Heller (band)
Encyclopedia
Heller was a Serbia
n and former Yugoslav speed
/thrash metal
band from Belgrade
, notable as one of the first Yugoslav
thrash metal bands and one of the pioneers of former Yugoslav extreme metal
. The band's debut self-titled album
is arguably the first extreme metal
album in former Yugoslavia, and one of the first of the kind in Southeastern Europe.
, vocals) and Kosta Bogdanović "Kole" (solo guitar), with Zoran Miladinović "Deda" (bass guitar
) and Müller (drums
). During the following year, the band had their first larger appearances at the Hit 202 held at the Belgrade Dom Omladine, with the band Dr. Steel from Rijeka
, and the Belgrade Heavy Metal Festival, with the popular bands of the time, Legija from Zagreb
, Crna Udovica from Dubrovnik
and Ruska Zima from Belgrade. The lineup also recorded a live demo recording, made at a performance in Zemun
, featuring the songs "Dead or Alive", "Armageddon" and "Heller", which were broadcast on the national Radio 202
.
The following year, Miladinović and Milojković went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army
, but Milojković was discharged from the army after a month, so the band kept on working with a new bassist Dejan Čvorović "Čvora". In the meantime, Bogdanović left the band, later working with Amnesia and forming the band Rapidforce, being replaced by guitarist Darko Smukov "Dare", later a Brainstorm and Sick Mother Fakers
member, only to be replaced by the guitarist Zoran Dankov "Dane". The lineup also recorded their first demo recording, featuring the material written in English language
, and consisting of four live recorded tracks. The following year, in 1988, the singer Senad Prašović "Žmegi" came to the band, and Attila assumed only the guitar playing duty.
In 1989, the band released their first and only album through the Odžaci
label Ghost House Records. Heller
, released on April, featuring eleven tracks, including one instrumental composition. The album was produced and arranged by Milojković and all tracks were written by Milojković and Čvorović. The lyrics for all tracks, except for "Dead or Alive" were written in Serbian language
. The album was released in 500 copies only and is today a rarity and a collector's item. It is arguably the first Yugoslav thrash metal
record, and extreme metal
in general, and one of the first releases of the kind in South-Eastern Europe. During the same year, the band also performed as an opening act for the German
band Destruction
in Zagreb
and Ljubljana
.
In 1993, the band recorded a demo recording, prosaically called Demo Tape, released on compact cassette
only by Take It Or Leave It Records, featuring seven tracks, including one recorded live.č After the demo release, the band ceased to exist.
In 2003, Rock Express Records released a CD reissue of the self-titled album, featuring four bonus tracks, "Destiny", "Trash", "H.W.I.B." and "RR", released on the first demo recording.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n and former Yugoslav speed
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
/thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band from Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, notable as one of the first Yugoslav
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
thrash metal bands and one of the pioneers of former Yugoslav extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
. The band's debut self-titled album
Heller (album)
Heller is the debut and the only studio album from former Yugoslav and Serbian thrash metal band Heller. The album was originally released in 1989 by Ghost House Records. In 2003 the album was reissued on CD by Rock Express Records. 2003 release featured four bonus tracks from Heller's 1993 demo...
is arguably the first extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
album in former Yugoslavia, and one of the first of the kind in Southeastern Europe.
History
The band was formed in 1985 by Ljubomir Milojković "Attila" (guitarElectric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, vocals) and Kosta Bogdanović "Kole" (solo guitar), with Zoran Miladinović "Deda" (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Müller (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). During the following year, the band had their first larger appearances at the Hit 202 held at the Belgrade Dom Omladine, with the band Dr. Steel from Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
, and the Belgrade Heavy Metal Festival, with the popular bands of the time, Legija from Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Crna Udovica from Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
and Ruska Zima from Belgrade. The lineup also recorded a live demo recording, made at a performance in Zemun
Zemun
Zemun is a historical town and one of the 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...
, featuring the songs "Dead or Alive", "Armageddon" and "Heller", which were broadcast on the national Radio 202
Radio Belgrade
Radio Belgrade is a state-owned and operated radio station in Belgrade, Serbia.The predecessor of Radio Beograd, Radio Beograd-Rakovica, started its program in 1924 and was a part of a state wireless telegraph station. Radio Beograd, AD started in March 1929...
.
The following year, Miladinović and Milojković went to serve the Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
, but Milojković was discharged from the army after a month, so the band kept on working with a new bassist Dejan Čvorović "Čvora". In the meantime, Bogdanović left the band, later working with Amnesia and forming the band Rapidforce, being replaced by guitarist Darko Smukov "Dare", later a Brainstorm and Sick Mother Fakers
Sick Mother Fakers
Sick Mother Fakers , also known as SMF for short, is a Serbian hardcore punk/crossover thrash band from Belgrade.- 1980s :...
member, only to be replaced by the guitarist Zoran Dankov "Dane". The lineup also recorded their first demo recording, featuring the material written in English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and consisting of four live recorded tracks. The following year, in 1988, the singer Senad Prašović "Žmegi" came to the band, and Attila assumed only the guitar playing duty.
In 1989, the band released their first and only album through the Odžaci
Odžaci
Odžaci is a town and municipality in the West Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The town of Odžaci has a population of 9,832 people, while the population of the municipality of Odžaci is 35,474 people .-Name:The name Odžaci means "chimneys" in Serbian...
label Ghost House Records. Heller
Heller (album)
Heller is the debut and the only studio album from former Yugoslav and Serbian thrash metal band Heller. The album was originally released in 1989 by Ghost House Records. In 2003 the album was reissued on CD by Rock Express Records. 2003 release featured four bonus tracks from Heller's 1993 demo...
, released on April, featuring eleven tracks, including one instrumental composition. The album was produced and arranged by Milojković and all tracks were written by Milojković and Čvorović. The lyrics for all tracks, except for "Dead or Alive" were written in Serbian language
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
. The album was released in 500 copies only and is today a rarity and a collector's item. It is arguably the first Yugoslav thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
record, and extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
in general, and one of the first releases of the kind in South-Eastern Europe. During the same year, the band also performed as an opening act for the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
band Destruction
Destruction (band)
Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...
in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
.
In 1993, the band recorded a demo recording, prosaically called Demo Tape, released on compact cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
only by Take It Or Leave It Records, featuring seven tracks, including one recorded live.č After the demo release, the band ceased to exist.
In 2003, Rock Express Records released a CD reissue of the self-titled album, featuring four bonus tracks, "Destiny", "Trash", "H.W.I.B." and "RR", released on the first demo recording.
External links
- Heller at MyspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Heller at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...
- http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=heller+ploca+beograd&aq=f at YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Heller at Last.fmLast.fmLast.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....