WISH YOU THE BEST

Location: Serbia

Year active: 2025

Members: ?

Related bands: ?

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.

TECHNICOLOR LIES

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2011 - 2018

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.

Žudnja

Location: Novi Sad, Serbia

Year active: 2015 - 2018

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.

EVA RAS

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2016 - 2025

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.

Završiti je albumom delovalo je nužno.

Ovo nije pauza niti najava nečega novog.

Eva Ras je završena.

It was nice to meet you.

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Bilo nam je lepo upoznati.

MUERTO RICO

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2014 - 2019

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.

BANCAMP

UBILI SU BATLERA

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2021 - ?????

Members: Damjan Vitorović, Luka Lazarević, Matija Ilić, Relja Blagojević

Related bands: ????

FFO: Free Throw, Joyce Manor, The World Is A Beautiful Place, Snowing, Casper Elgin

I've following this band for quite some time now and it is about time that they've released an official debut EP for us to hear. Before that, lemme tell you all on how i found out about this Belgrade-based band from the beginning.

Photo by me

Back in 2022, the frontman guitartist/vocalist Luka dropped a two-track EP 'avgust' under the moniker Luch0 on Bandcamp. The tracks in question are instrumental math-rock/post-hardcore demonstration of his skills. At the time adding it to my list, i didn't realize that he was connected to the Butlers until he contacted me via their IG page. He was admittedly surprised and validated to find his stuff on there, given that he completely forgot about the project. That’s how far back this band quietly existed in the background, slowly crafting something more solid.

Anyway, Ubili su Batlera (trans. They killed the butler) was founded in 2021. They shared demos around YT or somewhere else and started performing around 2022. I actually had the luck to see them twice while reporting the gigs on here in between January and February 2024, especially when they released their first track 'Utorkom, ponekad' (trans. Sometimes on Tuesdays), as part of Hali Gali Kompilacija Vol. 2.

That track alone was a standout. A booming bassline leads the way, with swirls of guitar drenched in emotional nuance. The vocals walk the tightrope between anguish and resignation, held together by steady, deliberate drums. The lyrics hover between existential dread and emotional loyalty:

“U svojoj glavi držim eter
a u rukama prazninu,”

“Biću tvoj nezaposleni ortak utorkom
Biću tvoj poslednji pas u trci s vremenom.”

Then the breaking point:

“Ovde nema nikog
Nikog osim nas...”

It’s an anthem for those fighting quiet battles, trying to make presence mean something again.

Now, fast forward to May 2025: the band drops their long-awaited self-titled EP, recorded between February and March at Down There Studio, with cover artwork by Milica Berić.

Its opener 'Novi Svet' gets the listeners hyped up in pure 'Twinkle Daddies' fashion,  only 1:40 long, but it delivers that punchy, glittering introduction. It only continues with 'Smrt i Filozofije Palanke', merging twinkly guitars with pop punk elements and catchy hooks. My favorite being the next track 'Jedan! Dva!! Tri!!!' where the melody gets more infectious and It hits with a stream-of-consciousness urgency, pairing emotional volatility with vivid summer imagery:

“Opet samoća 

I ideje koje stvorilo je avgustovsko sunce”

“Svaka reč će 

na julskom suncu da ispari.”

Even lines like this carry a poetic weight that feels honest and unfiltered:

“I svaki korak koji naprave 

ove ofucane patike

u jednom smeru vode me

Bez cilja, ali iz potrebe”

The last one being the alt-rock-ish 'Ko Nema u Glavi¿'  where things seem to slow down a little, going straight to the alt. rock route. Think Dinosaur Jr. if filtered through a modern emo lens, less about fuzz and more about that 90s brand of youthful burnout. The unexpected trumpet adds a sense of dramatic finality that works way better than expected.

While many bands from this region tend to lean on trendy aesthetics without depth, Ubili su Batlera are a rare exception. Their music isn’t just stylish—it’s deeply lived-in. There’s an authenticity in their writing that makes them feel essential. They're in fact one of the few bands, whose songwritings actually carry justice in an otherwise the quasi 'emo-free' region. 

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Pratim ovaj bend već neko vreme i došao je trenutak da konačno imamo njihov zvanični debi EP pred sobom. Ali hajde prvo da ispričam kako sam ih uopšte otkrio.

