Consecration (band)

Lore & Background

Consecration was formed in 2000 in Belgrade. The lineup frequently changed, ranging from three to six members before stabilizing as a three-piece. Danilo Nikodinovski is the only founding member still in the band. Their debut album, aux, was recorded in 2006 and released for free download in May 2008, along with the live album live 2nd april 2008. The release received positive reviews from local and foreign critics, and the band's fan base grew rapidly, making them one of the most popular underground bands in Serbia.

In 2010, the band released their second studio album, .avi, through Geenger Records from Croatia after Serbian labels failed to make an offer. After this release, longtime bassist David Lazar Galić left and was replaced by Ivan Aranđelović.

Reader's Guide

Consecration's significance lies in their ability to refresh the Serbian heavy music scene by blending sludge, post-rock, post-metal, and ambient influences. Their early work, particularly aux and .avi, earned critical praise for revitalizing a dull local scene, while their later albums expanded their sonic palette with synthesizers, theremin, and orchestral elements. The band's willingness to release music for free download helped build a dedicated underground following. Their trilogy of albums (Cimet, Univerzum zna, Grob) showcased stylistic evolution, and their 2020s work incorporated influences from electronic artists like Aphex Twin. Consecration's legacy is marked by persistent lineup changes, a constant core in Danilo Nikodinovski, and a reputation for energetic live performances. They remain a notable force in Serbian underground rock, with a discography spanning over two decades.

Did You Know?

• The band's debut album aux consisted of seven tracks lasting nearly an hour.
• The live EP Consecration in the Temple of the Smoke was recorded with three members of Belgrade's band Temple of the Smoke.
• The album Smrt, ljubav, smrt was inspired by the comic character Dylan Dog.
• The track Buđenje mumije from Video sam kako umireš is 16 minutes long and includes grand piano, cello, violin, theremin, and various percussion instruments.

Origins and the Free-Release Gambit

Consecration was born in Belgrade in 2000, and from the very start the group's identity was shaped by instability. The membership swayed between three and six players over the years before settling into a tight trio. Danilo Nikodinovski, who handles lead vocals and guitar, is the sole founding member still active in the project. Their first full-length, aux, was recorded in 2006 and stretched to nearly an hour across seven tracks. Rather than wait for a Serbian label to bite, the band made the bold choice in May 2008 to release both aux and a live record called live 2nd april 2008 as free downloads. That decision paid off: critics at home and abroad praised the group for injecting fresh energy into what they saw as a stagnant local heavy-music scene, and the fan base swelled quickly, cementing Consecration's status as one of Serbia's most popular underground acts.

A Sound in Constant Motion

One of Consecration's defining traits is how their sonic palette shifts dramatically from record to record. During the aux era, the band pointed to Opeth, Katatonia, Anathema, Slowdive, and Neurosis as key references, producing a sludge-heavy texture. By the time .avi arrived in 2010 on Croatia's Geenger Records, the focus had pivoted toward post-rock and post-metal, with Isis, Sigur Rós, Tool, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor cited as guiding influences. The trilogy spanning Cimet (2013), Univerzum zna (2013), and Grob (2015) further diversified the approach, employing E standard, drop D, and B guitar tunings across the three records and weaving in heavy Moog synthesizer work on Grob. By Smrt, ljubav smrt and its successor Video sam kako umireš, the band was layering theremin, fretless bass, female guest vocals, and synth instrumentals shaped by Aphex Twin and Autechre. Their current stated influences—Anathema, Godflesh, Swans, Dead Can Dance, David Sylvian, Cocteau Twins, and Aphex Twin—reflect a taste that spans gothic, industrial, and electronic worlds.

The Stage and the Shared Bill

Consecration's reputation extends well beyond their studio recordings, largely because of the raw energy they bring to live settings. Audiences and reviewers consistently highlight the sheer physical intensity of their performances. That energy carried them onto the stages of major regional festivals including EXIT Fest, FENODOM, and ARF Festival, and earned them the chance to share bills with internationally recognized acts such as Neurosis, The Ocean, Block Out, Knut, Hesus Attor, Charon, and To/Die/For. In March 2011, the trio of Nikodinovski, Nemanja Trećaković, and bassist David Lazar Galić joined forces with three members of the Belgrade group Temple of the Smoke to record a twenty-minute live EP titled Consecration in the Temple of the Smoke, released by the independent label Prog Sphere Records. The session, captured at SKC Livingroom in Belgrade on April 2, 2008, showcased the band's willingness to expand their live format and collaborate across the local scene.

Perseverance Through Adversity (2022–2025)

The most recent chapter of Consecration's story is defined by resilience. In early 2022, longtime drummer Matija Dagović suffered a stroke, forcing the band to find temporary solutions. Andrej Mladenović filled in for a handful of shows but soon announced he would step away from drumming to focus on mixing. With only Nikodinovski and bassist Ivan Aranđelović remaining, the duo recruited multiple drummers to record the tracks of their next album: Aleksandar Maksimović on Delirijum, Marko Kuzmanović on Tvoj osmeh su blajnderi, former drummer Milan Jejina on Demonska lepota, and Mladenović himself on Grozomorno grimizna. Smrt, ljubav smrt finally emerged in September 2024, its artwork and several titles inspired by the comic character Dylan Dog. The album's success led to Aleksandra Gegović joining as a full-time vocalist. By the October 2025 release of Video sam kako umireš, the band had grown into a four-piece, with Maksimović as permanent drummer and Gegović adding vocoder, talk box, and choral arrangements to a sixteen-minute opener, Buđenje mumije, that featured grand piano, cello, violin, theremin, handpan, tongue drum, ocean drum, chimes, cabalonga shaker, additional floor toms, and a triangle.

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