The Fifth Anniversary Edition of Lazarus Fest brings some of the most representative underground bands with a respectable legacy on the scene—bands that for decades have been responsible for the very existence of Serbian underground, while also earning recognition in the European and global “underworld.”

This fifth edition also aims to address questions such as whether the traditional heritage of the Balkans, in combination with other traditions and with alternative and modern genres, can become relevant in both local and global contexts; whether youth can bring much-needed freshness to genres with a long history; and finally, whether the Zrenjanin hardcore scene—which had its moment in the late nineties and early 2000s—still has something valuable to offer.

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KOBOLD (Belgrade, Serbia)
thrash metal

It is evident that the Serbian thrash metal scene has in recent years been going through a kind of renaissance, redefining genre postulates and canons. Riding that wave is the Belgrade trio formed in 2015, already with four albums to their name: Death Parade, Masterpace, Technofascism and Chaos Head.
Kobold are: Elio Rigonat (guitars, vocals), Pavle “Yopa” Simić (drums), Mateja Tanjević (bass).

WAR ENGINE (Novi Sad, Serbia)
hardcore / thrash metal

One of the most established representatives of the new Novi Sad hardcore scene, this trio successfully tested their weapons this year on the main stage of Exit Festival. Formed in 2009, they have three albums behind them: Adrenaline Rush, The Verdict and Decadence.
War Engine are: Dušan Mijolić (guitars, vocals), Milan Pećanac (bass, backing vocals), Stefan Stanić (drums).

DESOLATION (Zrenjanin, Serbia)
metalcore / groove metal

A Zrenjanin supergroup made up of experienced musicians from a scene that left an important mark at the turn of the century. They are redefining the sound of Banat hardcore enriched with the legacy of NWOAM. Their debut album Pieces of Humanity is out, and they are currently sharpening material for a new one.
Desolation are: Andrija Vlajnić (vocals), Aleksandar Drašković (guitars), Ivan Gombar (guitars), Marko Božilović (bass), Ivan Vasić (drums).

NADIMAČ (Belgrade, Serbia)
thrash / grindcore / crossover

This year the band celebrated 20 years of existence with an unforgettable concert at Belgrade’s Dom omladine, so their Lazarus Fest performance will serve as a kind of birthday reprise. With their uncompromising, satirical, socially aware and honest approach, they have become a live bomb and a refuge of common sense. Formed in 2003, they have five albums: Državni neprijatelj broj kec (“Public Enemy Number One”), Po kratkom postupku (“Summarily”), Nejebanježivesile (“Notgivingashit”), Manifest protiv sudbine (“Manifesto Against Fate”), and Besnilo (“Rabies”).
Nadimač are: Danilo Trbojević (vocals), Stefan Ćorović (guitars), Dragan Ristić (drums), Marko Pavlović (bass).

THE STONE (Belgrade, Serbia)
black metal

The most elite representatives of Serbian metal in the last three decades will headline the fifth anniversary edition of Lazarus Fest. Founded in 1996 under the name Stone to Flesh (from the second album onward known as The Stone), they were among the first—and certainly the most persistent—to bring black metal sound and visual aesthetics to these lands, upgrading them with every album and every concert. They have inspired generations and positioned themselves on the global underground scene as one of the most important acts from this region. Their rich discography includes nine albums: Some Wounds Bleed Forever, Slavic Blood, Law of Veles, Fog, Died, Barren Land, Necrosis, Theater of the Absurd, and Charnel Houses.
The Stone are: Kozeljnik (guitars), Glad (vocals), Vrag (bass).

VARTRA (Belgrade, Serbia)
ethnic fusion / tribal / folk / ethereal / ambient / doom / world fusion

Their music bridges continents—from Northern Europe, through the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa, all the way to Australia—while remaining deeply rooted in this land, in Slavic paganism from its southern edge. Visitors to Lazarus Fest will have the opportunity to experience perhaps the most successful fusion of ethno, tribal and modern musical movements within popular culture in our region, genres such as dark ambient, ethereal, doom and more. They have two albums: Luna Noua and Basma.
Vartra are: Siniša Gavrić (guitars, vocals), Ivana Stošić (vocals), Ana Katić (violin, backing vocals), Stevan Momčilović (didgeridoo, shakers), Andrej Bunjac (drums and percussion), Julius Velker (drums and percussion).