From Zagreb’s underground roots to a darker, more expansive vision, TRIVAN explores transformation, personal truth, and the power of confron...

Član Predsedništva Socijalističke partije Srbije (SPS) Goran Trivan kazao je danas da će SPS pokušati da bude faktor, koji će

YouTube video by NOVA S

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TRIVAN CROWNED AUGUST 2026 BAND OF THE MONTH AFTER MASSIVE 10,525,129 VOTE VICTORY Croatian extreme metal force TRIVAN have officially been crowned Battle of the Bands Champions and Band of the Month for August 2026 after dominating the competition with an incredible 10,525,129 votes , securing one of the most commanding victories in Battle of the Bands history. The overwhelming support from metal fans across the globe propelled the band to a decisive win throughout July, further cementing TRIVAN as one of the underground's fastest rising extreme metal acts. Originally formed in 2018 by guitarist and songwriter Vanja Šantak and bassist Ivan Bertović , the band's momentum was temporarily halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the shutdown, Šantak rebuilt the lineup by recruiting vocalist Tomislav Žiljak and drummer Robert Vlašić , both from Darkendome. In 2025, rhythm guitarist Marin Buljan joined the fold, adding another layer of depth and aggression to the band's ever-evolving sound. Their latest single, "Abyss of Crawling Shadows," stands as one of the band's most emotionally powerful and musically devastating compositions to date. Released on April 24, 2026 , the song explores the crushing weight of grief, despair, and ultimately resilience through a relentless wall of crushing riffs, thunderous drums, and haunting melodies. The inspiration behind the track is deeply personal. After nearly thirteen years, Vanja Šantak lost his beloved Cane Corso, Amon , an experience that left an immeasurable void. Rather than simply writing about loss, "Abyss of Crawling Shadows" transforms that grief into a journey through darkness toward strength. The song captures the silence left behind after losing a lifelong companion before culminating in a defiant declaration of survival. What begins as a descent into sorrow becomes a triumphant refusal to surrender, embodied in the closing lyric: "While demons laugh, I rise unbound, defiant in abyss." Musically, TRIVAN blend crushing extreme metal with dark atmosphere, memorable songwriting, and emotionally charged lyrical themes that resonate far beyond traditional genre boundaries. Their ability to combine brutality with genuine human emotion has quickly earned them a growing international following. "Abyss of Crawling Shadows" was recorded, produced, and mixed by Dave Kaminsky at Studio Wormwood , with mastering handled by Ryan Williams , delivering a massive production that perfectly captures the band's crushing intensity and cinematic scope. Receiving 10,525,129 votes in the July Battle of the Bands competition is a remarkable achievement and reflects the incredible dedication of TRIVAN's rapidly expanding fanbase. Their overwhelming victory demonstrates that the band's music is connecting with listeners worldwide through authenticity, passion, and uncompromising heaviness. As August 2026 Band of the Month , TRIVAN now join an elite group of Battle of the Bands champions whose music has captured the attention of metal fans across the globe. Congratulations to TRIVAN on an unforgettable victory and a well-earned place in Battle of the Bands history. Abyss Of Crawling Shadows by Trivan

🔥 Who Will Rise as This Week’s Champion on the MDR Battle Of The Bands? 🔥And who will dominate next month as Band of the Month on Metal Devastation Radio? Last month’s winners, TRIVAN , crushed the co...

Who will be the winning champion this week on 'MDR Battle Of The Bands' and who will be next months band of the month? Last Month Trivan Won Battle of the Bands and Became Band of the Month on Metal D...

