NEGURĂ BUNGET — Poartă de Dincolo (review)

NEGURĂ BUNGET — Poartă de Dincolo album cover EP · 2011 · Atmospheric Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Vehemency
The new line-up of Negură Bunget, that last year unleashed the remarkable Vîrstele Pamîntului, didn’t receive as warm welcome as I’d say they deserve. Despite the fact that almost all of the original members are gone, the band sounds as authentically mysterious and convincing as before, and their newest child Poartã de Dincolo, a four track EP that ends their deal with code666, is to prove their skills further.

Nothing has radically changed since their last year’s appearance, but the band does sound more earthy and natural here, perhaps due to the production that isn’t so bright and clear this time. ”Hotar” begins the EP with trademark Bunget mysteriousness, meaning sinister synth mats and clear guitar patterns until it later bursts into distorted menace and, finally, to some truly maniacal blast beat chaos. ”La Marginea Lumi” creeps up slowly with a misty flute melody in leading role, then exploding into various interesting metal sections in the common Negură Bunget tradition.

”Frig in Oase” is wholly an ambient track, and a very welcome one as long as the listener has patience and ear for a long interlude of sorts, but I’m sure all fans of the group know how to appreciate ambience, anyway. Rich synth mats open up the track, later introducing some whispered vocals and a string instrument (guitar?) going ouf of tune - all in all a well done breathing moment until the title track ”Poartă de Dincolo” gets back to the metal. A cleanly sung section is a slight surprise here, but it works wonderfully. Thanks to that, and the ethereal melodies on the latter part of the track, this is another highlight of the EP along with ”Hotar”.

As usual with Negură Bunget’s output, it took a while to get into Poartă de Dincolo but in the end the band didn’t disappoint. There’s true ingenuity lying in these four compositions, only strengthening expectations in regards to their next move from here on. Say what you say, but to me the band is far from dead. Most certainly a worthwhile EP, recommendable not only to the fans of the band but also to those who would like to hear a fair deal of unique Romanian tradition in their black metal.
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