 4-track demo tape in 1999 and their debut album 'Arythmetics' (first as a 7" EP, then as a CD with a few additional tracks) and a split with the legendary Serbian hardcore band .Unison. in 2001. In 2002, they would eventually release a split with Austrian screamo band Sensual Love titled 'It's Never Too Late To Split Up'. In 2004, they've released their second studio album 'Carbon Based' and their third album 'Inconstantinopolis' in 2009, both supported by the amazing Moonlee Records.
Their sound spans the fiery energy of punk, the bittersweet bursts of emo/screamo, and the steadier pulse of post-punk, especially prominent in their later work. They’re unafraid to experiment with post-hardcore’s inherent fluidity. Their lyrics are often abstract, surreal and minimalist (instead of upfront revolutionary slogans that hardcore punk is known for), with which repetition often emphasises their words. They deal with topics like personal freedom, existentialism and individuality. Ana's vocals often range from spoken word, clean vocals and screaming, often accompanied by Mijo's desperate shouting, akin to Ian MacKaye's.
In a region often defined by machismo, nationalism, and post-war nihilism, Analena stood as something fiercely different. They weren’t just another screamo band—they were a transnational, feminist, emotionally literate force in a scene still struggling with old-school hardcore masculinity. Their presence (particularly Ana’s vocals and lyrics) disrupted the norm, and invited something more vulnerable, poetic, and politically fluid.
While many ex-Yu hardcore bands screamed about injustice in the most literal way possible, Analena's lyricism felt elliptical, surreal, less didactic, more introspective. This didn’t weaken their impact, it made it deeper. Where other bands offered slogans, Analena offered open-ended wounds. And crucially, they weren’t a band trapped in the Balkans—they moved. Toured. Collaborated. Released through Moonlee. Played Fluff. Their ambition didn’t betray their DIY ethics—it redefined them for a post-war generation. If Unison was the voice of Serbian resistance, Analena was the crooked lullaby sung from the borderlines of Croatia and Slovenia.
Rather than reviewing every release, I’ll highlight my personal favorites from each album.
The eponymous title track from their debut 'Arhythmetics' already blasts off with heavy, passionate and raw production much akin to Eldritch Anisette, with enough hooks and harmonies catchy enough to get enticed. Although Ana’s vocals are mostly clean, she unleashes relentless rage in 'So Real', heightening the bittersweet devastation of the songwriting, a callback to classic ’90s screamo.
Taken from the split with .Unison., 'The Bow & The Arrow' allows the bittersweet melodies flourish while Ana interpolates with Mijo as they sing and shout. My favorite takeaway is the quiet bridge where she sings 'Concentrate, concentrate' before shrieking mid-silence 'RELEASE!' That to me was the most cathartic moment from the split.
'The Metaphorical Approach' from 'It's Never Too Late To Split Up' is probably the most skramziest of all in just 2:50 minutes, almost bordering on the Funeral Diner and Portraits of Past, exactly essential for their existential turmoil. The lyrics read:
The first three minutes were great just like the beginning of the universe but then in the end we'll all go up in flames. Just like fire. Yes, it will probably happen again. My history repeats itself. Yes, I will do it again. I will spin in the wrong way. A coward dies a thousand times.
That last line really hit deep. Given that Analena is one of the few Ex-Yu bands with feminist roots, the quote might be flipped on its head: we die a thousand times because we’re forced to suppress vulnerability, again and again.
Onto their next album 'Carbon Based', 'Carbon Based Organisms' kicks off fiery screamo with minimalist poetry on individuality and 'Dream Amplifiers' give out their bittersweet take on empty idealism, demanding that 'we need dream amplifiers to make it louder, so they can feel it in their bones', despite that 'still, the world is grey', concluding that even if we 'pave with good intentions'. It's a critical take on naïve optimism. 'Notturno' takes it further and deeper with Still Life's devastating essence, almost on a depressive level. The lyric, though very short, reads almost like a mantra: How deep is this night? Don’t look down. Jump. Leave your fears behind. It's a powerful minimalist piece that is often ambiguous - definitely up for personal interpretation.
