I get the feeling that Negura Bunget are complete and utter perfectionists as they have been busy re-recording and re-issuing their complete back catalogue over time. The original early recordings were originally composed between 1995 and 2000 and no doubt the band had restrictions on how things sounded partly due to the recording facilities in Romania at the time and also due to their own early musical experience. That is certainly not to say early versions of the albums should be thrown away or anything as they are all excellent albeit in a more primitive fashion to what we have now. Following on from ‘Zîrnindu-sa’ ‘Sala Molksa’ and ‘From Transilvanian Forest ‘ it is now time for the group’s 2nd full length album, 2000 release ‘Maiastru Sfetnic’ to get the loving treatment. Unfortunately it comes as the last recorded work of the original core members of the band which are recounted in the review of brand new studio album ‘Virstele Pamintului’ which you can also read about here.
In a word it sounds fantastic! It is also an expanded edition as backing this up we have a couple of acoustic versions making the whole album come in at a whopping 75 minutes running time. Some songs are slightly shorter than originally, some longer but when the drumming fully piles in on ‘Vremea Locului Sortit’ you are quickly aware that you are listening to a work that is constructed with superior technology and musicianship. The guitars which had that annoying treble laden black metal buzz on the original are now lush and chunky in the mix and there is an added urgency to the roars of singer Hupogrammos Disciple. The keys also prosper richly in the mix and swirl about magnificently, especially if you give this the full treatment, shut out the outside world and listen to it on headphones. Probably one of the bands most well known earlier songs ‘În-Zvîcnirea Apusului’ has been expanded upon and comes in as a longer version. Those witchy enchanting keyboard swirls are instantly recognisable and the song, still a firm favourite live (well it was whilst the band were intact) gets the grandiose and epic treatment it deserved.
If you have never heard the earlier albums and only arrived at ‘Om’ having been intrigued at the well deserved press recognition the album received you may well be surprised at just how in the face and feral parts of this album are. The group were more into a black metal style as such, than the nature inspired transcendental and hypnotic vibe put out more recently, although having said that you can hear it lurking and waiting to flourish in the future. Certainly as far as the long medieval sounding intro of ‘Plecaciunea Mortii’ is concerned we are in a trance induced state before the number fully explodes around us.
It is both that number and ‘A-Vînt în Abis’ that get the acoustic treatment. These are spacey and shoe-gazing affairs as well as dreamy and mysterious and after the tumult of the main album a relaxing alternative to get as an extra. After having already been pretty much blown away by the main tracks themselves these are not going to similarly effect but are an interesting addition to an already excellent album. As with the current and other superb albums from Alcest and Les Discrets via Lupus Lounge / Prophecy recordings there is a limited 1000 edition deluxe artbook version of this available. However you choose to seek it out this is a fitting swansong for the previous incarnation of Negura Bunget.
http://www.negurabunget.com
http://www.myspace.com/negurabunget
http://www.prophecy.cd