TRIVAN: VANJA ŠANTAK TALKS LOSS, INNER DEMONS, AND THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND ETERNAL SHORE Croatian extreme metal band TRIVAN recently joined The Zach Moonshine Show on Metal Devastation Radio for a powerful conversation about music, loss, self-discovery, the band's unique philosophy, and their upcoming debut album, Eternal Shore . Vanja Šantak, the driving force behind TRIVAN, opened up about the deeply personal experiences that have shaped the band's music, including the recent loss of his beloved dog. The conversation began with "Abyss of Crawling Shadows," an emotional track originally inspired by someone Vanja knew who was struggling with depression. At first, Vanja wanted to write about something he didn't personally understand. That changed after his dog suddenly became seriously ill and was diagnosed with lung cancer. Vanja was forced to make the heartbreaking decision to put his dog to sleep. The experience gave the song an entirely different meaning. For Vanja, dogs aren't simply pets. They're family, companions, and beings capable of communicating through a language of pure emotion. His loss became one of the major emotional forces behind the music he is now creating. A STRANGE NEW BEGINNING Not long afterward, Vanja encountered another dog under circumstances he described as almost impossible to explain. He discovered a litter of puppies born on the same day as his previous dog. Among them was a black male puppy who wasn't originally shown in the photographs. When Vanja eventually met the puppies, that particular dog immediately ran toward him. After bringing the puppy home, another strange thing happened. Despite being only a few months old, the dog seemed to know exactly where he was going and already understood basic commands. The experience even caused Vanja to reconsider his previous disbelief in reincarnation. The story has already inspired another TRIVAN song, which is currently being mixed and mastered. WHAT DOES TRIVAN MEAN? The name TRIVAN combines the ideas of triviality and vanquish , representing the band's desire to defeat the trivial things that can consume our lives. The band began taking shape in 2018 after Vanja had stepped away from music for several years. Following lineup changes and the disruption caused by COVID, he eventually returned to his original goal of creating darker and more extreme music. By around 2023, the TRIVAN lineup had come together. But the band wasn't interested in simply repeating the usual black metal themes. Instead, TRIVAN's philosophy is about confronting your own darkness. Vanja describes the band's demons as the darker parts of ourselves that we often try to avoid. Rather than simply destroying those demons, he believes we should understand them, confront them, conquer them, and ultimately learn from them. It's a philosophy that runs through the band's music. FROM PERSONAL PRESSURE TO "BLACK AND HARD PLEDGE" One example is "Black and Hard Pledge," which came from a period when Vanja was working toward his PhD. The pressure to become the best student of the year began consuming him. He stopped training, gained weight, and eventually realized he had lost sight of himself. Looking in the mirror became the breaking point. The song became a promise to himself to stop allowing outside pressure to destroy his inner peace and to become the best version of himself. Another track, "Dance of Death," takes a wider look at society, conformity, hypocrisy, and the constant pressure people face to follow whatever trend comes next. The title references the medieval concept of the Dance of Death, where death dances with everyone regardless of wealth or status. The message is simple: eventually, everything ends. Ironically, just weeks after the song was released, Vanja had to say goodbye to his dog, making the song's themes of mortality even more personal. ETERNAL SHORE All of these experiences eventually became part of TRIVAN's upcoming debut album, Eternal Shore . Originally planned as a 13-song album, the record was eventually reduced to eight tracks because of the length and depth of the songs. The album is heavily influenced by Vanja's own life. One of its most personal songs, "Eternal Shore," came from spreading his dog's ashes on a beach where they had spent time together. Vanja explained that he wants the same thing for himself someday. Rather than being buried in a casket, he wants his ashes spread on that beach so he can symbolically spend eternity there with his dogs, watching the waves, sunsets, and sunrises. It is a surprisingly peaceful image for an extreme metal record, but it perfectly captures what TRIVAN is about. Darkness doesn't always mean despair. Sometimes you have to walk through the darkness to find peace. OLD-SCHOOL METAL AND THE CROATIAN SCENE Vanja also talked about discovering metal growing up in what was then Yugoslavia. His uncle played in a rock band, so guitars, drums, bass, and rehearsals were part of his childhood. Later, Alice Cooper's Trash became a major influence, followed by bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Marduk, Cradle of Filth, Satyricon, and Immortal. In the 1990s, discovering new music meant listening to radio programs, visiting record stores, and actually hunting down physical CDs. Vanja reflected on how different that was from today's streaming world, where virtually every band on Earth is only a few clicks away. The Croatian metal scene itself remains active, with concerts happening regularly and international bands frequently passing through the country. TRIVAN hopes to eventually expand beyond Croatia, with plans for shows throughout Slovenia and Austria and, eventually, the United States. MORE THAN 10 MILLION VOTES TRIVAN also made serious noise recently by winning a Battle of the Bands competition with more than 10 million votes . Vanja explained that the band's massive support network stretches across the globe, including Croatia, Chile, Japan, and elsewhere. He even mobilized people in his own apartment building and neighborhood, including a local Facebook group with tens of thousands of members. The band's supporters didn't simply click a button once and walk away. They went to war. And the results were undeniable. THE ROAD TO AMERICA TRIVAN is currently preparing Eternal Shore for its planned February release while continuing to release singles and build its audience. The band is also working with Blood Red Covenant Records to expand its presence in the United States. And Vanja has one particular American goal in mind. Tennessee Metal Devastation Music Fest. After watching footage and a documentary about the festival, Vanja said he and the band would love to make the trip to Tennessee, experience the festival's raw energy, and eventually share a stage there. That would be one hell of a way to bring this story full circle. TRIVAN's Eternal Shore is shaping up to be more than a metal album. It's a musical journey through grief, pressure, darkness, self-discovery, mortality, and ultimately finding your own path. As Vanja Šantak puts it, the goal isn't simply to run from your demons. Conquer them. Become friends with them. And come out stronger on the other side. Listen to the full conversation with Vanja Šantak of TRIVAN on The Zach Moonshine Show below: Full Track List:  Battle Of The Bands Top Six Winners: 1 - Okl's FruitLoops - Scream Of Silence 2 - Soul Of Sheol - Paradise Is Not For Us 3 - Rage of Justice - Digital Prison 4 - Heidbekka - Völva 5 - Leach - Serpent Of Time 6 - Mistress - Terrified eyes The Zach Moonshine Intro 7 - Ozzy Osbourne - See You On The Other Side 8 - Dolly Parton - Purple Rain 9 - Heaven & Hell - Heaven And Hell Trivan - Interview featuring Abyss Of Crawling Shadows/Dance of Death/Dark Malicious Desire 10 - Ola Englund - DOGMA PROGMA 11 - Smoulder - Water Wars 12 - DOWN - Blood Oath 13 - Superjoint Ritual - Everyone Hates Everyone/Fuck Your Enemy/Dress Like A Target 14 - Burnt Witch - We Hate You - (Electric Wizard Cover) 15 - Hellripper - Blakk Satanik Fvkkstorm 16 - Starved of Light - Wander the Holler 17 - Soothsayer - Catfish 18 - THE BLEEDING - Immortal Flesh 19 - Wildfire - Sweet Sensation 20 - Megaton Communion - Echo's in Time 21 - Dread Witch - Cult 22 - Lord Gryphus - Troops of Doom (Sepultura) 23 - Netherdred - Necrodancer 24 - The Red Mountain - N.I.B. 25 - Webb Of Deceit - Hellswithin (Feat. Dave Frost & Jason Aaron Wood)/In My Wake (Feat. Raven & Jason Aaron Wood) 26 - NEMESIS - Hell's Last Kiss 27 - Stryfe - Breathe Full show streaming on Mixcloud:  The interview is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple.. Check out the band on bandcamp and support:  Abyss Of Crawling Shadows by Trivan