Još 2022. godine, frontmen Luka (gitara/vokal) izbacio je dvotrekovni EP avgust pod pseudonimom Luch0 na Bandcampu. Te stvari su bile instrumentalni math-rock/post-hardcore showcase njegovih veština. Kad sam ih dodao na listu, nisam ni kapirao da ima veze sa Batlerima, dok mi se nije javio preko njihovog Instagram naloga. Bio je prijatno iznenađen i pomalo oduševljen što sam iskopao taj materijal, jer je i sam bio zaboravio na njega. To vam govori koliko je ova priča tinjala dugo u pozadini, dok nisu sklopili nešto ozbiljnije.

Ubili su Batlera (prev. They killed the butler) nastali su 2021. godine. Demosi su kružili po YouTube-u i ko zna gde sve, a svirke su krenule 2022. Imao sam sreće da ih vidim dva puta uživo, u januaru i februaru 2024, dok sam izveštavao sa koncerata – taman u trenutku kada su izbacili prvu pesmu Utorkom, ponekad, kao deo Hali Gali Kompilacije Vol. 2.

Ta stvar je odmah iskočila. Bas otvara, ogroman i pulsirajući, oko njega gitare pune emotivnih nijansi, dok vokali balansiraju između rezignacije i očaja, a bubnjevi ih drže čvrsto i promišljeno. Tekstovi lebde negde između egzistencijalnog očaja i odane bliskosti:

“U svojoj glavi držim eter

a u rukama prazninu,”

“Biću tvoj nezaposleni ortak utorkom

Biću tvoj poslednji pas u trci s vremenom.”

Pa onda kulminacija:

“Ovde nema nikog

Nikog osim nas...”

Himna za sve one tihe borce koji pokušavaju da povrate smisao samim svojim postojanjem.

Fast forward – maj 2025. Bend konačno izbacuje istoimeni EP snimljen u februaru i martu u Down There Studio, sa omotom Milice Berić.

Otvara ga Novi svet – čisti “Twinkle Daddies” momenat. Kratko, 1:40, ali direktno u čelo, svetlucavo i energično. Sledeća, Smrt i filozofije palanke, prepliće twinkly gitare sa pop-punk elementima i zaraznim refrenima. Meni lično favorit dolazi odmah posle – Jedan! Dva!! Tri!!!. Melodija tu kulminira, sa stream-of-consciousness urgencijom, ljetnjim slikama i emotivnim haosom:

“Opet samoća

I ideje koje stvorilo je avgustovsko sunce”

“Svaka reč će

na julskom suncu da ispari.”

Čak i jednostavne slike nose težinu:

“I svaki korak koji naprave

ove ofucane patike

u jednom smeru vode me

Bez cilja, ali iz potrebe.”

Poslednja stvar, Ko nema u glavi¿, vuče više na alt-rock, malo usporenija, kao da svesno pravi otklon. Pomišljaš na Dinosaur Jr. kroz savremeni emo filter – manje fuzz-a, više tog ’90s osećaja mladalačkog sagorevanja. Truba u završnici je potpuno neočekivana, ali daje pesmi teatralan kraj koji legne savršeno.

Za razliku od mnogih bendova iz regiona koji često skliznu u estetiku bez suštine, Ubili su Batlera odišu autentičnošću. Njihove pesme nisu samo “stajliš” – one se osećaju proživljeno. Njihov songwriting ima težinu, iskrenost i smisao, nešto što retko ko u ovoj kvazi “emo-free” zoni ume da ponudi.

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ZOMBIE ANIMAL

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 1999 - ?????

Members: Boris Milić, Tina Stupar

Related bands: MLEV, Mob Law, Tone

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.

ZOMBIE ANIMAL - MILIĆ (2006)

SUPLEXX

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2024 - Current

Members: Nemanja Ciric

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

FFO: Mohinder, Embrace, Unwound, Glassjaw 

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

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

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

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

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

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

BANDCAMP

Eaglehaslanded

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2012 - ?????

Members: Stefan Ćirić, Nemanja Ćirić, Djidji Kjajić

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

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

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

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

One of my favorite pics i took from them.

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

My semi-complete collection of EHL discography, 2018.

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

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

BANDCAMP

IDIEDTHISFEBRUARY

Location: Novi Sad, Serbia

Year active: 2023 - Ongoing

Members: Em Drakulic, Luka Salak, Stefan Duka

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 All my flowers wither as I turn into a slob

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

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

DEMO

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

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

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

THESE FADING DAYS

give.me.the.gun.

