Page 18 - RYAN'S GIG GUIDE APRIL 2014

Negura Bunget began its journey through the
universe of Black Metal in early 1995. The first
demo, From Transilvanian Forests, was record-
ed in November 1995 and released at the end of
the same year under the band’s original name,
Wiccan Rede. The release of this demo was pre-
ceded by the band’s first live performance, in
Buzau (June 1995) and was then followed by
concerts all around Romania.
Once the conceptual perspective shifted
towards the exploration of the universe and
spirituality of their ancestors, the band’s name
changed to Negura Bunget. The new approach
became clearly evident on the debut album,
Zîrnindu-sa, released by the newly founded
Romanian label Bestial Records (late 1996).
December 1998 brought Negura Bunget’s sec-
ond release, Sala Molksa, a MCD also released
by Bestial Records. The 4 tracks unveil a much
more straight-forward sound, complex, aggres-
sive, atmospheric, fast - The Music of
Transilvanian Spirituality. Maiastru sfetnic is
the third opus of Negura Bunget. The album
was released by Bestial Records in 1999 in a spe-
cial digipak format (designed and handmade by
Negura Bunget). More than 56 minutes, yet
only 6 epic tracks, displaying the band’s vision
on how a Black Metal-based world should have
looked like. Maiastru sfetnic brought the band a
3 albums contract with Italian label code666
Records. A new track was recorded specially for
code666’s compilation Better Undead Than
Alive, and the band’s first video was shot for the
same track (Vazduh) in the mountains of
Transilvania.
‘N crugu bradului
album, the first one to be
released by code666
Records, can be seen as a
spiritual endeavor
though the essences of
the Transilvanian tradi-
tional spirituality. Just 4
tracks, symbolizing the
evolution of a year’s 4
seasons, yet 54 minutes
of conceptual Black
Metal. The album was released in February
2003, and got positive reviews all over the
media, making the band well known on the
international scene. In April/March 2004
Negura Bunget embarked on its first European
tour, with gigs in Portugal, Germany, Belgium,
Slovakia and Hungary. In the following summer
the band also played at Under The Black Sun
Festival in Germany and on Wanted Festival in
Hungary. Finally, a few gigs in Romania ended
the year.
In the summer of 2008 Negura Bunget
played some of the most important Metal
Festivals: Wacken Open Air and Summerbreeze,
but also Artmania Festival, Kaltenbach Open
Air, Rockmania Festival, Paalisare Rock Fest.
Another extended European Tour was complet-
ed in October/November 2008. The work on
Maiestrit, a re-interpretation of the original
Negura Bunget album Maiastru sfetnic was
finalized before the end of 2009, and the album
was released in March 2010, by Prophecy
Productions.
2010 was the most intense year in the history
of Negura Bunget. Two albums released, fol-
lowed by a long European tour as headliners
(Spirit of the Land Tour), another tour in
autumn (Black Trolls Over Europe - 10 dates),
some festivals in between (including Hellfest)
and a lot of work, all make this year special and
unforgettable. Figures for 2010: 72 gigs played,
2 European Tours as headliners, more than
50.000 km of driving on our van, 66 answered
interviews, more than 10.000 CD’s sold.
plus support
Grimegod
08 APR Negura Bunget