And lastly, 'Inconstantinopolis' opens with the deceptively upbeat post-punk groove of 108: Cedar Calling Down. I say “upbeat,” but the lyrics suggest otherwise...: As i rise/higher and higher/Into the calm blue embrace/I swear i can feel it expanding/But i see no god up here'
On 'Off With My Head', steady drums correlated with guitars/bass in a quasi math-rock fashion, gradually unraveling into 'Refused' territory. My favourite part being the bridge part right after the chorus, where the entire band screams 'Off with my head' repeatedly - as if from the distance, which further enhances the intensity.
Without further ado, i'll conclude this review with Miran's words from that interview:
"To question everything, to make your mind, »to focus the camera on yourself«, to stand up, to be yourself, to be responsible in your irresponsibility, to live a life worth living. »To see the colours behind Violet. To walk out of the frames. To wash off the lies. To cross the line. Cross the line. To live. To die no more.« And it made us the persons we are today, and we are happy about it."
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Poslednjih godina često sam vrtio Inconstantinopolis dok sam išao na časove jezika. Svakim slušanjem mi je sve više ulazila pod kožu — dovoljno da napokon napišem nešto o ovom legendarnom bendu.
Analena je bend sa ženskim vokalom koji okuplja članove iz Hrvatske i Slovenije. Ime Analena potiče iz starog sanskrita i prevodi se kao „kao/pored vatre“. Bend je osnovan u Zagrebu 1997. godine od strane Mije, Zeta i Sixa. Prva pevačica bila je Irena, pre nego što se Ana pridružila godinu dana kasnije i postala stalni vokal. Miran — povezan sa Moonlee Records-om, bivšim emocore bendom Man in the Shadow i fanzinom 13.brat — priključuje se kao gitarista 2003. godine. Six odlazi 2006, a posle kraćeg perioda sa privremenim basistom, Ana preuzima i bas, čime se formira postava koja i danas traje.
U intervjuu za DIY Conspiracy, Miran je rekao:
„Tada je bilo mnogo pank bendova sa antiratnom i antinacionalističkom porukom, ali je bilo i ‘pank’ bendova koji su promovisali nacionalističke ideje.“
On je pomenuo i kompilaciju iz 1996. Preko zidova nacionalizma i rata, naglašavajući da se nacionalizam u regionu može i treba prevazići.
Pored koncerata u Hrvatskoj i Sloveniji, svirali su širom Evrope, uključujući nastupe na velikim festivalima poput sada ugašenog Fluff Festa u Češkoj.
Njihova demo kaseta od 4 pesme izlazi 1999, a zatim i debi album Arythmetics (prvo kao 7", a potom na CD-u sa dodatnim pesmama), kao i split sa legendarnim srpskim hardcore bendom .Unison. 2001. godine. Sledeće godine objavljuju split sa austrijskim screamo bendom Sensual Love, pod nazivom It’s Never Too Late To Split Up. Drugi album, Carbon Based, izlazi 2004, dok treći, Inconstantinopolis, izlazi 2009. godine, oba pod okriljem Moonlee Records.
Njihov zvuk obuhvata sirovu energiju panka, emotivne erupcije emoa/screamoa i postojaniji puls post-punka, posebno izražen u kasnijim radovima. Ne plaše se da eksperimentišu fluidnošću post-hardcora. Tekstovi su često apstraktni, minimalistički i nadrealni — umesto direktnih parola koje hardcore tradicionalno koristi. Tematski se bave slobodom, egzistencijom i individualizmom. Anin vokal varira od spoken word-a, čistog pevanja, do vriskova, često kontrastiran Mijinim očajničkim povicima, u stilu Iana MacKaye-a.