Location: Novi Sad, Serbia

Year active: 2021 - Ongoing

Members: Stefan Duka

Label: Self-released, Khya Records

Related bands: Idiedthisfebruary, Labud

FFO: Jeromes Dream, Usurp Synapse, Combatwoundedveteran, Merzbow, Atrax Morgue, sueisntfine

As i was filming and editing a live set for Labud, i took myself a trip down the memory lane and recalled one of Duka's first projects that i discovered back in 2021. I remember trying to reach out to him via Bandcamp to no avail and then happened to accidentally meet him at AKAB Okretnica some time later. It was up to that point when he revealed himself to be behind this project that made me completely flabbergasted. And i am definitely glad that i met him.

give.me.the.gun., a ghastly lo-fi emo/noisecore hybrid came to mind. A solo project that is nothing short of ferocious. As of 2024, the project had released two EPs and a split release so far.

His debut EP "selected.recordings.", consists of 5 tracks with diverse styles within the lo-fi production. Tracks like 'Whyhavealifewhenyouhavetheinternet', 'xepoj' and 'mr.coathangersayshello' serve themselves as the most harrowing form of lo-fi emoviolence/noisecore. Distanced, amateurish, but soulcrushing and cathartic production within the mist of grainy noise further compliments the raw aspects of the DIY Hardcore punk aesthetics, while 'wakingupfromacomain2001' and 'carpemortem' backs up the short-timed skramz offerings with screeching, pulsating and disturbingly long noise compositions ala Merzbow and Hanatarash, making up a half-an-hour runtime for this magnificent rollercoaster ride of an EP.

This kind of quality continues in the form of a 2023 split with Eva Ras titled 'Similar Genes, Distant Relatives' with 3 tracks and a cover. His side starts with a melancholic instrumental opener 'Burning Bridges', succeeding with screeching 50-second noisecore/emoviolence 'Hello, I Hate Myself'. Ironically, another screeching noisy interlude 'New Year, Old Me' gives the listener a 2-minute break before finally concluding his side with his I Wrote Haikus cover.

Halfway through the year, GMTG dropped another EP titled 'Worm (oh, it's a dreadful life)'. Only this time we're hearing a more upfront and less abstract production, but still maintaining the lo-fi aspect. The first three tracks border on the influences between Jeromes Dream, Usurp Synapse (for its punchy compression in 'I think you don't love me anymore') and Combatwoundedveteran, with the exception of a post-rockish instrumental 'left' rocking with Unwoundish inflections as the calm ambient soars for 2 minutes before finally closing with an interlude cover of Novi Sad's cult Neocrust Reflections of Internal Rain. The band is definitely influential to Duka's contributions to this project and other bands that follow.

In conclusion, give.me.the.gun. is one of the most promising solo projects i've ever come across in my lifetime. Its entire discography and Duka's contribution to the scene gives hope to the other up and coming newcomers to Novi Sad scene and hopefully influences the rest of Ex-Yu. I am looking forward for this projects' further releases in the future. MAKE VOJVODINA EMO AGAIN.

Plus Life

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Year active: 2005 - 2007

Members: Boško Miljušković (guitar), Igor Uzelac (guitar), Stevan Ćirović (drums), Stefan Unković (vocals), Vladimir Lekić (bass), Marko Stevanović Sicke - drums

Related bands: Dol, HomeSickHome, Jaibo!, Let's Grow, Lollobrigida, Seine, Straigh Mickey and The Boyz, Stray Dogg, Subout, Radost!, Roza, Tough Guys of America, Turisti, VVhile, Škrtice

Labels: Ha-Ko Bastards Records

FFO: Admiral, After Words, Assfactor 4, Chino Horde, Merel

Plus Life was a short-lived band with a span of two years of its activity. Formed in the capital of Belgrade, the quintet banded together to release their debut EP "Modern Life Mathematics in 2006. It was rumoured that the new material was in the works, however that never came to fruition and then the band called it quits in 2007. Afterwards, a few band members went on to play in various different bands (see related bands).

Their debut EP "Modern Life Mathematics" consists of 6 tracks of unnerving dissonant and fastened post-hardcore tensions, completely reminiscent of 2nd wave of emo, especially ones from Dischord and/or Ebulition Records. Although it relies a bit too much into hardcore (shouts and all) and comes off a bit of a cliche and dated, especially in the year 2006, it is cool to hear the old-school 90's emo in their songwriting. An underrated discovery.

LISTEN TO THE EP HERE.

DOWNLOAD HERE.

Reflections of Internal Rain

Location: Novi Sad, Serbia

Year active: 2004 - active

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 title Eight refers 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.