Trivalia
Encyclopedia
Trivalia was a Serbia
n and former Yugoslav
gothic rock
/industrial
/ band from Niš
.
by vocalist Vladimir Žikić "Vlad-a-Mantis", also the songwriter as well as the rhythm machine sequencer, bass guitarist Boban Stojiljković "Bocko" and guitarist Srđan Jovanović "Điđa". The band was named after the old Serbia
n country Tribalia, situated in the Timok Valley
during the reign of the House of Nemanjić
. Starting with a lot of written material, during the following year, the band recorded their debut extended play
We Always..., inspired lyrically by religion
, mythology
, secret societies and musically predominantly by movie soundtracks, and the popular post-punk
and gothic rock
acts such as Joy Division
, The Sisters of Mercy
, The Mission
, The Cure
and Fields of the Nephilim
. The album was released independently by the band themselves on compact cassette
only. Beside the recorded material, on live appearances the band also performed cover versions of the bands they were citing as their influences.
Until 1989, the band had performed rarely due to Stojiljković's army obligations, and on his return, the band recorded new material featuring a combination of gothic rock
, darkwave
and industrial music
with the elements of Byzantine music
, independently released on the EP Pravoslavia (Orthodoxia), available on compact cassette
, which was the case with most of their later releases. The album, featuring the songs "Popečenije" ("Ministry"), "Praviteljstvujušči sovjet serbski" ("The Ruling Council of Serbia") and "Pričeš" ("Thou Speakest"), did not include drum recordings, and the band instead used the Edic rhythm machine both on studio and live performances. The material was presented live in a form of a performance, featuring stage decorations, video and light effects. During the late 1989, Jovanović left the band, being replaced by Ivan Marković "Parsifal".
(Body and Soul) released in a limited printing of 50 copies by the Black Rider independent record label
. The same record label had rereleased the first two studio albums. During the same year, the band had entered the Naissus Studio and recorded three songs, "Ruža i krst" ("A rose and a Cross"), "U sobi" ("In the Room") and "Blede ruke volim tako mnogo" ("Pale Hands I Love so Much"), released on the EP Dat Rosa Mel Apibus (Latin for The Rose Gives Honey to the Bees), dedicated to the Rosicrucian Order. Printed as a limited edition 7-inch EP by Jugoton
, the EP was eventually released on March 1991 by the Studenkult-SKC Niš independent record label. The former two songs had quickly become minor hits, providing the band with an opportunity to perform as an opening act for Električni Orgazam
, KUD Idijoti
and U Škripcu
. After the EP release, the new band member had become Miloš Vukotić (guitar, vocals, keyboards).
On October and November 1991, new material was recorded at the Cash studio and released on the religiously-oriented album Crna voda (Black Water), inspired by the novels Sveti gral (Holy Grail
) and The Neverending Story
. The album, released by Happy House records, featured guest appearances by the guitarists Dejan Šišnjić and Goran Savić, and the release was produced by Dejan Glozić. Beside the new tracks, including the Holy Grail novel-inspired song "Sion", the album featured the rerecorded versions of "Ruža i krst" and "U sobi", this time more guitar-oriented. The band had also recorded their first promotional video for the Afirmator 2 television show. After the album release, two live appearances were made at the Belgrade
club Bunker and held several local performances in Niš, including the May 21, 1992, performance at the cult M Pub, which was their first solo concert, featuring beside their material, cover versions of The Ramones, The Sisters of Mercy
and Kraftwerk
.
The followup, the studio album Headhunter, released in 1992, for the first time featured the material entirely featuring the lyrics in English language
. The album, featuring electronic body music
influences, mainly acquired by the band members through the works of the band Front 242
, was released by the Dobri Isak
frontman Predrag Cvetičanin's indie record label DOM. After the album release, the band was joined by Ivan Litovski as the new guitarist, and in 1992 the band released the compilation album Body Collection. The album, intended to be a singles collection, featured a new version of the song "Headhunter", a cover version of Kraftwerk
single "Das Model
", and two recordings from their M Pub performance. After the compilation release, on early 1994, the band had disbanded.
