Band: Negura Bunget
Title: Maiestrit
Label: Lupus Lounge
Distribution: Suburban
Release date: 15/03/2010
Review: CD (re-recording)

Romania isn’t that ‘big’, that well-known, when it comes to extreme music. However, this country houses many, many splendid (Black Metal) bands and projects – think about Thy Veils, Satanochio, Siculicidium, Argus Megere, Fogland or Ekasia amongst many others (!). Yes, it is a fantastic country when it comes to the ear drum caressing beauty of our oh so beloved Dark Arts!
One of my personal favourites out there has always been Negura Bunget. Damn, what this project did create throughout the years… I dare to say that most ‘western’ bands, with all their assistance of professional studios and expensive producers, experienced guest musicians, ability to perform live, and so on, don’t reach the level of this band at all, even in their darkest dreams!

Anyway, Lupus Lounge have re-released most Negura Bunget-material in 2008, yet there is another mostly interesting thing coming out right now, called Maiestrit.

As a matter of fact, Maiestrit isn’t a completely new recording. It is a re-interpretation of Maiastru Sfetnic, originally recorded in 1999 at Blilutza Studios (and also re-released through LL during the year 2008). Sol Faur (g) and Hupogrammos (g, v, b, k) (originally with drummer Negru) started the re-recordings in 2007, and after the split (I’m still depressed!), both of them decided to finish the whole anyway. And the duo even recorded two bonus tracks, especially for this re-recording – acoustic versions of two songs taken from this album.

First thing that strikes me is the quality of the sound. The original version of Maiastru Sfetnic came with a minor sound quality, even though this underground-approach didn’t bother me at all. That ‘underground’-element still is the case, fortunately, but because of the colossal and megalithic production of this new version, the whole does sound more convincing. Yes, the intensity has improved, the magisterial approach has been perfected. The whole still sounds raw, yet less ‘primitive’.

The basics are the same and the band didn’t change that much within the musical approach. All right, there are some evident differences (besides the sound – see above), like new keyboard lines, deeper vocals, or a more intensified rhythm section, but I’m glad Negura Bunget did not record a ‘new’ record in this case, getting rid of the original effort.

Maiestrit is Maiastru Sfetnic, only matured…

95/100

Ivan Tibos.