Review: Prognan – Sjene Nad Balkanom

Prognan flyer

Band: Prognan
Album: Sjene Nad Balkanom
Country: Croatia
Genre: Melodic / Theatrical Black Metal
Label: Independant

Introduction

Are you as much of a fan of movies as you are of music? The mastermind, Kob, beautifully combines both passions with his band Prognan. Kob is a composer and owns his own label/studio called InfraSound Trailer Music. He has contributed musical pieces to movies such as Logan, Jurassic World, Doctor Strange, and many others. When he isn’t busy creating music for Hollywood, he creates grand and theatrical black metal under the moniker Prognan. He is currently joined by the only other band member, Basher, on drums.

Prognan was formed back in 2008 and has since then released two EP’s, one full-length and a compilation album. This new release Sjene Nad Balkanom is a direct follow up to the previous full-length album called Naši životi više ne postoje.

Sjene Nad Balkanom translates to “Shadows over Balkan” and is a made up story about a man who is lost in time, and is searching for the truth. Kob had this to say about the album in our recent interview:

“Sjene Nad Balkanom” is a completely different album than our first album. When I started doing it, I didn’t want to create another “Naši Životi Više Ne Postoje.” That album fits the time period it was set out to capture with the music we did. This one is musically different as well as lyrically. Each track is a story and a date in life of main protagonist. You get to know him, you get to know his friends and you have a lot of reading to do. More than you thought. If you just listen to it without lyrics, you are missing out big time.

Kob, Prognan

Sjene Nad Balkanom

The album is 1 hour and 15 minutes long, almost as long as a full movie. This is fitting because listening to Sjene Nad Balkanom is as much a visual experience as it is a strictly aural one. What do you mean by that, you may ask yourself? Well, with Kob’s astonishing eye for detail and his use of samples of war, tavern brawls, and shrieks of human agony, all you have to do is close your eyes and instantly feel immersed in this world he has created, filled with chaos and violence. To reference other artists with a similar use of samples, one can look to the Ukrainian band 1914. They are also masters of this; just listen to their creepy intro with Zeppelin Raids filled with sirens or the outro of repeating gunshots in “8 x 50 mm. Repetiergewehr M.95”. The difference is that Prognan goes one step further and delivers its music and incorporated samples with 3D sound.

Church bells ringing are heard right from the start in the intro of “Marseljski Atentat”. Vehicles are driving from left to right in my headphones, soldiers are running around, and shots are fired all around my ears. It’s like sitting in a Dolby Atmos film theater. Kob’s guitar riffs are powerful and familiar, with hints of riffs from previous releases, providing the thin red line of a story throughout the albums.

Prognan is not afraid of experimenting. Kob has added a big boogie-woogie part in the track “Tri Nacije”, rapping in “Nikad, Nikad Bolje, Nikad Biti Neće” as well as “Miris Baruta I Ognja”, and a live concert setting in the 6th track “Za One Koji Su Hrabri Samo Kada Ginu”, which, by the way, is a stunning track.

I always know what I’m getting when I listen to music by Prognan, and with every listen, I notice small details I missed in my previous playthrough. Sjene Nad Balkanom is definitely one of those albums where a lot is going on in the songs. Some of the tracks get slightly too messy for my taste, which slightly lowers my overall rating of Sjene Nad Balkanom. However, with pros like ever-changing themes, beautiful melodies, and great storytelling, Sjene Nad Balkanom is an album that will receive many more playthroughs!

Conclusion

Black metal? Check!
Death metal? Check!
War? Check!
Creepy fucking violins? Check!
3D sound? Check!
Am I in for a interesting listen? Hell yeah you are!

I can only suggest you to listen to the whole album, there are stand out tracks for sure, but this album is ment as a story and it would be a shame to not listen to it as such!

BMZ Rating: 9 / 10

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