U regionu koji se i dalje definiše kroz mačizam, nacionalizam i postratni nihilizam, Analena je stajala kao nešto radikalno drugačije. Nisu bili „samo još jedan screamo bend“ — već transnacionalna, feministička, emotivno pismena sila u sceni gde je još uvek dominirala old school hardcore muževnost. Njihovo prisustvo (posebno Anini tekstovi i vokali) remetilo je norme i unosilo nešto ranjivije, poetskije, politički fluidnije.
Dok su mnogi ex-Yu hardcore bendovi vrištali o nepravdi u što direktnijem obliku, Analena je nudila tekstove koji su bili eliptični, nadrealni, introspektivni. Time njihov uticaj nije bio oslabljen — već produbljen. Dok su drugi nudili parole, oni su nudili otvorene rane. A što je možda najvažnije — nisu bili bend ograničen Balkanom: svirali su, sarađivali, objavljivali preko Moonlee-a, nastupali na Fluffu. Njihova ambicija nije izdavala DIY etiku — redefinisala ju je za posleratnu generaciju. Ako je Unison bio glas srpskog otpora, Analena je bila kriva uspavanka sa granice Hrvatske i Slovenije.
Moji lični favoriti:
Sa debija Arythmetics, naslovna numera odmah kreće sa sirovom, strastvenom produkcijom nalik Eldritch Anisette, dok 'So Real' otvara prostor za Anin bes, koji pojačava gorčinu i devastaciju pesme, podsećajući na klasični ’90s screamo.
Sa split-a sa .Unison., 'The Bow & The Arrow' kombinuje melodičnost i intenzitet, sa prelepim tihim mostom gde Ana peva “Concentrate, concentrate” pre nego što vrisne “RELEASE!” — jedan od najkatarzičnijih trenutaka celog split-a.
Sa It’s Never Too Late To Split Up, numera 'The Metaphorical Approach' donosi najskramzije momente za samo 2:50, na ivici Funeral Diner-a i Portraits of Past. Tekst glasi:
The first three minutes were great just like the beginning of the universe
but then in the end we'll all go up in flames.
Just like fire.
Yes, it will probably happen again.
My history repeats itself.
Yes, I will do it again.
I will spin in the wrong way.
A coward dies a thousand times.
Taj poslednji stih posebno odjekuje — u kontekstu feminističkih korena benda, mogao bi da se preokrene: umiremo hiljadu puta jer smo prinuđeni da potiskujemo ranjivost iznova i iznova.
Na Carbon Based, numera 'Carbon Based Organisms' donosi minimalističku poeziju o individualizmu, dok 'Dream Amplifiers' kritikuje naivni idealizam zahtevajući “we need dream amplifiers to make it louder, so they can feel it in their bones”, ali zaključuje da je “still, the world is grey”. 'Notturno' odlazi još dublje u introspektivu, nalik na Still Life, sa gotovo depresivnim mantričnim stihom: How deep is this night? Don’t look down. Jump. Leave your fears behind.
Na Inconstantinopolis-u, '108: Cedar Calling Down' otvara album lažno optimističnim post-punk groove-om, dok tekst poručuje: As I rise / higher and higher / Into the calm blue embrace / I swear I can feel it expanding / But I see no god up here. 'Off With My Head' se gradi u quasi-math rock maniru, razbijajući se u Refused teritoriju, a najjači deo je most kada ceo bend urla “Off with my head” u daljini — efekat koji samo pojačava intenzitet.
Na kraju, prepustiću završnu reč Miranu iz tog intervjua:
„Propitkivati sve, misliti svojom glavom, »fokusirati kameru na sebe«, ustati, biti svoj, biti odgovoran u svojoj neodgovornosti, živeti život vredan življenja. »Videti boje iza Violet. Izaći iz okvira. Sprati laži. Preći granicu. Preći granicu. Živeti. Ne umirati više.« To nas je učinilo osobama kakve smo danas, i srećni smo zbog toga.“
