Slovak post-black BESNA releases a new album

The second full-length album Krásno (Beauty), released on 16 January 2025 by Slovak post-black metal band Besna, explores themes of social stagnation, personal isolation, ecological collapse and the search for meaning in an unjust world. Through seven intense songs, it critiques the passive acceptance of authority, the cyclical nature of cynicism and the desire for self-expression amidst a declining culture and ongoing war.

The album draws on mythological references (the track Bezhviezdna Obloha (Starless Sky)) and historical events (the track Hranice (Pyres), which reflects on Jan Palach’s self-sacrifice and the deaths of people attempting to escape across the borders of communist Czechoslovakia). These motifs emphasize closing oneself off from other people’s thoughts and lives. The band thus urges listeners to fight against apathy and despair. Krásno serves as a powerful reflection on human resilience and a call for cultural and social renewal.

Musically, the band builds on the award-winning album Zverstvá (Atrocities), but introduces new elements and shows its natural evolution. The music on the album is darker and more aggressive in line with the thematic side, but still retains the band’s typical uplifting melodies or melancholic moments in the spirit of its genre. The genre is enriched with a bigger emphasis on rhythm and impactfulness of the music. This is followed by a more massive, fuller and sonically richer production of the record. This was taken care of by Jakub Hríbik and Jakub Spiszak in the Pulp studio in Bratislava, where the recording and mixing took place. Editing was in the hands of Jakub Tirčo and mastering was entrusted to Alexander Vatagin. The artwork was created by Andrej Eternal and the band’s logo was edited by Maxim Ishutin.

The recording is available on streaming services. Pre-sale of the CD and vinyl records is available on the band’s Bandcamp. CDs will be available at the end of January, vinyl records in early March. The creation of the album was supported by public funding from the Slovak Arts Council.