Members: Antun Biloš, Igor Kovačević, Siniša Rajković, Tin Kovačić
Related bands: Cog, Dalstroy, This Day Will Burn, Debeli Precjednik, Why Stakla
FFO: Refused, RKL, JR Ewing, Fugazi, The Jesus Lizard
Sizif (taken from Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus) was a supergroup consisting of members of Why Stakla, This Day Would Burn and Debeli Precjednik, formed in Osijek, Croatia in 2008. They would drop their debut album 'Nemoj (Don't)', which was released by the now defunct Dirty Old Label and tour around the country in the span of four years before calling it quits in 2012.
With just nine tracks, Sizif instantly set off in such an awesome way lasting only 21 minutes. Their style in particular are screamo, post-hardcore and some metalcore, especially coming from the Y2K's. It definitely has this old-school vibe. The album exudes an old-school vibe that feels both gritty and authentic. The instrumentals are charged with an infectious vitality, while the vocals deliver from visceral screams to melodic singing.
Tracks like Now, When The Bastards Come, and Screaming Again embody the full-throttle screamo energy that defines much of the album, while songs like Warchild showcase a bluesy undertone that adds depth to their sound. The crossover/thrash elements in Copycat further diversify the album, proving that Sizif wasn't afraid to experiment within their tightly woven punk roots.
In conclusion, Nemoj stands as a raw and passionate post-hardcore/screamo effort from a supergroup that shone brightly, albeit briefly. If you're a fan of old-school emo-punk with a gritty edge, Sizif's Nemoj is a must-listen. A snapshot of a band that, like their namesake, pushed their creative boulder with admirable fervor.
Members: Nemanja Ciric, Pavle Trifunovic, Dimitrije Djuric, Marko Rakic
Related bands: Eaglehaslanded, New Church, New Way Kids, Radost-Stradanje, Sv. Pseta
FFO: Mohinder, Embrace, Unwound, Glassjaw, The Jonbenet, Antioch Arrow, Unsane
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.
In 2026, Suplexx hit the road in support of their debut LP FUCK LIFE, a short, under-20-minute burst of metallic post-hardcore. The record runs through nine tracks, broken up by three noisy industrial interludes from Monosiped, and rarely slows down. There’s a clear lineage here, something in the vein of Unsane or Antioch Arrow, but it leans more into chaos than weight. What really carries it is the vocal delivery, which stays locked into this constant state of self-hatred and internal tension, barely letting up until a brief, almost out-of-nowhere thrash-style flourish at the very end.
Members: Bojan Stanić, Erik Omeragić,Marko Krstevski, Martin Mitevski, Teodora 'Tejka' Vasiljević
Related bands: Emma, Mindless Violence, Omowsky, Палиндром
FFO: Touche Amore, My Iron Lung, Keyes, Daitro
I'm finally taking this opportunity to cover this band, just days after they dropped their latest offerings. They're not the first to from North Macedonia to make wave (shout out to Irritatement!) and certainly won't be the last. But, i am really stoked to be talking about YÖU.
Band photo by Aleksandar Ilijevski
YÖU is a screamo/post-hardcore band from Skopje, North Macedonia, formed in 2015. After a handful of previous punk acts such as Палиндром, Mindless Violence, Omowsky and Emma, YÖU was formed to create something new. They dropped their first debut album "We Sing The Blues..." in 2017, with the help of Deny Records. It was also Martin Mitevski's debut album to perform in before the multiple line-up changes
We Sing The Blues... spans 7 tracks, delivering a raw, emotional punch. The sound is heavily reminiscent of Touche Amore, with traces of Daitro peeking through. The production is on the thin side, especially with the lack of distortion on the guitars, which gives it a similar vibe to At The Drive-In’s Acrobatic Tenement. Despite this, the album has a melancholic, stripped-down energy that really resonated with me. It’s raw, unpolished, but there’s something real there—something solid.
Fast forward 7 years, and YÖU’s newest release, the four-track EP River of Sadness, shows just how much they've evolved. Released through I! Brutalist! Records, their production has deepened, and their songwriting feels more refined, more introspective. The B-side of the EP includes two versions of one of their tracks, featuring guest vocals from Fitz (aka Feetz). One version is their usual screamo sound, while the alternate version, with the drummer Tejka on vocals, is an absolute standout for me. It reminds me a lot of Keyes and Now, Now, leaning into a more melancholic, atmospheric vibe that really hits home.
YÖU remains one of the shining examples of North Macedonia's DIY scene. Their persistence, creativity, and ability to keep dropping solid releases after nearly a decade show that this scene, though small, is filled with bands like YÖU who prove that anything is possible.