In 1996, the band performance recorded on Halloween
at a concert held in the club of the Niš Medical faculty, was released on the live album Halloween Nights. After the band disbandment, Žikić continued working under the Trivalia moniker, releasing the album Instant God, featuring the song "Fisherman", nevertheless, no further recordings were made and he had withdrawn from the scene.
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
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
/industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
/ band from Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
.
1980s
The band was formed during the summer of 1986 in NišNiš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
by vocalist Vladimir Žikić "Vlad-a-Mantis", also the songwriter as well as the rhythm machine sequencer, bass guitarist Boban Stojiljković "Bocko" and guitarist Srđan Jovanović "Điđa". The band was named after the old Serbia
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 country Tribalia, situated in the Timok Valley
Timočka Krajina
Timočka Krajina is a geographical region located in Serbia. It is situated in eastern Serbia around the Timok River. The population of Timočka Krajina is 284,112 .-Name:...
during the reign of the House of Nemanjić
House of Nemanjic
The Nemanjić was the most important dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages, and one of the most important in Southeastern Europe. The royal house produced eleven Serbian monarchs between 1166 and 1371. It's progenitor was Stephen Nemanja, who descended from a cadet line of the Vukanović dynasty...
. Starting with a lot of written material, during the following year, the band recorded their debut extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
We Always..., inspired lyrically by religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, secret societies and musically predominantly by movie soundtracks, and the popular post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
and gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
acts such as Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company...
, The Mission
The Mission (band)
The Mission are a gothic rock band formed in 1986 from the splinters of the freshly dissolved rock band The Sisters of Mercy.The band was started by frontman Wayne Hussey and bassist Craig Adams , soon adding...
, The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
and Fields of the Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1984. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Carl McCoy, saxophonist Gary Whisker, Tony Pettitt on bass, guitarist Paul Wright and drummer Alexander "Nod" Wright...
. The album was released independently by the band themselves 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. Beside the recorded material, on live appearances the band also performed cover versions of the bands they were citing as their influences.
Until 1989, the band had performed rarely due to Stojiljković's army obligations, and on his return, the band recorded new material featuring a combination of gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
, darkwave
Darkwave
Dark Wave or darkwave is a music genre that began in the late 1970s, coinciding with the popularity of New Wave and post-punk. Building on those basic principles, dark wave added dark, introspective lyrics and an undertone of sorrow for some bands...
and industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
with the elements of Byzantine music
Byzantine music
Byzantine music is the music of the Byzantine Empire composed to Greek texts as ceremonial, festival, or church music. Greek and foreign historians agree that the ecclesiastical tones and in general the whole system of Byzantine music is closely related to the ancient Greek system...
, independently released on the EP Pravoslavia (Orthodoxia), available 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...
, which was the case with most of their later releases. The album, featuring the songs "Popečenije" ("Ministry"), "Praviteljstvujušči sovjet serbski" ("The Ruling Council of Serbia") and "Pričeš" ("Thou Speakest"), did not include drum recordings, and the band instead used the Edic rhythm machine both on studio and live performances. The material was presented live in a form of a performance, featuring stage decorations, video and light effects. During the late 1989, Jovanović left the band, being replaced by Ivan Marković "Parsifal".
1990s
In 1990, the new lineup recorded several new tracks which, beside the selection of the previously recorded material, appeared on the compilation album Telo i dušaTelo i duša
Telo i duša is an album by the Serbian gothic rock band Trivalia. It was released in 1990.-Side A:-Side B:- External links :*...
