A TRIUMPH OF ARTISTIC EXTREMES AND DYSTOPIAN VISIONS
The second day of the fourth Slaughter Festival confirmed its status as one of the boldest cultural events in the region. Around a thousand fans of extreme music and art-horror cinema once again filled the former slaughterhouse in Doljevac, transforming it into an arena of creative noise, movie’s shadow, and inexhaustible energy.
DIY HORROR PANEL: AN UNDERGROUND THAT SURVIVED
The discussion “Horror – Do It Yourself” held in Niš’s Deli Space was a tribute to the local underground scene. Jovan Ristić, Dr. Marko Pišev, and Milan Kovačević spoke about how fanzines, samizdat publications, and low-budget production kept the horror genre alive during times without institutional support. A select audience had the chance to hear stories about cult publications, while moderator Dr. Dejan Ognjanović emphasized: “This is history no one will preserve but us.”
MUSICAL EXPLOSION: FROM FINLAND TO ITALY
The festival’s two independent stages turned into sound laboratories: Niš-based band Lakrdija, led by frontwoman Mateja Radić, showed why her voice is considered one of the strongest on the local scene, blending gothic melancholy with raw metal energy. The Swiss-Serbian symphonic metal band Evolucija, fronted by Ilana Marinješ von Arks, impressed the crowd with dark epic arrangements and powerful stage presence.
Finnish death metal trio Extinguished, with their philosophy “Two guitars and rage are all we need,” earned ovations. The night’s final act, Italian band WakeUpCall – Sanremo finalists – delivered a fierce rock’n’roll performance, closing the set with a (un)expected darkwave cover of “Volare”.
FILM MARATHON: FROM OCCULTISTS TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The occult thriller The Conclave of Shadows (Argentina), about a secret lodge seeking the Crown of the Sun, opened the film night. It was followed by the Estonian epic horror-comedy Chainsaws Were Singing, described as “Monty Python meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, which provoked both laughter and unease.
The experimental essay Telepathic Letters (Portugal), a film entirely generated by artificial intelligence and inspired by Fernando Pessoa and H. P. Lovecraft, divided the audience – some were thrilled, others puzzled. Where is technology taking us? Austria’s 2551.02: The Orgy of the Damned, a new chapter in the saga of the man in the monkey mask, shocked viewers. The Mexican folklore-based horror The Lottery and a retrospective of Miroslav Lakobrija’s short films rounded out the evening.
SLAUGHTER FESTIVAL – FINAL NIGHT: EXTREME CULMINATION
The third and final night of the fourth Slaughter Festival promises an explosive combination of avant-garde performances, tribute acts, and musical extremity, while the film program offers apocalyptic visions and experimental horror.
MUSIC PROGRAM: FROM DADAIST CHAOS TO GRIND FURY
The Niš-based experimental project Figurative Theatre (Neo-Dada/Dadawave), active since 1999, known for merging EBM, noise, and Dada performances, will present their piece “The World Will Be Perfect Again”. They’ll be followed by Iron Made In Ni – Niš’s Iron Maiden tribute band, famous for their energetic interpretations of classics and charity performances. Next comes Orb Ov God (Black/Death Metal) from Novi Sad, whose dark sound and technical precision promise an intense impression. The night will conclude with Finnish trio Sonic Poison (Deathgrind), whose albums “Eruptio” (2023) and “Grinded Leftovers” (2024) earned praise from none other than Michael Poulsen of Volbeat.
FILM PROGRAM: FROM MYTH TO APOCALYPSE
At 7:30 PM in the main festival hall, a curated selection of the best short horror films from Grossmann 2024 will be screened, followed by a reprise of the Mexican horror The Lottery, an homage to Latin American mythologies. The evening ends with a surprise projection – The Shock Film, at 10:30 PM.
On the Air Movie Screen, two reprised screenings will be shown: Telepathic Letters and Bakemono. At the Water Movie Screen, by the pool, the Golden Sledgehammer awards will be presented at 9 PM, followed by a screening of the winning film. At 11 PM, the festival will conclude with 2551.03: The End – the final chapter in the apocalyptic saga of the man in the monkey mask.
Slaughter Festival is more than an event – it is a ritual zone where extreme art and underground culture merge into a collective nocturnal vision. Three days in a parallel universe you’ll long to return to, even though you know what awaits you there is only darkness.
Festival sponsors: Municipality of Doljevac and the Ministry of Tourism and Youth of the Republic of Serbia.