Draconic (band)
Encyclopedia
Draconic is a progressive metal
band from Serbia
. Formed in 2003, Draconic was initially a symphonic black metal
band, and with the release of the second studio album, From the Wrong Side of the Aperture
the band moved towards more progressive-oriented sound.
Branislav Stanković, who, with the help of members of the progressive
/power metal
band AlogiA
, recorded an album entitled Conflux
. The album was released in 2004 by Rock Express Records. With intentions of turning the Draconic studio project into an actual working band, Stanković enlisted several metal musicians from Belgrade
, two of which were Vanja Dušan Andrijašević (guitar
) and David Lazar Galić (bass guitar
). When the promotional tour of Conflux ended, the band began working on new material. In the following years, the band recorded demos that marked their shift from the symphonic black metal sound and was looking for new members that would complete the lineup. After the lineup has been established, the culmination of the writing process of new material came in the fall of 2008, with the completion of the band's second album called From the Wrong Side of the Aperture
, that was generally well-received critically. The album featured different sound from the first one, being more progressive-oriented. The album was released in April 2009. Soon after, the band performed at the EXIT Festival in Novi Sad in 2009. Meanwhile, Marjan Mijić left the band soon after the release of From the Wrong Side of the Aperture due to personal reasons. The band had found a new lead vocalist Jelena Stanićević, who performed a couple of live shows with the band (including the EXIT Festival), but also left the band. The band is currently writing material for the third album, but lacks a lead vocalist in its lineup currently.
, Soilwork
and Meshuggah
being some of the band's main influences. Other influences include Pantera
, In Flames
, Megadeth
and Dream Theater
, among many other underground metal acts of the 1980s and 1990s.
Former:
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band from 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...
. Formed in 2003, Draconic was initially a symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a black metal subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic and orchestral elements and is centralized in Europe.-Characteristics:...
band, and with the release of the second studio album, From the Wrong Side of the Aperture
From the Wrong Side of the Aperture
From the Wrong Side of the Aperture is the second studio album of the Serbian metal band Draconic. The album was recorded in 2008, and released in 2009 through Austrian label Noisehead Records...
the band moved towards more progressive-oriented sound.
History
The band started out in 2003 as a solo project of keyboardistKeyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Branislav Stanković, who, with the help of members of the progressive
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
/power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band AlogiA
Alogia
In psychology, alogia , or poverty of speech, is a general lack of additional, unprompted content seen in normal speech. As a symptom, it is commonly seen in patients suffering from schizophrenia, and is considered as a negative symptom...
, recorded an album entitled Conflux
Conflux (album)
Conflux is the debut studio album from the Serbian metal band Draconic. The album was recorded in 2002, and released in 2004 through Rock Express Records. Although officially the debut Draconic album, Conflux is basically a project by keyboardist Branislav Stanković...
. The album was released in 2004 by Rock Express Records. With intentions of turning the Draconic studio project into an actual working band, Stanković enlisted several metal musicians 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...
, two of which were Vanja Dušan Andrijašević (guitar
Electric 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...
) and David Lazar Galić (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
). When the promotional tour of Conflux ended, the band began working on new material. In the following years, the band recorded demos that marked their shift from the symphonic black metal sound and was looking for new members that would complete the lineup. After the lineup has been established, the culmination of the writing process of new material came in the fall of 2008, with the completion of the band's second album called From the Wrong Side of the Aperture
From the Wrong Side of the Aperture
From the Wrong Side of the Aperture is the second studio album of the Serbian metal band Draconic. The album was recorded in 2008, and released in 2009 through Austrian label Noisehead Records...
, that was generally well-received critically. The album featured different sound from the first one, being more progressive-oriented. The album was released in April 2009. Soon after, the band performed at the EXIT Festival in Novi Sad in 2009. Meanwhile, Marjan Mijić left the band soon after the release of From the Wrong Side of the Aperture due to personal reasons. The band had found a new lead vocalist Jelena Stanićević, who performed a couple of live shows with the band (including the EXIT Festival), but also left the band. The band is currently writing material for the third album, but lacks a lead vocalist in its lineup currently.
Musical style
Draconic is mainly influenced by metal bands that the members grew up listening to during the 1990s, with Strapping Young LadStrapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
, Soilwork
Soilwork
Soilwork is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Helsingborg. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast. Formed in late 1995 by Björn Strid and Peter Wichers, originally under the name Inferior Breed, the band changed their name in late 1996 to Soilwork .Their sound is a fusion of the classic...
and Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
being some of the band's main influences. Other influences include Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
, In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
and Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, among many other underground metal acts of the 1980s and 1990s.
Band members
Current Members:- David Lazar Galić - bass guitar, vocals
- Branislav Stanković - keyboards
- Vanja Dušan Andrijašević - guitar
- Uroš Andrijašević - guitar
- Milan Jejina - drums and percussion
Former:
- Marjan Mijić - lead vocals
- Miloš "MC Mike" Kovačević - drums and percussion
- Jelena Stanićević - lead vocals
- Matija Dagović - drums
Studio albums
- ConfluxConflux (album)Conflux is the debut studio album from the Serbian metal band Draconic. The album was recorded in 2002, and released in 2004 through Rock Express Records. Although officially the debut Draconic album, Conflux is basically a project by keyboardist Branislav Stanković...
(2004) - From the Wrong Side of the ApertureFrom the Wrong Side of the ApertureFrom the Wrong Side of the Aperture is the second studio album of the Serbian metal band Draconic. The album was recorded in 2008, and released in 2009 through Austrian label Noisehead Records...
(2009)