Melkior Tresicz was a short-lived project formed in Sisak, Croatia in March 2016. The band took its name from the protagonist of Ranko Marinković’s Cyclops (1965), immediately signaling a certain introspective and existential undertone. The trio consisted of members active in other local acts such as Mališa Bahat, Lyon Sonny, Mortar, and Starvation.
In 2017, they self-recorded a six-track demo EP during a live performance at Močvara. The result captures the band in its rawest state.
Musically, Melkior Tresicz leaned toward a dark, brooding form of neocrust-inflected screamo. The drumming is tight and urgent, guitars somber and restrained, while high-pitched vocals cut sharply through the mix with palpable anguish. The production is raw - drums upfront, guitars partially buried, vocals dominant, but that imbalance reinforces the intensity rather than weakening it.
Their sound evokes the emotional severity of Ekkaia and early European screamo such as Inkwell, while retaining the heavier undercurrent of crust and hardcore.
Brief and obscure, Melkior Tresicz stands as another overlooked fragment of the Croatian DIY underground from the mid-2010s.
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Melkior Tresicz je bio kratkotrajan projekat formiran u Sisku, Hrvatska, u martu 2016. godine. Ime benda preuzeto je od glavnog lika romana Kiklop (1965) Ranka Marinkovića, što je već u startu nagovestilo introspektivnu i egzistencijalnu notu. Trio su činili članovi aktivni u drugim lokalnim bendovima poput Mališa Bahat, Lyon Sonny, Mortar i Starvation.
Godine 2017. samostalno su snimili demo EP sa šest pesama tokom live nastupa u Močvari. Snimak beleži bend u njegovom najsirovijem obliku.
Muzički, Melkior Tresicz se kretao ka mračnoj, turobnoj varijanti screama sa izraženim neocrust uticajima. Bubnjevi su zategnuti i urgentni, gitare sumorne i suzdržane, dok visoki vokali seku kroz miks sa opipljivom teskobom. Produkcija je sirova - bubnjevi su u prvom planu, gitare delimično potisnute, vokali dominantni, ali taj disbalans pojačava intenzitet umesto da ga oslabi.
Njihov zvuk priziva emotivnu težinu benda Ekkaia i ranog evropskog screama poput Inkwell, uz zadržavanje težeg, crust i hardcore podtona.
Kratkog daha i relativno neprimećen, Melkior Tresicz ostaje još jedan fragment hrvatskog DIY undergrounda sredinom 2010-ih.
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.
My oh my, so much has passed this year. So many amazing releases it's been pretty difficult to choose. For this year, i've compiled a list of releases that i really liked so far and wanted to share with you all.
Members: Stefan Ćirić, Nemanja Ćirić, Djidji Kjajić
Related bands: Sv. Pseta, New Church, New Way Kids, радост-страдање
FFO: Eyelet, The Usual, Potence, Caust, Danse Macabre, Ekkaia, Idiedthisfebruary
Around the Y2K's in Serbia, Novi Sad has Reflections of Internal Rain. A decade later, Eaglehaslanded blossomed its way in Belgrade. The Ćirić brothers, who are born Serbian, spent their lives growing up in Russia, thus jokingly referring themselves to be from Russia, which flew over people's heads.
I've got this opportunity to see them for the first time in the defunct club Žica, along with No Omega and ROIR, especially for it being a screamo punk show. They were absolutely going fucking wild for it and everyone freaked out. It was definitely an experience for me and i've been frequenting their shows over the years. They've been extensively touring until parting ways in 2017. Nemanja would play in Sv. Pseta and New Church while Stefan does his tattooing business.
One of my favorite pics i took from them.
So far, Eaglehaslanded had released their Demo in 2012, an EP "eternal sleep of never ending nightmare" and an 8-bit album "Bringing the pizza home" in 2013, their self-titled 7" in 2014, and another self-titled 7" in 2016. They also did splits with Les deux minutes de la haine, FoxmoulderCult of Pythagoras and finally, Left To Starve. I think i've bought almost every release there is to find, except for the first two releases and the one with Foxmoulder.
My semi-complete collection of EHL discography, 2018.
