Doomed Confessionary: Boki, Vanja, Karlo & Kes (A Gram Trip)
Photo credit: Lucija Misan
A Gram Trip is a four-piece stoner metal band from Zagreb, Croatia. Founded in 2019, they released their debut album titled »Long Overdue« in 2023, followed up by a three song EP titled »If We Leaf Tomorrow« in 2024.
This year, they are putting out their second album »Bud Ends And Glass Bottoms«, set to release on vinyl on November 20th, 2025. The album was recorded in Studio Depth, Zagreb over a three-day weekend at the end of May 2025. Mixing and mastering was done by Filip Sertic.
A Gram Trip consists of Vanja on drums, Boki on vocals, Kes on guitar and Karlo on bass & backing vocals.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Boki: We are a 4 piece stoner metal band from Zagreb, Croatia and we prefer massive, loud and heavy psychedelic music.
Vanja: Weed, heavy, loud.
Karlo: Stoned metal from Zagreb.
Kes: Barrel riders with lung combustion.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Boki: Time and money are the biggest challenges so far I’d say…
Vanja: Time and money def.
Karlo: I’d say getting all of our different ideas and approaches to art on the same page. It’s rewarding to know every member of the band really likes most of the stuff we make, from the music, the merch we make, the way we do (or don’t do) social media. But sometimes we argue about ridiculous stuff like font kernings wich can be challenging.
Kes: In my modest opinon, we didn’t have any challenge.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Boki: IMHO the sound we managed to achieve so far after all this time, it can only go better than this. Also, our new album on vinyl this year!
Vanja: Releasing our new album on vinyl.
Karlo: Not giving up or keeping up the same pace for ages, but doing more and more every year. Always being hungry for more.
Kes: Make better music than our first album.
What was your biggest regret?
Boki: Band-wise I have none. I know it sounds weird but honestly all ups and downs were expected from the beginning and I am surprised because we are at our highest (lmao) point yet! It keeps getting weirder and crazier every year and I fucking love it!
Vanja: Becoming a drummer (expensive).
Karlo: Rejecting the opportunity to play in Iceland due to already having a gig on that date, just to later find out the first gig got canceled. Man, Iceland would be cool.
Kes: No rAgrets, and it’s not a typo.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Boki: We all have our personal preferences I think but as a band I think it’s the EXIT festival in Serbia. My favourite was when we managed to fill Močvara club to the brim with people, such a great fucking gig, thank you all for coming!
Vanja: Promotion of our EP in Močvara club, great vibes.
Karlo: 3FF Festival in Čakovec this year. Throughout the years, the organisers became our good friends, and it was like going to a grill at your friend’s weekend home, not like going to put up a show.
Kes: Musically it was EP promotion in Močvara, but if you look the best all-around gig it has to be 3FF in Čakovec. Just like Karlo said it.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Boki: This year sadly the deaths of many musicians I listened to and loved their music.
Vanja: Zoomers listening to Deftones.
Karlo: yeah, seeing great artists die is quite the shock.
Kes: Acid Bath reunion.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Boki: I was so focused on our music which is heavy and loud so right now after all that I prefer kind of easier tracks like Carbon Based Lifeforms, Bathory (viking era), Summoning and so on… let’s say I always loved atmospheric pieces but right now I honestly prefer it over anything else.
Vanja: Spacetrucker, Bongzilla, Dopelord, Gnome, Dopethrone, Sleep, and many others…
Karlo: Im still coming down from the high of making our last album, so I didnt listen to a lot of metal recently. I borrowed a ton of old vinyl from Boki and now listen to bands like Hawkwind, Iron Butterfly, Budgie etc. My car music is an eclectic mix of synthwave remixes and country rock. Carpenter Brut and Roky Erickson back to back with some Bolzer mixed in. I like Bolzer.
Kes: Everything except that “modern metal bullshit”.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Boki: The best advice I can think of is – don’t give a fuck what other people think about music, it will only make your head hurt.
Vanja: Never stop
Karlo: I got a ton of shitty advice from old rock dudes who never made it. Id say i try to do the exact opposite, not to end up in an AC/DC cover band like them later in life.
Kes: “If u are not making any money out of it, just don’t do it.” – best bullshit I have ever heard.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Boki: Music wise I love 2010’s pop hits a lot 😀
Karlo: Baking cakes. Man I love baking cakes.
Vanja: Old Britney Spears bangers, military technologies and tactics, I keep up daily with global politics and international relations.
Kes: None.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Zagreb?
Boki: Our music scene is sadly very saturated with bullshit but there is hope because some underground bands are actually very good! The only thing which I find problematic with metal music in Croatia is that a lot of people are stuck up and have a hearsay approach to it which doesn’t help at all… Go and see the bands live – it will change your mind, sometimes.
Vanja: Not really.
Karlo: I would compare the scene in Zagreb to Croatias coast. A thousand small islands who all think they are the shit, and every other island sucks. Or better yet highschool. You have small groups having a popularity contest, hiding rotting fruit in other people’s lockers and tripping eachother in the hallway.
Kes: Everybody thinks they are larger than life figure. Good for them.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Boki: We are planning on promoting our album this year so I won’t say too much but we are planning the biggest thing so far, you all know what it is!
Vanja: Big things coming.
Karlo: I see many truck stops, gas station hot dogs and sleeping on the van floor for the foreseeable future.
Kes: We have 2 gigs in Zagreb. One for Bearstone promotions and other is promotion of our new album.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Boki: Make more music! Always!
Vanja: Tours, albums, funny plants.
Karlo: Pushing as hard as we can. If the riffs come, make some new music, if the road calls, we get on the road. The point is to always go forward, and not get lulled into a sense of popularity, it’s all fleeting.
Kes: Stay true to ourselves and hopefully talking to you at least 10+ times.
How can people best support your band?
Boki: Come and see us live and give us support! It matters to me the most to see people enjoy and have a great time when we perform our stuff live because that’s the whole point of music to begin with – vibes.
Vanja: Buy our merch, you fuckers.
Karlo: In the age of algorithms and suggested posts, its more important than ever to share what you love with your friends. Not just talking about me and my band, there is a whole undiscovered world of great artists who dont tickle the algorithm the right way and stay underground. If you buy merch, make sure the money goes straight to the band.
Kes: Bring the Devils lettuce to first row, we can’t roll while we play.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Boki: Thank you! That would be all.
Vanja: Stay stinky, peace.
Karlo: Drugs are bad, m’kay.
Kes: Support Studio Depth by Filip Sertic.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well