Aside from the EP release of ‘Poartă de dincolo’ back in 2011, all has been quiet on the NB front following multiple band rifts and a series of changes in members. When Sol Faur and Hupogrammos left after the release of 2010 full-length ‘Vîrstele pămîntului’ to form Dordeduh, it was apparent that they took all of the bite the band was packing with them. The potency of tracks such as ‘Chei de rouă’ is long gone and has instead evolved into something entirely different.
‘Gînd a-prins’ is a two-track teaser of upcoming album ‘Tau’ – an album which is set to be part of a Transylvanian trilogy each with its own respective accompanying movie and soundtrack. What we hear here is very much sparse on vocals and densely atmospheric. It borders somewhere between the type of music Wardruna are currently producing and Burzum’s ‘Sôl austan, Mâni vestan’.
‘Taul Fara Fund’ (Abysmal Mire) is heavily ambient and sets a dense atmosphere that transports you to the sprawling landscapes of Romania, while ‘Curgerea Muntelui’ (Of The Mountain’s Flow) is heavy in use of pan flutes and a more concrete embodiment on what to expect on the upcoming album – which, as can already be seen on the video released for this song is an exploration of the natural elements.
NB have certainly turned down their sound a few notches and are instead exploring much more esoteric and earth-inspired influences. Whether or not their plight to be at one with mother nature will prove to be a success or not remains to be seen.
(6/10 Angela Davey)
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