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.
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.
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.
FFO: Hiretsukan, Mahria, Obroa-Skai, The Worst Is Yet To Come, Heart On My Sleeve, 125 Rue Montmartre, Vales, Tarkovsky, Dollores
zbrucz is a four-piece band that is freshly formed in Maribor, Slovenia in 2023. Their first lo-fi demo "00" came out in August of that year, followed by their subsequent tours. This year, they self-released their full-length album "Riparia riparia", mixed and mastered by Matic Medja and a magnificent artwork done by Klemen Seliškar.
The album takes a refreshing 20-minute take of late '90s and early 00's emo/screamo, with occassional emoviolencey blast beats, often reminiscing other skramz bands such as The Worst Is Yet To Come, Tarkovsky, Dollores, Mahria, Hiretsukan, Heart On My Sleeve, etc. The album of its entirety is sung in English and Slovenian.
The album opens with an intense burst of energy of '2020 by Shin Guard', combining raw vocals with intricate guitar work. The song sets the tone for the album, showcasing Zbrucz's ability to blend aggression with melody, along with its poetic and confessional lyrical themes, with 'Forty Minute Train Delay' capturing the frustration and anxiety of modern life, 'Flood of Unloved' delving into themes of abandonment and emotional turmoil. 00 serves as a spoken word interlude featuring Kill Kill Kill, providing a moment of reflection amidst the chaos. It's a nod to the band's influences and adds depth to the album's narrative.
Then follows 'Dežujem'(trans. I Am Raining) - the highlight of the album and a fan's favorite. Sung in Slovenian, this song is channeled through an introspective lens while the emotional intensity remains and builds up to the cathartic release before delving to another epic blast beat finale for the last 10 seconds.
Me Vidiš Kot Sem? (trans. "Do You See Me As I Am?"), this track is a raw, honest exploration of identity and self-perception. The band's ability to convey complex emotions through their music is evident here.
Riparia Riparia closes the album on a hopeful note with "Konec Dober, Vse Dobro" (trans. All's Well That Ends Well). The track opens with interchanging spoken words before dissolving to fierce chaos. The imagery of smashing one's head on the concrete floor symbolizes a desperate attempt to escape the mental anguish. The Slovenian lines suggest a hope for a better day and the possibility of reconciliation and renewal. It's a cathartic release and a perfect way to close the album
"Riparia riparia" is a strong debut that captures the essence of late '90s and early '00s emo and screamo, while also carving out its own niche in the genre. Zbrucz's ability to balance intensity with emotion, and chaos with melody, makes this album a compelling listen. The band's influences are clear, but they manage to bring something fresh to the table, making "Riparia riparia" a noteworthy addition to the contemporary emo/screamo scene. For fans of the genre, Zbrucz is definitely a band to watch.
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Zbrucz je četvoročlani bend iz Maribora, Slovenija, formiran 2023. godine. Njihov prvi lo-fi demo "00" objavljen je u avgustu iste godine, nakon čega su usledile i turneje. Ove godine samostalno izdaju svoj debitantski album "Riparia riparia", miksovan i masterovan od strane Matica Medje, uz upečatljiv artwork Klemna Seliškara.
Album u svojih 20 minuta donosi osvežavajući omaž emo/screamo zvuku kasnih devedesetih i ranih dvehiljaditih, uz povremene emoviolence blast beatove, često podsećajući na bendove poput The Worst Is Yet To Come, Tarkovsky, Dollores, Mahria, Hiretsukan i Heart On My Sleeve. Materijal je izvođen na engleskom i slovenačkom jeziku.
Album otvara "2020 by Shin Guard", intenzivan nalet energije koji kombinuje sirove vokale i razrađene gitarske deonice. Pesma postavlja ton celog izdanja, pokazujući sposobnost benda da spoji agresiju i melodiju, uz poetske i ispovedne tekstove. "Forty Minute Train Delay" hvata frustraciju i anksioznost savremenog života, dok "Flood of Unloved" zalazi u teme napuštenosti i emotivnog rasula. "00" funkcioniše kao spoken word interludijum sa Kill Kill Kill, pružajući trenutak predaha i refleksije usred haosa.
Sledi "Dežujem" - vrhunac albuma i favorit publike. Pevana na slovenačkom, pesma je introspektivna, ali zadržava snažan emotivni naboj koji kulminira u katarzičnom oslobađanju, pre nego što se završi kratkim, ali eksplozivnim blast beat finalom.
