Bucovina, Septentrion

Bucovina is not necessarily the most complex band in the world, but everything they write is so fluid and harmonious, with a good flow and most importantly, it gives me such a good feeling. I’m always enjoying myself when I listen to them, and Septentrion makes no exception. 

Although I have tracks that I like more than the others, I can’t say there’s a song that shines in particular, and thankfully can’t say there’s one that stales or drags the album down either. It’s the kind of solid coherent release that one can expect from a band like Bucovina. As always, they have a good balance between heaviness and melody, though I would say it’s their heaviest records since Ceasul aducerii aminte, massively featuring grunts and a blacker instrumental. And I think Bucovina themselves would support me in this assessment, considering they chose to include a remaster of Vinterdoden as a bonus track. 

The aggressiveness of the sound goes hand in hand with the one of the message. Bucovina usually make me think of forests and starry skies, but if you’ve ever listened to these guys speak, then you know how passionate they are about social issues as well. And this time they make room for them in the lyrics as wellwith Din negru (in mai negru) which is a song full of indignation and frustration and speaks bluntly about the victims of Colectiv, without melodrama or self-importance. Just the feeling of emptiness and desire for the revenge for everything that happened and could never be taken back. And yes, I am aware I said I enjoyed myself listening to Septentrion and yes, this is one of the few melodies in their career that doesn’t have a positive adventury vibe, but enjoyment comes in different forms. Sometimes it just comes in giving voice to the emotions boiling inside you and in the discovery that at least someone hasn’t forgotten. 

And in the same vein follows Asteapta-ma dincolo (de moarte), another enraged track, dedicated to their good friend and co-worker Adrian Rugina who died as a hero saving lives during the Colectiv fire. I have to admit that when it was first released, way before the album, I kind of expected more from it. I guess I had this picture in my mind that it would move me to tears as a hopeful and inspiring track similar to Soim in vazduh, and was slightly disappointed when it failed to do so. But lately, re-listening to it, it started to grow on me and I started understanding more the bleak nature of the song and how much raw hurt and anger is in them over the loss of their friend because of corruption and irresponsibility.

Noaptea nimanui sounds so much like a heavier version of Phoenix, even the voice reminds me of Baniciu, and I just love it. A campfire in the mountains with friends, song and laughter is one of the best symbols of life and freedom for me, and the lyrics and musical theme do such a good job of painting the picture of a beautiful evening like that. I can’t listen to that track without swinging my head and having a content smile on my face and I would say it’s a great representative of why I love Bucovina. 

I also love the sequel to Nestramutati. Or should I say the expansion of what was originally a longer outro on the homonym album? In any way, it’s very pretty and I particularly like the instrumental, the guitar line is lovely and if I’m not mistaken, it’s the first time they use keyboards so prominently and they add a more than welcome richness to the piece. 

Sometimes I feel like the riffs and main tunes are recycled from one another, and other times the clean parts seem a bit uninspired and lack the hook. That would be the only bad thing I have to say about Septentrion though, and I have to admit that’s not a new problem for Bucovina. But most of their music is engaging and catchy and they make up for the lack of innovation with the kind of atmosphere I mentioned above. Also they have this effective simplicity that’s very endearing to me, something from the classic mountain songs with a straightforward melody that’s steady and easy to remember, but without being shallow or repetitive. Coupled with the angry passage in the middle, it’s a worthy release, dare I say better and with more substance than the previous one.