For them, every riff, every successful concert, every lyric sung back by the crowd is a small victory. Besmeth, Sadetica or Burnt are just a few young bands from Bistrița who, in a world dominated by comercial music, are bringing the city’s stages back to life.

  In recent years, more and more young people in Bistrița have started forming bands and organizing their own concerts. These are not big events, but rather small evenings where live music brings together people who share the same passion. Although it is not an easy task, they dedicate much of their free time to their passion for music. They organize concerts more and more often and take part in local festivals that attract hundreds of young people, as well as older individuals. They are all different, but they are united by one thing: their passion for music. Some of them come to relax, others to meet new people who share the same passion, and some go to support their friends or classmates. But all of them will leave with unforgettable memories and life experiences. Although they don't have lives that stand out, the stories behind them are interesting and full of challenges and obstacles.

Frontkill

Frontkill, band that debuted in 2024 with an opening act for Antpile, is now one of the most appreciated band which plays in Bistrița. They released an ep, "Thrill" expressing their raw energy with groove and thrash metal riffs. Their next concert is in Soho, headlining the event. They are fun people, so you can always have a good time at their concerts.

Burnt

Burnt is a metalcore band formed in January 2024, however they only debuted around June, with their first concert at a volunteering event. Their energy is wild, spreading meaningful lyrics about sadness and love through a harsh genre like post metalcore/deathcore. The former name of the band was Burnt Memories, but it finally remained Burnt because the lead singer declared it was "too edgy". They must be seen at least once.

Besmeth

Members of Bësmeth. Image: Bësmeth’s photographer.

Besmeth is a band formed a long time ago and one of the most lasting bands in Bistrița. They changed many members, and also switched from glam metal to alternative metal recently. They have great shows and many people love them. The only member that stayed from the beginning was Darius Mihaila, proofing perseverance and passion.

    The biggest challenges that young bands in Bistrita have to overcome are the lack of  professional infrastructure and the difficulty in promoting the concerts they organize. Rehearsal spaces, quality musical equipment, and access to recording studios are often hard to come by and, for many new bands, simply out of reach. Despite this, they manage to find solutions: they rent or buy second-hand equipment and record their music in improvised home studios.

    When it comes to promotion, young bands in Bistrița rely heavily on community support. Festivals like WTF Rock Festival and Praetorian Gates give these bands the opportunity to make their presence known and to showcase their creations in front of wider audience sharing the stage with well-known bands such as Hara, Cargo and Bucovina.