Consecration

Consecration is an experimental metal group from Serbia, formed in Belgrade in 2000. The band is active as a quartet comprising Danilo Nikodinovski, Aleksandra Gegović, Ivan Aranđelović and Aleksandar Maksimović.

Style and development

Consecration’s music develops through a range of metal and post-metal influences. Early material on aux draws on bands such as Opeth, Katatonia, Anathema, Slowdive and Neurosis, while the live album live 2nd april 2008 broadens that palette towards artists including ISIS, Aphex Twin, Autechre, King Crimson, Tool and Sigur Rós. Later influences mentioned for the band include David Sylvian, Godflesh, Dead Can Dance, Swans and Cocteau Twins. The band is also known for its live performances and for working to capture that live energy in studio recordings.

Recordings

The debut album aux takes six years to complete. Because of limited interest from local labels, the band makes both aux and the live album live 2nd april 2008 available for free download on 13 May 2008. live 2nd april 2008 contains five new tracks. The second album, .avi, is recorded in Underground studio in January and February 2009 over six days, then mixed over about twice that time, and is released on Geenger Records. It presents studio versions of songs from the live album.

The third album, Cimet, is recorded live and mastered in the United States by James Plotkin, known for work with Khanate, Jodis and OLD. It is followed by Univerzum zna, which is mixed and co-produced by Aaron Harris, the drummer of ISIS and Palms, at Vista studio in Los Angeles, and is also mastered by James Plotkin. In 2024 the band releases Smrt, ljubav, smrt, whose artwork and some song titles are inspired by Dylan Dog. That album uses instruments including theremin and fretless bass on “Imam”, and features a female guest vocal on “Delirijum”. Video sam kako umireš follows in 2025 as a continuation of that release.

Line-up and instrumentation

Over time, the band expands its sound through a changing line-up and a wide instrumental range. Aleksandra Gegović joins as a full-time member after contributing a female vocal to Smrt, ljubav, smrt. She also plays vocoder and talk box and helps arrange choral vocals for “Buđenje mumije”. Aleksandar Maksimović becomes the full-time drummer. That 16-minute opening track includes grand piano, cello, violin, theremin, handpan, tongue drum, ocean drum, chimes, cabalonga shaker, extra floor toms and triangle. “Među nama” uses trumpet, flugelhorn, ocean drum, chimes and heavy synthesizers, while “Senke” features four vocalists singing together at its climax.

Live work and performances

Consecration plays extensively in clubs across the region and appears at major Serbian festivals. These include FENODOM festival, EXIT festival three times, ARF festival and Naša Stvar Open Air Music Fest, where the band appears as headliners. It also supports acts such as Neurosis, Mastodon, Gojira, Slayer, Block Out and Cathedral, and shares stages with The Ocean, Knut, Hesus Attor, Charon and To/Die/For.

Other line-up details

The Norwich, England band of the same name is a separate death doom metal group formed in May 2010, with a different line-up and releases including the EP Gut The Priest and the album Ephemerality.