Slovenians, from Brussels, Belgium, have spent the last decade and a half building a name for themselves in the European underground scene. While they grew, fans got to see in real time how explosive their live show can be, showcasing the writing prowess of what a blend of punk, stoner rock, and blues can do. The band says their newest release is the biggest step forward simply due to the quality of the songwriting.

“Over the years, we’ve developed a chemistry that you simply can’t fake. There are no egos in the band, no real leader, and every idea gets a chance. We try things, we challenge each other, and somehow the songs always become something bigger than any of us could have created individually.”

Their new album, Birds of Disgrace, is set to be released on September 4 via Mottow Soundz. Every new album they work on, from rehearsal to tracking, they look forward to getting it done and are genuinely excited when it starts to really come together. With this record, thematically, they want to stress that even in your darkest moments, there’s still a reason to keep going.

“The album goes to some dark places, but it was never about celebrating misery. Everyone struggles with something at some point, whether it’s addiction, grief, shame, loneliness, or simply feeling like you don’t belong. We wanted to acknowledge those feelings without pretending there’s an easy solution.”

In 2017, founding guitarist Sinkesh Krištofik tragically passed away in a sudden accident, leaving a stamp of heartbreak, obviously, but also uncertainty about what they were going to do with the band. They decided to push forward in his honor and dedicated the 2020 “Sinners” EP to his memory. 

“It was devastating,” the band opens up. “At first, we couldn’t imagine Slovenians without Sinkest. But, after a while, we realised that he would never have wanted the band to stop. He put so much passion and energy into it that the only way to honour what we had built together was to carry on.”

Thematically, the record touches on addition, grief, shame, social hypocrisy, loneliness, and survival. In a day and age where honesty is needed more than ever, Slovenians don’t hold back, but rather pull back the curtain. It’s a 14-song assault, and one that should not, and does not sit lightly; it’s meant to open the listener up and take a moment to think about what’s really going on around them and inside themselves.

“As you grow older, your perspective on life changes. Certain experiences hit closer to home, and you start paying attention to emotions and struggles that you might never have talked about openly before. We gradually stopped filtering ourselves or worrying about whether a subject was considered “important” enough to write about. If it felt real and emotionally honest, then it belonged on the record.”

That’s what makes Birds of Disgrace feel so personal. They never set out to write a darker or more emotional album; they simply allowed themselves to be more honest than before. Next up, they will be making an appearance at Punk Rock Holiday at the Soto?je River Peninsula in Slovenia, featuring headliners such as Dropkick Murphys and Less Than Jake.

“Punk is still relevant because people still fall in love with it. Punk has managed to keep something that’s become quite rare: authenticity. It still feels honest. It still feels like music made because people have something to say, not because they’re chasing a trend. Maybe that’s all there is to it. As long as people keep finding themselves in punk, punk will stay relevant.”

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