Meeting A Musical Genius.

On Sunday, Linda and I had decided to walk over to Gordon's Bay as the weather was just beautiful.

As we walked past Ice Bergs on the way to Tamarama, Linda said to me "look! There's your favourite Harpsichordist!". I didn't know who she was talking about, so I stopped and looked behind me, confused. She pointed and said "Paul Dyer! From the Brandenburg Orchestra! Go say hi!".

Paul Dyer

For a moment I stopped, a bit too stunned to do anything. I'm always nervous when I have a chance to meet an artist or musician, thinking that all I want to do is show that artist or musician that their work really touches and effects me in a deep way - it get their spirits high I think, and gives them more creative energy if you can show your appreciation to them.

So, taking a deep breath, I ran back to where I finally saw him, checked it was actually him (I'd look like a total idiot if it wasn't!), and then said hello. I think I shocked him at first, being a 6 foot plus curry muncher with a Megadeth hat on!

After my first sentence, he just totally got into conversation. I had a remarkable little chat with him, looking over the ocean. One thing was very clear - his positive energy which comes through his music is very real. He was really lovely to chat to, and totally down to earth.

Eventually I decided I didn't want to take up his time too much (the poor guy mentioned he had Harpsichord practice in the afternoon, and all he felt like doing for the day was taking it easy in the sun)... so I said my goodbyes and wished him all the best with the ABO and dashed off.

That was definitely the highlight of my day - I finally got to meet this amazing man, a genius of Sydney Baroque! Thanks Paul for taking the time to chat to a passionate fan!

Polar Opposites

Sometimes I wonder if reading Nikki Gemmell's new book one minute, to putting on my headphones and listening to Satanic Black Metal the next is a bit odd to most, but yet so natural to me.

Am I strange?

Drudkh: Songs of Grief and Solitude

After their mindcrushingly brilliant album "Blood In Our Wells", Drudkh have returned with part 1 of their 2 set series of albums. "Songs of Grief and Solitude" shows their acoustic side, with folk elements but the unmistakable Drudkh chracteristics:

"DRUDKH's fifth album ventures into acoustic territory, offering ancient, sorrowful, Ukrainian folk songs. Their radical, conservative revolutionary ideas here establish a dynamic counterpoint with the serene, earthy, primitivist atmosphere of the music. A truly unique item, different from their other albums, yet wholly consistent with the conception of this stellar band." I'll post a review in the next week or two!

Feelings on Negură Bunget's "Om".

It is with "struggling perception" that I write these words in the context of this latest Negură Bunget release - "OM" is a complex and layered piece of work and I feel reviewing it would serve an injustice. Music reviews tend to "trap" music by defining it, and I feel this conflicts with "OM" because it's a piece of work which I consider one of the most "vast" I have ever heard.

"OM" can not be approached from a typical Black Metal perspective. To do so would completely ridicule the amount of work that has gone into this new release and pigeonhole it.

This is not an "album": after listening to it countless times, watching the DVD which accompanies the music, accounting for the bands spirituality, combined with the complete visual presentation, I will say that "OM" is "a document", but I use this term as "vastly" as I can. Perhaps saying it's an "experience" is a better portrayal.

"OM" indirectly extends from the treat we got with the Inarborat Kosmos EP, but does so on a truly epic scale. One could almost say that Negură Bunget's entire existence has built up to this release: it combines their journey so far, but then leaps above to a new, almost unfathomable level.

This release is almost "sacred", it is highly conceptualised. Every note played or sung, every drum beat every growl or shriek and every ambient interlude seems to have a clear metaphysical and natural expressive purpose. The album seems to be written and performed in such a way that it is like air: everywhere, flowing through everything, almost physically touchable, having colour and yet having none.

Without being able to decipher the lyrics, I can only draw upon my feelings: this music is about cosmic life. It is about existence on a spiritually vast, yet physically small level. Our physically minute place in the universe, and the vast size of our metaphysical selves. This is what the music, using Black Metal (as a foundation only) speaks to me.

