Introduction
There is a difference between writing about darkness and having to find your way through it. For Croatian black metal band TRIVAN, that distinction lies at the heart of its music. Its single “Crowned with Dread and Power” explores the relationship between fear, suffering and the strength required to move forward. In this Q&A feature, founder Vanja Šantak’s answers to Metal Madness Weekly are summarised in his own terms.
Artist background
Q: How did TRIVAN begin?
A: Šantak founded the band in Zagreb in 2018 with longtime friend Ivan Bertović. The goal was straightforward: write original black metal, rehearse and take it to the stage. Over time, grief, difficult decisions and the determination to change became part of the band’s identity.
Q: How did the band survive the pandemic and lineup changes?
A: Instead of waiting for a perfect lineup, he and Bertović kept writing. Without a full band, songs no longer had to fit what available musicians could play — the question became what each song actually needed. The vision comes first; the right musicians are brought in to realise it.
Q: Who plays in TRIVAN today?
A: Bertović develops his own bass lines, vocalist Tomislav Žiljak brings his own phrasing, and drummer Robert Vlašić adds his experience to the drum concepts — both Žiljak and Vlašić have connections to Croatian band Darkendome. Rhythm guitarist Marin Buljan joined in 2025, giving Šantak more freedom for leads and solos live.
Review of the song
Q: What is “Crowned with Dread and Power” about?
A: It follows “Abyss of Crawling Shadows,” which became tied to the death of Šantak’s Cane Corso, Amon, his companion for almost thirteen years. The new song is the next stage: moving forward does not require the past to disappear, and strength does not mean never feeling fear. The crown symbolises responsibility for oneself, not domination over others. Fittingly, he now has another Cane Corso, Baal.
Musical analysis
Q: How strictly do you follow black metal tradition?
“Black metal is our foundation. It isn’t our prison.”
A: His influences run from Marduk, Immortal, Dark Funeral, Dissection, Cradle of Filth and Satyricon to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Alice Cooper, with death metal weight in the mix. Relentless aggression, heavier rhythmic passages or melodic solos appear whenever a composition calls for them.
Q: What is Trivanism?
A: The name links triviality and vanquishing. Trivanism is not a religion, cult or rigid ideology — it begins with honestly confronting fear, grief, anger and mistakes. Its message: know yourself, understand yourself, be yourself, and allow others the same freedom.
Why listeners should pay attention
Q: What can we expect from Eternal Shore?
A: The debut gathers eight songs documenting a period of Šantak’s life, its narrative emerging only as the songs developed: “Dark Malicious Desire,” “Blackened Heart’s Pledge,” “Dance of Death,” “Abyss of Crawling Shadows,” “Crowned with Dread and Power” and “Flowers for the Dead,” the sixth song, a reminder to show people what they mean to us while they are still here.
Q: What comes next?
A: TRIVAN remains independent and unsigned, though open to a partner offering real value and fair terms. After completing Eternal Shore, the band will focus on rehearsals and live shows internationally. Around twenty further songs are close to completion — some particularly brutal.
Conclusion
The darkness in TRIVAN’s music is not the destination. “Crowned with Dread and Power” makes no promise that suffering vanishes; it explores learning from what happened and finding the strength to continue. If the music helps even one person through a difficult period, Šantak says, the journey has been worthwhile.
Recommended for fans of
Marduk, Immortal, Dark Funeral, Dissection, Cradle of Filth and Satyricon.
Follow the artist
Official website: https://trivanofficial.com
More exclusive interviews: https://metalmadnessweekly.ltd/ · https://metalmadness.world/
Interview conducted by Tomi Perrakoski for Metal Madness Weekly.
© Tomi Perrakoski / Metal Madness Weekly