Eaglehaslanded used to play, in their words "street screamo". What i hear is in the vein of raw and chaotic metallic neocrust genre and have a knack of including their instrumental 8-bit compositions as intros or interludes. Most of the songs are sung in English, Russian and Serbian. If i would pick a few favorite songs, it would be "College Girl" for its use of samples from an iconic Emir Kusturica movie, building up to frantic-panic breakdowns for 1:35, the pure desperation in "Mora Samo Da Se Umre", the solemn melancholy of semi-instrumental "Raul and Julia (Lizards and Queens)" for the good 4 minutes and the amazing closure of "Mirage" featuring the vocalist of Les deux minutes de la haine.
Eaglehaslanded was definitely something special—a band that brought raw intensity and emotion to every show, blending cultures, languages, and genres into their unique take on screamo. Their music wasn’t just chaotic; it was a powerful reflection of the underground scene in Serbia and beyond. From the blistering energy of their live performances to their eclectic discography, Eaglehaslanded left a lasting imprint on those who experienced their sound. Even though they parted ways in 2017, their legacy remains a vital piece of Serbia's punk and screamo history, and for those of us who were there, it’s a memory all of us won’t soon forget.
Members:Petar Žutić (guitar), Ivan Sabo (guitar, vocals), Nebojša Ćato (drums), Ivan Gačević (vocals), Nikola Crvenković (bass, vocals)
Related bands: 3D Roshava Pipe, Ground Zero, Shoplifters
Labels: Fast 'n' Easy Records, Geenger Records, Good Samaritan Records, Shitpiece Records, SKC Records, Strikedown Records.
FFO: Ekkaia, Fall of Efrafa, His Hero Is Gone, Tragedy
Oh man, i don't know where to begin. This band, given where they came from and all, is definitely something, like an unforgiving, benevolent force. And i admit, i haven't seen them that much, but i had luck seeing them live along with No Omega and Eaglehaslanded back in September 2013, taking place at a once defunct club called Panic Room Žica. It is one of my very first time attending a hardcore show, so when ROIR came along, their set commenced a mosh pit, which shook me to the absolute core. I have never seen such ferocity of atmosphere coming at me like that. It was definitely one of the unforgettable experience.
Formed in 2004, they released a demo EP "Across This Emptiness" in 2005, as well as a split with a Russian band Rededrang, before releasing their debut LP "Last Flood" in 2009. The LP contains 14 track barrage of apocalyptic guitar melodic, throat shredding vocals, rhythmic military machine gun drums with vocals dealing with topics of trauma, given from a country with a rich history of trauma, as well as their dedication to a friend who passed away in Stefan Ilincic in 2007. Their music has gained popularity in its local Novi Sad scene and has garnered attention outside Serbia, as well as extensive touring across Europe.
Throughout their touring, they have released a split release with a fellow neocrust band from Banja Luka, Deer In The Headlights in 2011. However, due to an apparent dispute, each of them re-released their respective sides, with ROIR titling the EP as "Answers"in the following year, before falling into a near-decade of deep hiatus.
The EP exhales a bit of fresh air into the screamo territory, almost leaning into elements of Raein, Amanda Woodward and Daitro while keeping up with their neo-crust roots. It keeps up with being more brutal, unforgiving and visceral while closing with a revised and longer version of "Roir Barmy Army".
Note: This segment is taken from my review on behalf of DIYConspiracy.com
After nearly a decade of absence, the ROIR team has awoken from their hibernation and come back stronger than ever with their latest release titled "Eight". A six track EP packed with a lot of conciseness, care and a few deep punches. According to the band, the titleEightrefers to a member’s parent’s eight-month battle with cancer, so the lyrical content takes a deep dive into that experience, an experience so harrowing it’s overwhelming with despair.
With the exception of the EP’s final song, “Overcoming The Silence,” which laments:
Tired of feeling broken, abandoned, wanted to believe that nothing has changed, that everyone will stay the same.
But then ROIR proceeds to take a few steps further to acceptance and clarity, followed with:
My lungs full of clean air, moment of clarity and overcoming of the silence. Nothing’s going to stay the same, this is the last time I pull the strings to my own arms.
This is an EP that is set to grow on you for good reason. ROIR’s release is a celebration of humanity’s most vulnerable moments in life, giving the ability to grieve, accept and move on.
And that is the end of ROIR's discography so far. Given that they're the only neocrust to come out of Serbia who has managed to influence a lot of bands from the region, i highly salute them and root for them to continue with their craft and inspire as many people in and out of their scene as much as they can. This is without the doubt one of the influential acts in the region.
