Metal Reviews

The best album I have heard all year. It's a good bit different from 'n Crugu Bradului; the black metal influence is still there but I don't think you can call them a black metal band anymore. Ambient post-black metal with folk and prog influences seems more appropriate. This band has certainly been influenced by Enslaved and Blut Aus Nord, but this is superior to both bands most recent offerings. And track 10, Hora Soraelui, rivals (and I feel surpasses) the very best of Drudkh's folk arrangements. Any other opinions?

I still need to listen to this
From your description i will most likely love it.

I don't think it's better than the latest Blut Aus Nord, and I certainly don't think it's the album of the year, but otherwise I agree with your description. It's a really good album, my main complaint is related to some of the ambient parts. Obviously, I'm not talking about Primul Om and Al Doilea Om, which are great (these translate, for those of you that might be interested, as First Man, or First Human, and Second Man), but some of the other ambient stuff gave me a bit of a filler impression. There is some really good material on this album, but I feel it's not enough, quantitatively speaking. I would have liked a more compact album.

Still, Hora Soarelui (Sun's Dance) rocks and Cel Din Urmã Vis (The Last Dream) slays supreme. I would have gone on Friday at the album's launch concert, to try and grab the limited digipack, but unfortunately something came up.

It's a good record, although some of the more artsy sections feel like filler, as OldSchool already pointed out.

The only ambient track that I really had a problem with was the first. In a year that has been nothing but disappointments this is the only album that has met or exceded my expectation.

Oldschool-While I strongly disagree with you on this album vs. Blut Aus Nord, I'm interested to know what other albums you feel have been better than this one this year. Maybe I'm missing out on these albums?

In black metal, or generally speaking?

In BM, the Blut Aus Nord one, and perhaps Blood In Our Wells. I haven't listened to much BM this year though, there could be stuff I'm missing. Blue Miasma was quite good too, but I won't compare that to Negura Bunget, there're just too different.

Generally, lots of death metal albums (Azarath, Sinister, God Dethroned, Belphegor, Unleashed, to name a few) and a few heavy metal jewels like Jon Oliva's Pain, Tarot or Cloven Hoof. The new Sodom, Katatonia, Ikuinen Kaamos, Agalloch and My Dying Bride are also better in my book.

Anyway, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you think Om's the best. I'll be glad if others here will think that, even if I don't. Negura Bunget are the first band from my country that was able to create metal of highest quality, to be up there with the best of them. There was nothing that good in Romania before and I hope others will draw inspiration from them and follow. That's one of the reasons I have tremendous respect for this band.

I appreciate your post. I have heard most of those albums, and none of them inspired me like this. And I truly hope that Negura Bunget is just the beginning for your country's metal scene.