Negură Bunget - Zău (2021)

Releasing four years after the death of Negru, “Zău” is the last piece of the Negură Bunget aural saga. With the original drum track recorded by Negru years back, and all the original musical direction and ideas in place, some of the last members of the band Tibor Kati, Adrian "OQ" Neagoe, and Petrică Ionuţescu, have managed to put this mystical release together, true to its original creation. Mixing both the dreamy/atmospheric and the heavier side of the band’s sound over the years, this release is a fitting conclusion to such a unique musical outfit.

The release sets a very dreamy and ethereal mood with the opener “Brad”, a 15-minute piece featuring angelic female vocals of Manuela Marchiș, and the band’s signature tempo changes into more aggressive territories. “Iarba Fiarelor” explores richer instrumentation and longer heavier sections, with aggressive growls alongside uplifting atmospherics. The band’s signature style is present in all aspects of this release, giving it a very nostalgic edge.

As flutes open “Obrazar”, the band again transitions into hypnotic heavy riffs and a wide variety of vocal styles, creating a very immersive and eerie experience as “Tinerete Fara Batrânete” bleeds into the flow of the release. We particularly enjoy that there are always heavy elements that capture the band’s essence over the years, and keeps things interesting while providing nice contrasting elements along the way.

Closing with the ritualistic “Toaca Din Cer”, we can’t help but smile and remember the band’s discography as lush melodic distorted guitars paired with atmospheric keyboards and enchanting clean male vocals. There is a certain magic to the songs being sung in Romanian, adding extra mystique and originality to the band’s singular sound. Overall, “Zău” is one hell of a way to end the Negură Bunget experience. If you are a fan of the band, you can’t afford to miss this release.

Label: Lupus Lounge

Release: November 26th, 2021

Genre: Progressive/Folk/Atmospheric Black Metal

Country: Romania