The second album from the Belgrade outfit, EKV, marked a clear rebirth. With founding member Mihajlović gone – taking the name Katarina II with him – the band re-emerged as Ekatarina Velika. They also lost drummer Vdović (citing drug issues), but gained Luna’s powerhouse Ivan “Firchie” Fece, whose propulsive drumming helps drive much of the album’s renewed energy.
Released in 1985, this self-titled record captures a band in transition: more confident, theatrical, and sonically ambitious. The momentum from widespread touring is audible, and visually, the cover (arranged by Dušan Gerzić) doubles down on the intensity, with the band appearing in Native American ritual body paint – a reference to the third track, Tatoo.
Highlights include the atmospheric introduction of Oči Boje Meda, which instantly showcases Milan’s rich, theatrical vocals floating over a dark bass-line and shimmering keys from Magi. It’s pure gothic post-punk, evoking the early sounds of The Cure. On Zaboravi Ovaj Grad, the band doubles down on that formula with lush new wave textures.
Tatoo erupts with synth and bass before exploding into something that wouldn’t sound out of place on a pop-rock Cars track – catchy, punchy, and stylish. For me, it also wouldn’t sound amiss on the Samo Par Godina Za Nas record, highlighting the foundations the band were laying here. Meanwhile, Hodaj leans into surrealism. It’s slightly experimental in a way that hints at the band’s previous ventures.
The darker cuts of gothic rock are where the band’s vision truly clicks. Ruke is otherworldly and poetic. Olovne Godine builds tension beautifully, with synth and bass swirling around Milan’s dramatic vocal lines. And then there’s I’ve Always Loved You, which begins like a fever dream with whispered vocals before unraveling into distorted, noisy chaos – complete with shrieking vocals and dark, circus-like keys creating the ultimate disintegration. It’s edgy and slightly unpolished, but there’s charm to be found in that rawness.
In short, Ekatarina Velika isn’t perfect, but it’s an essential document of a band in transition. It’s gothic, dramatic, and original. Their second chapter is raw, yet scattered with hits, and hints of their future masterpieces.
