5. SIJAMSKI BLIZANAC – PLASTIKA
SIJAMSKI BLIZANAC is a short, explosive burst of female-fronted d-beat hardcore from Zagreb. Clocking in at barely 15 minutes, the album wastes no time in delivering raw, visceral punk energy, with each track hitting like a thunderclap. Every instrument is dialled up to maximum capacity, resulting in a perfect example of modern Balkan hardcore punk: short, fast, and relentless.
Full review coming soon…
Where to Find Them
- Instagram: @plastika.zghc
- Bandcamp: listen & support on Bandcamp
4. 5G – DINOSMASHERS
The album cover tells you everything you need to know before pressing play — 5G is loud, unhinged, and overflowing with satire. I stumbled across this one with zero context, barely any info online, and no expectations — and it blew me away…
Pumping synths and mind-numbingly repetitive hooks lock you into its rhythm straight away. It sits somewhere between synth-punk, new rave, and Fat Dog-style dance-floor hysteria, with lyrics that poke fun at conspiracies and modern paranoia. It’s not a million miles away from Viagra Boys in spirit, even if the sound itself goes in a more electronic direction.
All in all, it’s a refreshing and frantic blast of synth-punk energy from Croatia.
Full review coming soon…
Where to Find Them
- Instagram: @dinosmasherz
- Bandcamp: listen & support on Bandcamp
3. Haragma II – Exterior Palnet
Seven years in the making, Haragma II marks a major step forward for Zagreb-based black metal outfit Exterior Palnet. Their sophomore release expands on the dissonant foundations of Dorsia, pushing further into avant-garde territory while maintaining a strong sense of cohesion.
The tracks are dense, technical, and relentlessly chaotic. And yet beneath the wall of sound, you’ll find genuinely addictive guitar riffs, precise drumming, and growled vocals that feel truly apocalyptic. It’s an otherworldly and maniacal experience that has been meticulously crafted through complex arrangements and imaginative songwriting.
Full review coming soon…
Where to Find Them
- Bandcamp: listen & support on Bandcamp
2. Bura – Raphael Rogiński & Ružičnjak Tajni
Released by Instant Classic in June 2025, Bura is the outcome of Rogiński’s collaboration with the group Ružičniak Tajni, featuring Svetlana Spajić, Marina Džukljev, and Tijana Golubović. Recorded in Serbia in late 2024, the album draws from reconstructed traditional Serbian songs alongside Rogiński’s own compositions.
Bura is a carefully realised project that succeeds in creating a strong folkloric landscape. The production is clear and spacious, allowing each element to breathe, resulting in performances that feel delicate, atmospheric and incantatory.
Full review coming soon…
Where to Find Them
- Instagram: @raphael_roginski
- Bandcamp: listen & support on Bandcamp
1. In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper – Širom
Širom return with In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper, their fifth album and most fully realised statement to date. Following 2022’s The Liquified Throne of Simplicity, the Slovenian trio once again prove why they remain one of the most remarkable experimental folk projects in Europe.
In my opinion, Curls Upon the Neck, Ribs Upon the Mountain is the album’s emotional core. What begins as a mournful, melancholic folk meditation gradually mutates into something far darker and more dystopian. The violin work is delicately devastating, eventually giving way to grandiose textures that recall the tension-building crescendos of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. It’s frightening, beautiful, and utterly compelling, only getting better upon each subsequent listen.
In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper is a mesmerising listen — easily the strongest album of the year from the former Yugoslav region so far, and a genuine contender for album of the year on a global level. It’s fearless, uncompromising, and deeply moving. Širom continue to operate in a world entirely their own, and no one comes close to touching it.
Full review coming soon…
Where to Find Them
- Instagram: @siromband
- Bandcamp: listen & support on Bandcamp
