What the Dar de duh happened? It’s been 9 years since these Romanians released their debut album, one could have almost forgotten about them and I have had to relearn how to spell their name all over again. Joking and frivolity aside, it was always likely that they would take their time, they work in a painstaking fashion and the three principal elements of the band Hupogrammos, Sol Faur and Flavius are not men to be rushed. Finally, though they are back along with new recruit Andrei Jumugă on drums and we can expect a transcendental listening experience here. Of-course I am sure you are aware that Dordeduh rose from the ashes of Negura Bunget after breaking ties with Negru, and very sadly in the intervening years between albums he passed away of a heart attack in 2017 at the far too young age of 42, which must have hit his former friends and collaborators particularly hard. Hupogrammus has in the past given us an insight into his musical cosmos stating that as regard debut Dar de duh “For this album, as it was in the past regarding all the albums I ever wrote, the main influence was esotericism and especially numerology. “Dar de Duh” benefitted from extensive and wide studies regarding the manifestation of the number 7 in specific cultural and esoteric cultures.” However, he also stated “Even though we have a concrete message behind our music, we don’t necessarily want to impose it.” So, a lot here regarding themes and narration are open to interpretation and although there may well be clues this was never going to be an album that is easy to deconstruct.
One thing is certain is that musically the band have evolved as ever and taken paths that are perhaps further from the more blackened origins that its innovators started their musical careers under to one of more progressive tendencies. It is naturally rooted deeply in traditionalism both due to spirit and the instruments utilised within it (ambal, xylophon, toaca, tulnic, nai, fluier, caval, dube, timbale, lemne, mandola) and this has led to a wide array of comparisons from Faith No More to Ihsahn and even the mention of System Of A Down in the label blurb, making them a band that are simply impossible to pigeonhole.
Timpul întâilor is a massive opening statement ‘The Times Of The First’ being the best translation of the track on an album we are told is a journey into the unknown. The tapping percussion and ethereal feeling is one that is instantly recognisable and the swaggering groove that it rapidly flows in is actually somewhat reminiscent of a band like Arcturus. Thunderous and epic, moving into clean and airy clean backing chants and guttural lead vocals it’s a weighty piece of music making it clear to the patient listener that it was all worth the wait. There’s a huge array of textures within the overall listening experience and many things to discover along the way. It takes you to another, perhaps higher sphere and is at many points an uplifting experience especially in a world of hostility and ever-present antagonism, so its timing seems very profound. There are occasional surges and passages of blasting from the drums but the keyboards define many of the melodies within and are absolutely sublime and melodious as signature tunes within the mainframe unravel. Darkened prog, folk and black metal are all integrally woven together here the traditional instruments fitting in like jigsaw puzzle pieces flirting with the more modern sounds perfectly. Vocals are equally versatile and express a whole gamut of emotions from caressing and soothing to massive rafter-hitting leonine roars. When one hears the jaunty prog keys of ‘Descânt’ as an example it is impossible not to trip the light fantastic from Hawkwind to Enslaved and beyond, its simply enchanting. The chances are you are going to find subtle hints of everything here, particularly evocative I had to ponder whether I had been touched momentarily by the heaven borne and ever bright warmth of The Cardiacs during ‘Vraci de nord’ which even goes on to incorporate some sterling orchestral parts into ‘Northern Wrecks.’
I’m not sure if the week or so I have spent with this, listening on a daily basis is enough and feel that this is an album that will grow in stature, the mark may not be high enough and this could grow to into an album considered a classic. However, whether fairly or not it is hard to not consider the benchmark having been set by Negura Bunget’s Om but there is no denying that Har is a fantastic album in its own right. As the warmth of the compulsive melody in penultimate number ‘De neam vergur’ sparkles and sets off all the right synapses in the brain, one thing is for sure, this is an album that is going to demand plenty more attention during what is turning into a particularly tough year.
(8.5/10 Pete Woods)
https://www.facebook.com/Dordeduh
Leave a Reply