On Friday, February 28th, 2025, in a new space U Klubu, the last Ajmo! concert will be held with anticipation of bands: Emphasis, Vukojarac and Kosturi. Ajmo! is a pilot project, the result of months of cooperation between Music Export Office Croatia and The Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, which finances the competition. The aim of the concert is to encourage concert activity in smaller communities and support local musicians and organizers.
This will also be a historic epic concert in which organizers will try to create a new venue in the space of a former nightclub that has closed its doors.
Emphasis is a band founded in Čakovec in 2005, which is recognized by the unique sound they developed over the years, relying on pronounced riffs and a dark atmosphere. The guys bridge several musical genres, and seek inspiration from the bands such as Caspian, Russian Circles, This Will Destroy You, Enslaved and Isis. In 2007, they released their acclaimed debut album “Elements of Morrow”, which successfully united heavy metal, post rock and other genres. With their second album, “Gliding Over All”, the guys defined the foundations of their recognizable, powerful sound. Their third release, “Black.Mother.Earth”, is a collection of slow and heavy songs with an emphasis on monolithic guitar riffs and a rich rhythm. The album title is an English translation of the title of a novel by local writer Kristian Novak, “Črna mati zemla”. It is also the band members’ homage to the region of Croatia they come from. They used the pandemic gap in the time continuum to regroup and compose their fourth album, “Lazaret”. The material was recorded at Studio 148 in Bucharest under the production guidance of long-time collaborator and external band member Marius Costache.
https://emphasiscakovec.bandcamp.com/
Vukojarac, the embodiment of the Dishonorable in this, lower, dimension of existence where misery is shared. Vukojarec is a manifestation of three minds and one purpose – spreading Riff and attracting new acolytes to his army of subjects by repeating the mantra: “Tini’t-tus, dec-ib’el” Although a unique entity, it makes its existence possible by using the bodies of three once cheerful young men who always greeted each other in passing. These three souls hidden behind the story are: Ante Kodžoman, Božo Križan and Jakov Runje.
https://vukojarac.bandcamp.com/album/dead-sessions-pt-0
Kosturi are a brutal hypersonic rock quartet from southern Croatia, more precisely from the mystical place Majmunovo in the Dalmatian hinterland, an area known for its perishable wine and the bad character of the local population. The band has been active since 2007.
They were founded on May 13th, on the National Security Day. Shortly after, they moved from their homeland to Split – carried away by dreams of money, fame and their own affirmation, they recorded their debut album “Mefistov krah”, released on the Slušaj Najglasnije label.
The band has been operating and recording according to the DIY philosophy since its beginnings, recording all songs in one take. Musically, they lean on the brutality of old school metal/hard core, the explosiveness of garage rock and a mix of blues and melodies of the Dalmatian hinterland.
This is a band that does not need much introduction to the Benkovac audience. Fun fact: Kosturi played at the closing of the iconic “Party” space in 2019, and now they’re playing at the opening and attempted existence of the association’s new space.
