In my album explorations of 2025, I came across this incredible album, Video sam kako umireš, from Belgrade-based band, Consecration. I have enjoyed this record many times, often playing it on a long train ride or on my speakers at home. I love how this album feels as I listen to it. It has this incredible swirling quality to it when I sit between two speakers, allowing myself to be literally surrounded by this incredible work. As someone who has listened to the entire discography of Consecration, I feel like this album is the culmination of their years of dedication to cultivating their talents, sound, and artistic and creative prowess. Though I am sure this is not the last we will hear from Consecration, this is truly their magnum opus – their greatest work. I have loved each of their releases in many different ways. However, without a doubt, Video sam kako umireš will be talked about for decades to come. Let me explore some of the tracks with you and show you what I really mean.

The album begins with a sixteen-minute epic: “Buđenje mumije”. The composition of this song is absolutely incredible – layers upon layers upon layers of sound are packed into this extraordinary opus, creating this sonic experience I struggle to put into words in a way that does it justice… I can really only describe this track as a sort of spiritual ascension. We begin with wind chimes and “inhalation” – though I imagine it to be a synth of some kind. Gently, the “mumije” – the mummy – is awoken through gentle guitar melodies and breathy exhalations from the band – “mrak” (darkness), “lišće” (leaves), “auspuh” (exhaust), and “voda” (water). I have often sat with myself, wondering what these words mean for this context…are they the elements to which we shall return? Regardless of my musings, I have often sat with this incredible track, taking in each element, each purposeful layer. The strings, the chorallike vocals, the melodies that sit towards the “auditory front” of the track, the foundational sonic layers of synths, drums, and finger-picked notes on a guitar all come together on to create this incredible piece. The truest beauty of this piece is twofold: the instrumentation and the deliverance of the lyrics. The adoration that is poured into the delivery of the phrase “Minđuše planete” (earrings of the planets) is just astounding. I invite you to sit with this track and just listen. Take in the sonic journey as you travel through the universe with this incredible opener.

The next song I’d like to unpack with you is “Među nama” (Among us). Often, I think of this song as “between us”, since “između” means “between” and this song acts as a bridge between the two halves of the record. The opening synths are smooth like silk – they feel like waves rolling over top one another, gently becoming the next one after. In a way, “Među nama” is gently cradling and carrying us from the more anthemic and ethereal end of the previous track, “Senke”, to the acoustic-lead beginning of the following track, “Strava letnje noći”. The instrumentation feels astral and dreamy, like we’re floating through a sea of stars. I’m not sure if I’m alone in this, but I could definitely see this song as the instrumental track to accompany a planetarium show of a journey through our solar system. I do love how different instruments and synth layers are integrated into the song – the trumpet and the “bass synths” (for lack of a better term) begin to be introduced around the halfway point of the track, and rise to prominence towards the third-quarter mark of the song. The finale of the track gently eases us out of the astral embrace of “Među nama” for us to begin our journey into the latter half of the album with the call of a lone trumpet and gentle, twinkly synths.

My favorite song,“Strava letnje noći”, which means “midsummer night’s horror”, picks up right after the end of “Među nama”. Danilo Nikodinovski, the frontman of Consecration, details this song in the interview that I had the wonderful opportunity to coordinate with the band. I’ll let Danilo tell you about what the song means, but I would love to take you through how this song sounds. While the lyrics are just a couple of repeated stanzas, it creates a sort of meditation on the poem – something which I think aligns with the lyrics. They read: “Ova noć je najduža na svetu / Jer ti si tu tek sutra / I ponavljam ovu pesmu / Dok ne izgore sva jutra”, which means “This night is the longest in the world / Because you’re not here until tomorrow / And I repeat this song / Until all the mornings burn” – the lyrics are a purposely-crafted mantra, not just the story of the song. The instrumentals compliment all of the vocal layers so well – they build upon the tension created by each vocalist, supported by gentle reverb on each vocal layer. The chords created by the layered guitar and vocal melodies are incredibly pleasing to hear – they seem to fit together like puzzle pieces. It’s hard to describe why “Strava letnje noći” is my favorite track of the whole album, but the magic that is captured on this track feels like it was crafted with such precision, so as to draw you in further upon each note sung.

This album truly is a work of art. Each song is carefully constructed, with something new to pick up each time you hear it. Do you notice the theremin features, or did you think they were vocals like I did? What about the different percussion instruments? I love being able to discover something new each time I give this album a listen.

If you would like to support Consecration, you can find them on Instagram, Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube, and wherever else you stream your music. You can also purchase a physical or digital copy of Video sam kako umireš on Consecration’s Bandcamp page or from Geenger Records.