Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Various Artists
Label: Dallas Records
Released: 2006
This time, in the spirit of good neighborly relations, it’s the turn of a Croatian compilation of “underground” metal bands. So let’s forget the disputes that the political bigwigs on both sides are stoking anyway. But politics aside! What matters is the music, and if it can bring the Slovenian and Croatian metal communities closer together, all the better.
We’ve got 19 tracks served up by 11 Croatian bands, mostly pretty unknown ones. Each band chipped in one or two tracks. Releasing the metal compilation New Underground is definitely a very bold move by Dallas, and it has surely contributed, at least to some extent, to the growth of Croatian metal. Why don’t the bigger labels here at home have that kind of ear for metal? I’d rather not ask myself… All the more reason to appreciate the release of the compilation New Order (Volume 1 and 2) by the Slovenian metal label On Parole!
Why did I put the word underground in quotation marks at the start? Because first up on the compilation are Father from Rijeka, who are already racking up serious success and praise both at home and abroad. These Rijeka champions and saviors of Croatian metal kick things off with the excellent Chigla Pegla. The compilation’s heaviest hitter strikes again in the second half of the record with the track Machina. Father are definitely a very promising name, and in an age flooded with metalcore bands, their mix of alternative and progressive metal is pretty original and distinctive.
The more brutal side of the compilation is represented by E.N.D. (Evil Never Dies) from Zadar and Father’s fellow Rijeka natives, Downfall. Hats off to E.N.D., who recently had to deal with the death of a band member, but perseverance beat sorrow, and they show up on the compilation with the tracks Broken World and Pointless Revelation, which sit close to thrash/melodic death. Downfall from Rijeka carry on in a similar vein with the tracks Second and B.l.e.a.k. Not long ago Downfall were playing something very close to Finland’s Children of Bodom, but this time they sound far more original, with progressive elements, atmospheric keyboards and great riffs. Second is definitely one of the compilation’s better tracks.
Koziak from Split, with the tracks Your Final Sunset and Down to Zero, come closest to melodic death metal too, even though both tracks are structurally pretty simple. I’m mainly thinking of the average riffs and the hackneyed solos of the Gothenburg school. Down to Zero is even very close to the new-era In Flames (the albums Soundtrack to Your Escape and Come Clarity).
Mahatma, with the tracks Visitor and Let Life, mark a considerable departure from the compilation’s metal vibe. Still, it’s pretty high-quality art post-grunge that most reminds me of something like Tool. Mention Tool and it automatically means seriously atmospheric stuff, and Mahatma don’t lack that either.
One Piece Puzzle are a band you either like or you don’t. There’s no middle ground. Personally, they just… don’t click for me. It’s a weird blend of electronics with strange, screeching female vocals, which maybe recalls something like Marilyn Manson or Mortiis the most.
Mental Harakiri left me cold with the tracks Marching to the Beat and Marathon. Metalcore mixed with hardcore, and awfully average at that, just isn’t my thing.
Dead By Mistake would also be hard to file under metal… Because, put simply, it’s your run-of-the-mill emo core whining. I haven’t heard such awful clean vocals in a long time. The singer really sounds like he’s about to burst into tears any second, or like he’s carrying all the pain of the world on his shoulders. Professionalism or not, Dead By Mistake are without a doubt the worst part of this compilation.
Sentiment present themselves with the ballad I’m Sorry. It’s listenable but pretty average. The gothic rockers show promise, but for what a truly great ballad sounds like, you could check out Sweden’s Evergrey and their song of the same name. I’m Sorry was also a single from the New Underground record.
The stoner band from Zagreb, with the track Desert City Lights, come closest to something like Queens of the Stone Age. It’s definitely interesting stoner rock with a slow tempo, a raw sound and good arrangements. At seven minutes, Desert City Lights is also the longest track on the compilation.
F.E.B.R.A. from Dubrovnik are yet another example of average metalcore, with the track In Scar.
New Underground is definitely a release worth praising. Mostly because a big label decided to put out a “metal” compilation. Croatia has a big pool of bands, even though the ones featured on this record mostly lean toward the more commercially listened-to genres, metalcore above all. Father are surely the best band on the record, while Downfall and E.N.D. show promise too. This compilation is surely one of the signs that there’s no need to worry about the Croatian metal scene. I’m waiting for New Underground 2, where we might find some Heavy, Thrash and Death bands.
Tracklist
1. Father – Chigla Pegla
2. E.N.D. – Broken World
3. Downfall – Second
4. Koziak – Your Final Sunset
5. Mahatma – Visitor
6. One Piece Puzzle – Ona Prima Ljudski
7. Mental Harakiri – Marching to the Beat
8. Dead By Mistake – In This Lullaby
9. Sentiment – I’m Sorry
10. Good Day To Die – Desert City Lights
11. Mahatma – Let Life
12. Father – Machina
13. One Piece Puzzle – Superveshmashina
14. Downfall – B.l.e.a.k.
15. E.N.D. – Pointless Revelation
16. Koziak – Down To Zero
17. Mental Harakiri – Marathon
18. F.E.B.R.A. – In Scar
19. Dead By Mistake – Treasure Every Moment