"Me vidiš kot sem?" donosi sirovu i iskrenu refleksiju identiteta i samopercepcije, još jednom potvrđujući sposobnost benda da kompleksne emocije prenese kroz muziku.
Album se zatvara pesmom "Konec dober, vse dobro", koja nosi notu nade. Počinje smenjivanjem spoken word deonica, da bi se potom raspala u haotičan klimaks. Slika razbijanja glave o beton simbolizuje očajnički pokušaj bekstva od unutrašnje patnje, dok stihovi na slovenačkom nagoveštavaju mogućnost pomirenja i novog početka.
"Riparia riparia" je snažan debi koji hvata suštinu emo i screamo zvuka kasnih devedesetih i ranih dvehiljaditih, ali istovremeno gradi sopstveni identitet. Zbrucz uspešno balansiraju između intenziteta i emocije, haosa i melodije, čineći ovaj album izuzetno zanimljivim slušanjem. Uticaji su jasni, ali bend uspeva da ponudi nešto sveže - što ovo izdanje čini značajnim doprinosom savremenoj emo/screamo sceni.
A split featuring new material from Zbrucz (Maribor, Slovenia) and Falesia (Trieste, Italy) is nothing short of a riveting and intense release.
A year and a half after their debut, Zbrucz return with two tracks that lean into a darker, more somber direction, drawing closer to neocrust and post-metal. The sound is harsher, more abrasive, and emotionally devastating. Delivered in both Slovenian and English, it feels as if they’ve taken cues from Mališa Bahat and pushed them further into heavier territory.
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Split sa novim materijalom bendova Zbrucz (Maribor, Slovenija) i Falesia (Trst, Italija) predstavlja izuzetno intenzivno i upečatljivo izdanje.
Godinu i po dana nakon debija, Zbrucz se vraćaju sa dve pesme koje naginju mračnijem i sumornijem izrazu, približavajući se neocrustu i post-metalu. Zvuk je grublji, abrazivniji i emotivno razarajući. Izvedeno na slovenačkom i engleskom, deluje kao da su preuzeli uticaje Mališa Bahata i odveli ih još dalje u teži, masivniji zvuk.
FFO: Daitro, Daighlia, La Quiete, Loma Prieta, Portraits of Past
It's 2016. It's this particular time period when Croatia's Mališa Bahat came to prominence in the DIY world with their six-track demo EP "Moments We're Lost In" which made itself a landmark at the time.
Bandcamp profile picture
What i would basically describe this EP as nothing short of passionate but full of excessive agitation. Anguished vocals over melancholic hardcore punk frenzy shine through. It is so packed with an abundance of elements of screamo from France, USA, Germany and Japan.
Mališa Bahat acted as the part of resurgence wave of Ex-Yu Emo/Screamo, along with Serbia's eaglehaslanded and Bosnia's Deer In The Headlights. The debut hit the DIY world with the storm, followed by numerous shows in Europe (such as Fluff Fest and Miss The Stars) and Southeast Asia following the split releases of ZMAR and Old Soul in the next few years.
Then 2020 happened. The pandemic, along with personal matter among members happened which left little news from the band. The songwriting started throughout the pandemic and then stretched through five long years before its completion. Then in 2024, their full-length album "Lovers. Loners. Losers.", recorded by Nikad's Ivan Jakic and mastered by Orchid' Will Killingsworth. The tracks in here are more complex and less explosive than their previous efforts and the quality is top-notch and timeless. The dual vocals here are more in sync and cleverly placed, the songwriting here are definitely nuanced and the drumming is perfectly balanced between frenetic and subtle, which never gets old. Not to mention the clapping part in "Mother's Words" being the highlight that is bringing us together.
The reason why their debut full-length carries on very well is the lyrical theme that comes along with it. True to the name, "Lovers. Loners. Losers." deal with themes of personal and societal struggle, regret and introspection of all things. The fact that a sample from Leaving Las Vegas (1996) with Nicolas Cage is included in "Open The Last Bottle" makes so much sense and with the epic, devastatingly beautiful title closer, everything comes down together, dealing with themes of disillusionment, a search for identity and being haunted by choices.
Mališa Bahat just started touring around the Balkans this year. They were supposed to tour Europe with Piri Reis, but unfortunately the latter encountered many problems with the tour and had to postpone it for some other time, there Malisa's had to tour all by themselves. I am invited to perform in Sofia (June 25th) and in Novi Sad (June 29th). If you happen to be in any of these places, PLEASE DON'T MISS OUT THEIR SHOWS!
