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Negură Bunget are a Romanian atmospheric folk/black metal band who have slowly been gaining in popularity. They have released a string of well received albums, including 2000's Măiastru Sfetnic. Maiestrit is this piece of Negură Bunget history re-envisioned and re-recorded with two acoustic bonus tracks. With the band splitting up recently and then being resurrected with the only original member being drummer Nergu this will be the last release with the classic lineup in its entirety.
I've not listened to the original Măiastru Sfetnic so this album is a new experience for me. At first I hated it. I couldn't get into the music and the whole style of Negură Bunget seemed to be far removed from what I enjoy. However, my advice to anyone who experiences a similar thing with this album is to persevere with it. Very soon I began to appreciate the atmosphere that almost literally oozes through the album like a thick mist through a darkened forest. It is a perfect sonic conjuration of the band's name; Negură Bunget means 'dark, foggy forest'.
There are many interesting parts throughout the whole album and while I don't think it lives up to, say, Nokturnal Mortum's latest release (Voice of Steel) one must remember that this is actually a re-envisioning of an album originally released ten years ago.
Both of the acoustic tracks are also great and I have to say they're amongst my favorite tracks on the album.
Overall an enjoyable listen that rewards a listener willing to persevere with this band's unique style.
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