Reviews for Negură Bunget - Vîrstele Pămîntului:
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The general reaction upon hearing this recent full length of Negura Bunget was how they had gone a step back and that it would not be able to top OM. What is right in this affirmation that I am soon going to contradict? The fact that this album is not trying to be better than OM. Virstele Pamintului is different from OM, it takes the band's sound in a new direction, and it tries to be something of its own, so personally I would abstain from comparing the two. However, I do like this one more and think it is their best release to date. What Romanian bands do nowadays is that most of them try to copy sounds from outside and add them to their style, thinking they'll be reinventing the wheel. Negura Bunget, while not going too far from what I just said, does something that I wish more bands from my country did: they incorporate Folk elements into their music, adding a local (and dare I say exotic?) feeling to their touch. Only other Romanian band that does incorporate Folk elements to their metal is Bucovina (alas, they are more Folkish and less Black) As for the album itself, it starts with a three minute atmospheric panflute melody (the instrument is called 'nai' in Romania), followed by the sounds of bells. Slowly the guitars fade in and a chanted voice speaks about the mourning of the earth, only for it to become one of the most heart piercing shrieks I have ever heard! Then, after the long wait, the Black Metal begins. But this time the instrumentation is different, the recording is not as ear-bleedingly raw as on previous records, the band opting to go for more atmosphere if anything. The second track is filled with ambiental keyboards that fit perfectly the lyrics dealing with the Hyperborean era in which the Dacian lands were born. There are also references to Giants from Romanian mythology (that are actually mountains). The album pretty much continues in the same fashion, only that this time there are two instrumentals. All in all, this album was a huge step up in Negura Bunget's sound. The previous black metal is focusing now on ambience and there are many parts where you will find Folk instruments, whether they are panflutes, horns, bells or even traditional percussion. Those that wish to taste the true spirit of Romanian folk combined with some Black Metal, this record is for you! Also I might recommend it for those that wish to try a little more 'exotic' and certainly different black metal. Now let's see if Negura Bunget will produce another mindblowing album. Rating: 10/10 Favorite tracks: Pamint, Dacia Hiperboreana, Chei de Roua, Tara de Dincolo de Negura Review by: DracuLeo		Use the textarea below to write your review of this album. Please obey to these rules: - Write the review in ENGLISH! - Do not ask or offer mp3's - Reviews of 5 words or less are no reviews - Do not flame other reviewers. Use the forum for that If you do not follow these rules your review will NOT be added. Username: Password: (To get a username and password you have to register.)
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