🔥 Who Will Rise as This Week’s Champion on the MDR Battle Of The Bands? 🔥 And who will dominate next month as Band of the Month on Metal Devastation Radio? Last month’s winners, TRIVAN , crushed the competition with a staggering 10,525,129 VOTES , claiming the title of Band of the Month on Metal Devastation Radio! You can check them out HERE ! This is the weekly championship edition of the Band Of The Month – Battle Of The Bands that we host every month on MDR! How does it work? Every Monday, we launch a new poll featuring bands that submit music each week on metaldevastationradio.com. Voting runs until Friday at 9PM EST . Each Friday night , at the start of The Zach Moonshine Show , I’ll be spinning the Top Six weekly winners , and announcing the #1 band of the week live on air — getting thousands of listens on Mixcloud ! At the end of the month , all weekly votes are added up, and the band with the highest total votes becomes our Band of the Month ! Winning Band of the Month gets: A featured post on our Facebook page, reaching thousands of fans A front-page spotlight on metaldevastationradio.com , which pulls in hundreds of thousands of views every month A free PR email blast from Metal Devastation PR, hitting 40,000+ contacts including labels, zines, stations, and more Airplay every hour during general rotation Tons of social media shares and exposure across our network If you want the world to know who your band is, this is the easiest way to make it happen! 💥 Want in on the next battle? Comment below with your band name and we’ll add you to next week’s poll — or email me at zach@metaldevastationradio.com with “Battle Submission” in the subject line. Bands can compete as many times as they want , and if you enter multiple weeks in the same month, your votes combine toward the Band of the Month title! 👇 Click on the bands below to vote as many times as you like, or add your own! Poll closes Friday, August 28th at 9PM EST! Who Will Rise as This Week’s Champion on the MDR Battle Of The Bands? 08/24/26 - 08/28/26

