Jan. 17, 2022, 8:17 p.m.
The latest Doomed To Extinction Records release is a 5 band compilation cassette representing a thriving hardcore punk scene in Yugoslavia circa 1980's. Here we have bands that did not come out of major cities (“Punk was all over smaller cities and towns, even villages. I remember seeing punk graffiti in places such as Visoko. Fanzines were coming out of places like Sisak, Subotica, and Slavonska Požega”- Boris of Doboj's hardcore band Fuck The Army).While most of the bands on the tape had their music on various Yugoslav compilations back in the 1980's, this release is especially interesting. It contains only bands from Socialist Federal Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to Ženevski Dekret's Golub, “The idea of releasing only current hardcore bands from Bosnia/Herzegovina was great, and the name of the release was quite prophetic knowing what happened a few years later”.
The bands represented here are: WSW, A.W.O.L., and Terminatori (all from Banja Luka), Dissidents (from Prijedor), and Ženevski Dekret (from Mostar).
All songs were recorded in 1986. Ženevski Dekret recorded in Ljubljana at Borut Činč's studio, known for recording many punk bands at the time. The lineup was: Kokić- vocals, Kuzma- guitar, Golub- bass, Toča- drums. The remaining bands all recorded at WSW practice room during a show held there. Late Dražen Zarić of WSW was one of the driving forces of the regional punk scene at the time. He did a zine called “Istočna Fronta”, and also ran a distro. His band WSW formed in 1984. One of their songs from the compilation was recorded live in Ljubljana at the hardcore fešta Ni starhu. Later a VHS of the same name was released, as well as a compilation cassette tape “Čudesa ne bo”. For some mysterious reason, the WSW set did not get put on either of the releases. “They were not any better nor worse than any other bands that played that night” (ie Tožibabe, III Kategorija, Patareni, SOR...)- Golub, Ženevski Dekret.
Dissidents formed in Prijedor in 1986. Their songs on here were taken from their first demo. They did 3 demos total. “About 80% of my fanzines, records, demos, and tapes were destroyed, lost, or stolen during the war”- Samir/ Sexy, Dissidents). Lineup: Eka- drums, Dušan (Dule Kengur)- guitar, Amir/Serđo- bass, Samir- vocals.
Unfortunately, most recordings, poster, flyers, and zines documenting the scene were lost or destroyed during the 90s wartime. During the process of putting the tape out, it was a big challenge tracking down members of the bands. Only 2 of them still live back in Bosnia and Croatia. The remaining ones are scattered within the UK to Sweden, from Germany to Australia, and the US... clear proof of what ethnic cleansing, hatred, and war bring upon people.
This is a testament of a time. 30 minutes of raw, unpolished, noise drenched punk.
The story is not over. Digging and researching continues. Soon more on the Yugoslavian hardcore scene including texts on punk zines, fests, demos, anti-war, and anti-nationalism.
January 2022.