Block Out (band)

Block Out
Company type	Private
Industry	Music
Founded	1990 in Belgrade, Serbia
Founder	Milutin Jovančić, Dragan Majstorović, Danilo Pavićević, Vladan Lazarević, Dean Dimitrijević
Defunct	2014
Fate	Disbanded; members continued as Čovek Vuk
Headquarters	Belgrade, Serbia
Products	Music albums

Block Out was an alternative rock group from Serbia, established in Belgrade in 1990, and is considered a significant contributor to the 1990s Serbian rock movement.

Originally formed under the name Ad Hoc with a hard rock orientation, the band evolved towards a darker and heavier sound after guitarist and principal songwriter Nikola Vranjković joined in 1991, becoming the central creative force. Their albums Crno, belo i srebrno (1994), Godina sirotinjske zabave (1996), and San koji srećan sanjaš sam (1998) fused elements of alternative rock, grunge, metal, and psychedelic influences. Vranjković’s poetic lyrics often reflected on Serbian society following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Vocalist Milutin Jovančić "Mita" contributed by directing artistic music videos. Their last studio release, Ako imaš s kim i gde (2004), was met with critical praise. After internal disagreements led to Vranjković’s departure in 2013, he embarked on a successful solo career while the remaining members briefly continued under the Block Out name before transitioning to Čovek Vuk (Wolf Man).

Formation and early years (1990–1993)

The band originated from Ad Hoc, a hard rock ensemble formed late in 1990 by Milutin Jovančić "Mita" (vocals), Dragan Majstorović "Trle" (bass), Danilo Pavićević (guitar), Vladan Lazarević (guitar), and Dean Dimitrijević (drums). To avoid confusion with another group bearing the same name, they adopted the name Block Out, inspired by a popular video game and a slang term for losing consciousness. In 1991, Lazarević moved to the Netherlands, and Nikola Vranjković joined as guitarist, rapidly becoming the band's creative leader. Before joining, Vranjković had spent four years in Moscow collaborating with seasoned Soviet musicians and worked as a studio musician upon returning to Yugoslavia, including tours with pop rock band Ruž and performances alongside punk artist Satan Panonski.

With the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars, the band relocated to London, performing at venues like Sick of Rock and Robby's with English-language songs. Plans for releasing a single were abandoned upon their return to Yugoslavia. By 1992, back in Belgrade, the lineup included Jovančić, Vranjković, Majstorović, and new drummer Miljko Radonjić. In 1993, Block Out issued their initial recordings on the cassette-only release Live KST, Akademija, featuring live performances from Belgrade clubs Akademija (1991) and KST (1992).

Nikola Vranjković’s leadership period (1994–2013)

Block Out’s debut album Crno, belo i srebrno (Black, White and Silver) was released in 1994. It combined earlier hard rock tracks such as "Sanjaj me" ("Dream of Me") with darker compositions written by Nikola Vranjković. His lyrics poetically explored themes of despair and disillusionment amid the turmoil of the Yugoslav Wars and economic hardship. Drawing inspiration from bands like Soundgarden, Pink Floyd, and Ekatarina Velika, this album marked a transition toward a more somber tone. The release was supported by a concert at Belgrade's Students' Cultural Centre and earned recognition as Best Rock Record of the Year by the Belgrade city assembly.

In 1996, during a period of social unrest in Serbia, they recorded "Leto na Adi" ("Summer on Ada"), later added as a bonus track on the 2001 reissue of their debut album. That same year saw the release of their second album, Godina sirotinjske zabave (The Year of Poverty Amusement), which featured material written over six years reflecting societal changes after socialism’s decline. This album introduced new members Aleksandar Balać (bass) and Dragoljub Marković (keyboards), was produced by Aleksandar Radosavljević, and included contributions from guest musicians.

Their third studio effort, San koji srećan sanjaš sam (1998), also produced by Radosavljević, expanded upon Block Out’s artistic rock approach by depicting Serbia’s harsh realities through songs like "Zvezdane staze" ("Star Trek") and "Armatura" ("Framework"). The album was critically acclaimed and featured guest appearances from prominent artists across various genres. Its launch was accompanied by artistic videos directed by vocalist Milutin Jovančić.

