'N CRUGU BRADULUI

Romania isn't really a European country most people talk about when it comes to music. From what I have seen, most Romanian music are operas, folk songs, and church songs. Not to say they don't know how to do other genres, I mean for God's sake I am reviewing a black metal record from the country. It is apparent, though, that Romania is more well known for other stuff, which I wouldn't say is bad. With that said, it is pretty interesting how one of the most well known groups from Romania ends up being a black metal band.

Negura Bunget was a black metal group from the 90s, but disbanded in 2017. Like groups of Agalloch and pre- electronic era Ulver, they were coined more in the atmospheric black metal territory. However, after their second album, Maiastru sfetnic, they would transport their ideas into more progressive territories, soon becoming a full on prog black metal syndicate. As a fan of more proggy bm music, this group certainly intrigued me. They've treated me quite well so far, with none of their albums being duds in my book. However, one album takes the cake as my current favorite from them, and that is funnily enough where they actually started incorporating more prog sounds into their music, with 'n crugu bradului.

While OM is arguably the better record, I find 'n crugu bradului to just be way stronger. It is four extremely well put together tracks, each one representing a specific season to work with. In a way it is metal's equivalent to Harmonium's Les cinq saisons, though without the whole fifth season idea.

I find each of the tracks represent their designated season extremely well, which I think is the best part of this whole album. I (aka spring) is the perfect opener for this album, feeling both chaotic yet triumphant in its abilities as a song, almost like the moods one may get when a new year begins, as the snow starts to melt, and the sun starts to get hotter. This is as such for the other tracks too. II (aka summer) feels almost as if the band is playing while on fire, frantically strumming and screaming in a blistering sunny heat. III (aka fall) takes a bit more of its time, with things slowly dying down throughout as it gets more folk oriented, though not without the music picking itself back up here and there. Lastly, IIII (aka winter), is a lot more ambient, hibernating in a way before the coming Spring, though not without the snowstorms in the middle. Despite the music being quite rough around the edges (as such with a lot of black metal releases), they are able to capture the moods and feelings amazingly well within each of the four tracks, with nothing in the way of dismantling their greatness.

Speaking of which, I think the rawness enhances the appeal this record has. It's certainly not as lo-fi as a lot of black metal records can get, but the almost dirtiness this record shows off gives it a very pronounced attitude that I cannot get enough of. While their albums after this one have better quality control, they feel a little lacking to the sheer force this album proposes in its sounds. The intro riffs on I are a good example of such. They are wobbly, disjointed, and maddening, but they have a spunk that screams "we are here and now, deal with it!"

If you cannot tell, I love this album and view it as a rightfully deserved masterpiece, though I think most of that stems from III. As a fall fanatic, III is an absolutely amazing prog metal track for the season! It's an epic, which I obviously have a bias towards, it has an odd coziness within some of the quieter moments, and the band are just playing at their full power on it. I can tell Negura Bunget were having a blast in the studio while recording this, and it makes me have the goofiest smile on my face. Really, if you may have doubts on if you want to hear this band's music, pop on III and you won't regret it.

This record truly is an all time high for the black metal genre in the 2000s, with each of the four tracks being all amazing, with no real downsides insight. I wouldn't say it is the best record that 2002 has to offer, but 'n crugu bradului is still quite the package in the long run. A definitive recommendation!

Best track: III

Worst tracks: N/A

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