I say Black Metal is used as a foundation because this is where Negură Bunget's path has logically led to. Black Metal influences are still there as they were on "'N Crugu Bradului", but now the music has grown into something with more breath, and funnily enough, I think we first got hint of this higher maturity on "'N Crugu Bradului".

There are more sweeping (note, NOT melodic) elements to the music, we are treated to more ambient soundscapes, sounds of nature itself and excellent use of folk instruments as Negură Bunget have never shown us before. For those seeking the Negură Bunget Black Metal elements, fear not, they are still present, but now balanced with a majestic element to the music, a strikingly obvious and higher maturity delivered via exceptional musical execution.

"OM" can not just be listened to, it must be experienced via multiple senses: emotion, visual and aural in order to make complete sense. I found I came to this realisation more so when I had watched the DVD (more about this realisation in a moment).

The DVD component of "OM" (and I do consider it to be part of "OM" as much as the audio CD is) is jawdropping, the work that has gone into it is truly impressive: the band interview is fascinating and a must-see in order to gain more insight into the music. Every pixel of the artwork, every audible sound and spoken sentence has been paid attention, and despite some material on the DVD being pre-OM, it is VERY relevant to this release.

I highly suggest that people watch the DVD first, and THEN listen to "OM" itself. Because of the spiritual nature of this release, it is a necessity to comprehend and understand what their expression is about. It will make "OM" much more logical to take in.

It has been a long wait, but a wait that has been worth it like few albums have. This is not for the faint of heart, nor for the those seeking mindless aggression from their music.

"OM" is pure expression, done in ways that Metal has not seen the likes of before. In my opinion, it is a landmark release: Negură Bunget have finally achieved their higher level of expression. For what I believe in the first time of the history of Black Metal, taken us on a true journey of transcendence.

An outstanding piece of work.

10/10

Official Website http://www.negurabunget.com/

Webstore for purchase http://www.auralmusic.com/

The return of... Tåke!!!

Tåke's mindchild Hoest has finally made a statement following his release from jail:

"Yeah, I've been out of jail for a while. Corax [TAAKE guitarist], however, still has a few years left of his sentence.

"At the moment I'm putting together a new lineup. There has been talk about a European tour next year. In the meantime, check out TAAKE's split 10" with GIGANTOMACHY [featuring Corax], soon available from Agonia Records."

Official Website: http://taake.zwap.org/

"Om" - Complexity at it's most beautiful.

The joys of the internet: I have placed my order of Negură Bunget's new album "OM" thanks to Code666's manager Emi's frequent postings on the UM Forum and my copy should be arriving pretty soon.

I have heard the album. In some ways it's no surprise: Negură Bunget's material is always highly creative, intelligent, mature and most importantly, original.

"OM" is something I believe to be a cruicial point in their career: Negură Bunget has been growing, maturing through each release. These are not subtle periods of trasience either, it is obvious, breathing and very alive.

With each release, Negură Bunget has grown and expanded in ways most bands can only dream of. Their music is so unhindered by boundaries, that it is getting to the point of being unclassifiable (in a positive way). Their music has become avantgarde, but in a highly spiritual sense unlike any other Black Metal ever made.

"OM" will not be an easy release for most people to take in: many people look for the catchy riffs and chracteristic Black Metal traits which mark a release one of quality.

As with their previous works, this album holds few "traits" that can be deemed chracteristic or accessible. It is a typical Negură Bunget work of pure spiritual and cultural expression by a band which stands alone in it's own interpretation of Black Metal's future.

This is not an album for the faint of heart, it is not a piece of work which you can simply put on in the car. It is an album for contemplation whilst in solitude, during a forest or cliff walk, with the sun above and wind around you.

Unlike many works of metal these days, Negură Bunget's latest offering will require the serious Black Metal enthusiast to take time to absorb this piece of work, as that is what it is.

"OM" unlike few albums before it, has truly transcended the limits of Black Metal and moved Negură Bunget onwards into the realm of pure aural expression...

... for me, the next few days (let alone weeks), will be an exciting time to take in this truly marvelous and complex release of art.