A live performance recorded in Belgrade in 1999 was released in 2001 as Između dva zla (Between Two Evils). In 2000, Vranjković published his poetry collection Zaovdeilizaponeti, which included his lyrics for Block Out alongside his debut solo album of the same title—characterized by minimalistic acoustic arrangements yet maintaining a melancholic atmosphere. The band contributed to the 2002 tribute album honoring Milan Mladenović with their cover of "Soba" ("Room").

In 2003, work began on an album initially named Nema više lakih protivnika (No More Easy Opponents). Following Marković’s departure, Dejan Hasečić joined playing keyboards and guitar.

The fourth studio album, Ako imaš s kim i gde (2004), entirely composed and produced by Vranjković, featured guest musicians including Ana Đokić and Darko Marković. A December 2005 concert at Belgrade Youth Center was issued as Block Out DVD in 2007, containing live footage alongside music videos spanning their career. The band also appeared on the Pankrti tribute compilation Pankrti 06 with their track "Volkovi" ("Wolves"). In 2007 they opened for Kaiser Chiefs at Belgrade Arena and began performing new songs live during 2008–2009.

In 2011, they released "Beograd spava" ("Belgrade is Sleeping"), a cover featuring poet Miloš Crnjanski reciting verses. June 2012 saw Block Out performing at Belgrade Arena's IQ Festival alongside international artists such as Marilyn Manson. Later that year they issued singles "Prokletije Live" and "Nikad (Dve hiljade i kusur godina)" ("Never (Two Thousand And Something Years)").

Departure of Vranjković and Band Dissolution (2013–2014)

On 1 September 2013, Block Out held their final performance featuring Nikola Vranjković at a festival in Niš. Soon afterward, lead vocalist Milutin Jovančić revealed Vranjković’s exit through social media channels. This announcement provoked diverse opinions among fans concerning the band’s future artistic direction without Vranjković’s songwriting contributions.

Following his departure, Block Out proceeded without incorporating Vranjković’s compositions. In December 2013, the band introduced the single "Reka" ("River"), which included backing vocals by Bora Đorđević of Riblja Čorba. Their inaugural concert without Vranjković occurred later that month at Belgrade’s Sioux club, where they co-headlined alongside Popečitelji and featured Đorđević as a guest performer. The group collaborated with producer Oliver Jovanović to develop new material.

By October 2014, after Nikola Vranjković secured the legal rights to the Block Out name through Serbia’s Intellectual Property Institute, the remaining members declared their intention to continue under a new moniker, Čovek Vuk (The Wolf Man), marking the official conclusion of Block Out as an entity.

Legacy

In 2021, the album Godina sirotinjske zabave was ranked 20th, while San koji srećan sanjaš sam placed 26th among the top 100 Serbian albums released since the breakup of SFR Yugoslavia, as documented in Kako (ni)je propao rokenrol u Srbiji. Their track "Manastir" ("Monastery") achieved position No.100 on Rock Express’s list of the Top 100 Yugoslav Rock Songs of All Time. Additionally, lyrics from nine of their songs were included in Petar Janjatović’s anthology dedicated to ex-Yugoslav rock poetry.

Members

Last lineup

Milutin Jovančić "Mita" – lead vocals (1990–2014)
Nikola Vranjković – guitar and vocals (1991–2013)
Aleksandar Balać "Lale" – bass guitar (1996–2014)
Miljko Radonjić – drums (1992–2014)
Dejan Hasečić – keyboards and guitar (2003–2014)

Previous members

Danilo Pavićević – guitar (1990–1993)
Vladan Lazarević – guitar (1990–1991)
Dragan Majstorović – bass guitar (1990–1995)
Dean Dimitrijević – drums (1990–1993)
Dragoljub Marković – keyboards (1996–2003)

Discography

Studio albums

External links