(Body and Soul) released in a limited printing of 50 copies by the Black Rider independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
. The same record label had rereleased the first two studio albums. During the same year, the band had entered the Naissus Studio and recorded three songs, "Ruža i krst" ("A rose and a Cross"), "U sobi" ("In the Room") and "Blede ruke volim tako mnogo" ("Pale Hands I Love so Much"), released on the EP Dat Rosa Mel Apibus (Latin for The Rose Gives Honey to the Bees), dedicated to the Rosicrucian Order. Printed as a limited edition 7-inch EP by Jugoton
Jugoton
Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, Socialist Republic of Croatia. After the breakup of Yugoslavia the company continued to work in independent Republic of Croatia under the name Croatia...
, the EP was eventually released on March 1991 by the Studenkult-SKC Niš independent record label. The former two songs had quickly become minor hits, providing the band with an opportunity to perform as an opening act for Električni Orgazam
Električni Orgazam
Električni Orgazam is a Serbian rock band from Belgrade. Originally starting as a combination of New Wave, punk rock and post-punk, the band later slowly changed their style, becoming a mainstream rock act.- New Wave years :...
, KUD Idijoti
KUD Idijoti
KUD Idijoti is a punk-rock band from Pula, Croatia. The band was formed on February 2, 1981 and released their first album in 1986...
and U Škripcu
U Škripcu
U Škripcu was a former Yugoslav rock band from Belgrade, notable as participant in the Artistička radna akcija project as well as for their later works.- Formation and breakup :...
. After the EP release, the new band member had become Miloš Vukotić (guitar, vocals, keyboards).
On October and November 1991, new material was recorded at the Cash studio and released on the religiously-oriented album Crna voda (Black Water), inspired by the novels Sveti gral (Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
) and The Neverending Story
The Neverending Story
The Neverending Story is a German fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in 1979. The standard English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was first published in 1983...
. The album, released by Happy House records, featured guest appearances by the guitarists Dejan Šišnjić and Goran Savić, and the release was produced by Dejan Glozić. Beside the new tracks, including the Holy Grail novel-inspired song "Sion", the album featured the rerecorded versions of "Ruža i krst" and "U sobi", this time more guitar-oriented. The band had also recorded their first promotional video for the Afirmator 2 television show. After the album release, two live appearances were made at the 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...
club Bunker and held several local performances in Niš, including the May 21, 1992, performance at the cult M Pub, which was their first solo concert, featuring beside their material, cover versions of The Ramones, The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company...
and Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
.
The followup, the studio album Headhunter, released in 1992, for the first time featured the material entirely featuring the lyrics 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...
. The album, featuring electronic body music
Electronic body music
Electronic body music or industrial dance is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic dance music...
influences, mainly acquired by the band members through the works of the band Front 242
Front 242
Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. They are known for being the premier pioneer of electronic body music and as a major influence on the electronic and industrial music genres.-Formation:...
, was released by the Dobri Isak
Dobri Isak
Dobri Isak was a Serbian and former Yugoslav post-punk/darkwave band from Niš.- History :...
frontman Predrag Cvetičanin's indie record label DOM. After the album release, the band was joined by Ivan Litovski as the new guitarist, and in 1992 the band released the compilation album Body Collection. The album, intended to be a singles collection, featured a new version of the song "Headhunter", a cover version of Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
single "Das Model
Das Model
"Das Model" is a song recorded by the electro-pop group Kraftwerk in 1978; written by musicians Ralf Hütter and Karl Bartos, with artist Emil Schult collaborating on the lyrics. It is featured on the album, Die Mensch-Maschine; English version title: The Man-Machine...
", and two recordings from their M Pub performance. After the compilation release, on early 1994, the band had disbanded.
In 1996, the band performance recorded on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
at a concert held in the club of the Niš Medical faculty, was released on the live album Halloween Nights. After the band disbandment, Žikić continued working under the Trivalia moniker, releasing the album Instant God, featuring the song "Fisherman", nevertheless, no further recordings were made and he had withdrawn from the scene.
Extended plays
- We Always... (1987)
- Pravoslavia (1989)
- Dat Rosa Mel Apibus (1991)
External links
- Trivalia 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....
- Trivalia at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Trivalia 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 ....