Negura Bunget - Poartă De Dincolo

With the recruitment of a new singer, guitarist, and a fantastic fourth album that really set a new standard for 'blackened folk metal,' Negura Bunget has been on a roll these last several years. With just barely a year after a full length release, it seems their hard at work again, this time with an EP, but it is just as good. For those who have never heard this band before, they play heavy, atmospheric blackened folk metal much akin to Agalloch, but with a much cleaner and organic sound that doesn't rely too much on acoustic instruments. For those who are familiar with Negura, expect lots on this album to sound like things from their last album, 'Virstele Pamintului.' There are tracks like "Frig In Oase" which are almost purely instrumental with the wintery background and longing, haunting synths that wail away with symphonic grandeur and really heighten the atmosphere. There there are others like "Hotar" which are a mix of the atmospheric synths and heavier, churning guitars amongst roared vocals that sometimes change to a chanting, haunting clean style; another aspect that Negura performs well. The entire album is sung in Romanian so there is a bit of a language barrier, but that is what partially makes this band so mystic. The one track that seems odd is the last one, the title track, because the guitar tones sound almost punk rockish or black rock n' roll styled before going for the more seamless chaotic riffing amongst the flutes, which are high and faded into the background; it's a unique, strange track that helps round out the EP as a whole. Fans' hunger should be sated with this album... at least for a little while.

  1. Hotar
  2. La Marginea Lumii
  3. Frig In Oase
  4. Poarta De Dincolo

Label: http://www.code666.net
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
May 22, 2011
Next review: Murder Therapy - Molochian

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