2018

Speaking of merging musical heritage with the language of popular music, Katalena is a group always fearlessly moving the borders of folk heritage, even if it means grabbing it by the collar and claiming it with their own interpretations. Six musicians – singer Vesna Zornik, keyboardist Polona Janežič, guitarist Boštjan Narat, bass guitarist Tibor Mihelič Syed, drummer and percussionist Robert Rebolj, and singer and multi-instrumentalist Boštjan Gombač – have been performing together continuously since July 2001. In addition to all major festivals, concert halls and clubs in Slovenia, Katalena also regularly performs abroad. 

Their latest album, Man Is Not A Beast, focuses on the heritage of Slovene military-themed folk songs, Ivo Brnčić's poetry set to music and their own compositions, which are both in content and in form loyal to Katalena's distinctive style. Rather than heroism, the songs tell the story of hardship, fear, and pain of a young man. After all, Man Is Not A Beast is an album about the absurdity of war.