Slovenians’ Birds of Disgrace is a raw and emotionally charged exploration of damage, survival and the possibility of starting again. Across fourteen tracks, the Brussels-based band channels more than a decade of punk-rock intensity into songs that confront addiction, grief, shame, loneliness and social hypocrisy with equal measures of urgency, dark humour and hard-earned empathy.
Formed in Brussels in 2012, Slovenians have built a distinctive sound from explosive punk rock, gritty stoner influences and flashes of bluesy melody. On Birds of Disgrace, that foundation is pushed into more vulnerable territory, balancing abrasive energy and melodic tension with lyrics that explore both private collapse and the wider fractures of modern life. Songs such as ‘Somebody Help’, ‘Creep Inside’ and ‘Doctor Doctor’ capture moments of psychological turmoil, while ‘Start Again’ and ‘Le Flues’ return to the album’s central idea: however damaged or defeated someone may feel, a way forward remains possible.
That sense of perseverance is deeply embedded in the band’s history. Following the sudden death of founding guitarist Sinkesh Krištofik in 2017, Slovenians faced an uncertain future but chose to continue in his honour, later dedicating their Sinners EP to his memory. The resilience forged through that loss continues to shape the band’s identity, informing music that remains uncompromising while making space for vulnerability and catharsis.
With Birds of Disgrace, Slovenians bring together the intensity that has defined their live performances with a more expansive and emotionally direct approach to songwriting. The result is a record that is bruising, confrontational and deeply human, one that finds hope not in the absence of struggle, but in the decision to keep moving through it.
To mark the release of Birds of Disgrace, we’ve asked Slovenians to share three of the key influences behind the album as part of our Under the Influence feature.
Pennywise – Pennywise
Laurent Joye: I was around twelve years old when I came across a concert on TV by a big metal band like KISS. There was this one part in one of their songs that I thought was incredible, but the rest, too technical for my taste, didn’t really connect with me. I remember thinking, “It’s a shame they don’t play with that sound all the time… that would be so much better!” A few months later I stumbled across a rock radio show called Rock à GOGO. They played ‘Pennywise’ by the band Pennywise, from their self-titled album. It changed everything. It was exactly what I’d been looking for without even knowing it existed. It wasn’t just the sound, it was the simplicity, the urgency, and the raw energy. It felt like someone had taken the part I loved most about those metal songs and built an entire genre around it. Then there were the drums. The speed. The fills. The energy. I was fascinated. They made me want to learn to play the drums myself. For many years, I was convinced Byron McMackin was playing with a double kick pedal. Finding out that he does it all with a single pedal completely blew my mind. That moment opened the door to punk rock and to an entire culture that, by coincidence, or maybe not, was also the soundtrack to my other obsession at the time: skateboarding. While I eventually stopped skating because of injuries, my love for punk rock never faded. It shaped the way I see things, introduced me to lifelong friends, and thirty years later, I’m still playing in a punk rock band.
Iron Maiden – The Number of the Beast
Felix Provost: As far back as I can remember, I always hated music. I simply couldn’t understand why so many people cared so much about it. Then, when I was around fourteen years old, I was rummaging through a corner of the attic when I came across a box full of my mother’s vinyl records. There were albums by Iron Maiden, The Clash, The Offspring, and many others. I started pulling them out one by one, fascinated by the cover artwork. To me, they were genuine works of art. One album immediately caught my attention: The Number of the Beast. I put it on the turntable, having no idea I was about to experience a moment that would change my life. That very same album still sits proudly in my home studio today.
From the very first notes, I was completely frozen. I couldn’t make sense of what I was hearing. I didn’t even know what instruments could produce sounds like that. It was unlike anything I had ever heard before. But one thing was certain: something had just changed. A few days later, I watched one of the band’s DVDs. Seeing Dave Murray play his solos left me mesmerized. I watched his fingers flying across the fretboard with a speed and fluidity that almost didn’t seem real. I think that was the exact moment I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Before that day, music meant nothing to me. From that moment on, it became a true passion, and eventually a reason to live. It was because of that old vinyl record, found by chance in my mother’s attic, that I became the musician I am today.
Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power
Guillaume Triplet: That’s not the album that especially influenced my bass playing on our new album, Birds of Disgrace. Nor is it, in my opinion, Pantera’s best album. That would be The Great Southern Trendkill. But Vulgar Display of Power holds a very special place in my heart because it was the first Pantera album I discovered as a teenager. My best friend bought it, and we listened to it in his bedroom, looking at each other and saying, “What the fuck is going on here?” I think that moment will stay with me forever because, without realizing it, I was listening to an album by a band that would become hugely important in my musical evolution, both as a fan and as a musician. It was as if Vulgar Display of Power brought together everything I wanted to hear. The opening track, ‘Mouth for War’, made it clear that this band wasn’t here to mess around, but to unleash the raw power of a quartet with a rock-solid rhythm section, an incredibly talented guitarist, and an unbelievable singer who became one of my idols. Thrash (‘Fucking Hostile’), groove (‘A New Level’), melodic moments, even love songs (‘This Love’, ‘Hollow’), incredible production. It’s simply amazing. I truly believe this is one of the albums that helped redefine the metal scene. It influenced so many bands and musicians, and naturally, me too.