🔥 Who Will Rise as This Week’s Champion on the MDR Battle Of The Bands? 🔥 And who will dominate next month as Band of the Month on Metal Devastation Radio? Last month’s winners, TRIVAN , crushed the competition with a staggering 10,525,129 VOTES , claiming the title of Band of the Month on Metal Devastation Radio! You can check them out HERE ! This is the weekly championship edition of the Band Of The Month – Battle Of The Bands that we host every month on MDR! How does it work? Every Monday, we launch a new poll featuring bands that submit music each week on metaldevastationradio.com. Voting runs until Friday at 9PM EST . Each Friday night , at the start of The Zach Moonshine Show , I’ll be spinning the Top Six weekly winners , and announcing the #1 band of the week live on air — getting thousands of listens on Mixcloud ! At the end of the month , all weekly votes are added up, and the band with the highest total votes becomes our Band of the Month ! Winning Band of the Month gets: A featured post on our Facebook page, reaching thousands of fans A front-page spotlight on metaldevastationradio.com , which pulls in hundreds of thousands of views every month A free PR email blast from Metal Devastation PR, hitting 40,000+ contacts including labels, zines, stations, and more Airplay every hour during general rotation Tons of social media shares and exposure across our network If you want the world to know who your band is, this is the easiest way to make it happen! 💥 Want in on the next battle? Comment below with your band name and we’ll add you to next week’s poll — or email me at zach@metaldevastationradio.com with “Battle Submission” in the subject line. Bands can compete as many times as they want , and if you enter multiple weeks in the same month, your votes combine toward the Band of the Month title! 👇 Click on the bands below to vote as many times as you like, or add your own! Poll closes Friday, August 21th at 9PM EST! Who Will Rise as This Week’s Champion on the MDR Battle Of The Bands? 08/17/26 - 08/21/26

🔥 Who Will Rise as This Week’s Champion on the MDR Battle Of The Bands? 🔥 And who will dominate next month as Band of the Month on Metal Devastation Radio? Last month’s winners, TRIVAN , crushed the competition with a staggering 10,525,129 VOTES , claiming the title of Band of the Month on Metal Devastation Radio! You can check them out HERE ! This is the weekly championship edition of the Band Of The Month – Battle Of The Bands that we host every month on MDR! How does it work? Every Monday, we launch a new poll featuring bands that submit music each week on metaldevastationradio.com. Voting runs until Friday at 9PM EST . Each Friday night , at the start of The Zach Moonshine Show , I’ll be spinning the Top Six weekly winners , and announcing the #1 band of the week live on air — getting thousands of listens on Mixcloud ! At the end of the month , all weekly votes are added up, and the band with the highest total votes becomes our Band of the Month ! Winning Band of the Month gets: A featured post on our Facebook page, reaching thousands of fans A front-page spotlight on metaldevastationradio.com , which pulls in hundreds of thousands of views every month A free PR email blast from Metal Devastation PR, hitting 40,000+ contacts including labels, zines, stations, and more Airplay every hour during general rotation Tons of social media shares and exposure across our network If you want the world to know who your band is, this is the easiest way to make it happen! 💥 Want in on the next battle? Comment below with your band name and we’ll add you to next week’s poll — or email me at zach@metaldevastationradio.com with “Battle Submission” in the subject line. Bands can compete as many times as they want , and if you enter multiple weeks in the same month, your votes combine toward the Band of the Month title! 👇 Click on the bands below to vote as many times as you like, or add your own! Poll closes Friday, August 14th at 9PM EST! Who Will Rise as This Week’s Champion on the MDR Battle Of The Bands? 08/10/26 - 08/14/26