December the 6th, 2023 – Despite the dominance of easy listening popular music forms sidelining rock in recent years, rock enthusiasts are not ready to surrender. Meet Undercode.
Evidence of this is the news of the reunion of the heavy metal group Undercode from Zagreb, which in the early 2000s was hailed as an underground sensation with great potential to make a significant impact on the international scene. Besides traditional channels, their music found its way to numerous listeners worldwide through the soundtrack of the popular Croatian made video game Serious Sam. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, the band fell to hibernation, emerging occasionally to contribute to the sequels of the mentioned game.
This time, the revived Undercode recently made their comeback with a concert at the “Hard Place” rock club in Zagreb. The well-attended concert also served as the promotion for their new single and dystopian music video “Panopticon,” featuring renowned TV and theater actor Robert Kurbaša and journalist, musician, and writer Krešimir Mišak in leading roles.
For Robert Kurbaša, who is currently performing alongside Mišak in the play “Pizza with Krešo,” this role was a unique challenge that he embraced with enthusiasm.
“The right song at the right time and the right video with the right people – that was my initial thought when I saw the final version of the video”, Kurbaša said.
“During the filming on the set, everything was as it should be. Creative and unpredictable. I’m glad I was part of that team and contributed, most notably to the worldview that the song conveys – that we should return to ourselves as humans and not stumble blindly into the fog because transhumanism isn’t happening to someone else, and the members of Undercode are aware of that. How about you?”, asks Kurbaša.
The song “Panopticon” addresses the current fear of the influence of artificial intelligence on humanity. The music video depicts one possible dark scenario where unfeeling technology could take control of the human race. The main character, portrayed excellently by Robert Kurbaša, is a man who has decided to say ‘no’ to techno-totalitarian rule. Krešimir Mišak joins the fight against the system, drawing attention to the dangers of transhumanism through his books and public appearances.
Damir Ljubičić – Ljubo (aka Damien Dee), the singer and founder of Undercode, believes that the video will attract the attention of those who may not favor intense heavy metal sounds. Drawing inspiration from scenes in iconic SF classics like Carpenter’s “They Live” and Cameron’s “Terminator,” Undercode pays tribute to film giants who warned decades ago that rapid, uncontrolled technological development could lead to humanity’s self-destruction.
“Humanity has entered the fourth industrial revolution, with the merging of technologies such as artificial intelligence, gene editing, and advanced robotics erasing boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. Undercode’s message emphasizes the need for caution in implementing technological innovations”, Damien says.
The concert, long-awaited by many metal fans, symbolically marks the ‘resurrection’ of Undercode, and they plan to hold a series of concerts in Croatia and abroad. Apart from fans from Zagreb, people from Zadar, Nova Gradiška and Slavonski Brod attended the concert, with one person even travelling from the Czech Republic. The day after the performance, Undercode received dozens of offers for future gigs, especially from outside Croatia, including Poland, Australia, and the United States. Russians, in particular, expressed a keen interest, but due to unfortunate circumstances, they will have to wait for better times.
Watch the video here!
