Year: 2022
Label: Werewolf Promotion
Rating: 8,9 / 10
We've been waiting for new PRAGNAVIT album for no less than that cursed interview with Voist, but, unlike the interview, we got the result at last. To tell the truth, the arrival of the CDs in Krywia took another extra year, and all this time I deliberately did not listen to the album in digital format, as I did not want to spoil the impression. It should be noted that all this waiting was not in vain at all.
"Paústaraga" shows us the updated PRAGNAVIT, with which we have actually been familiar for a very, very long time, even since before “Skarby Zmiainaha Karala". After an unsuccessful attempt to start a new period of creativity with a certain female ensemble, Voist nevertheless recruited the line-up for a full band, which many readers of Bagnik Zine saw at concerts. Even then it was obvious that PRAGNAVIT's concert program was significantly different from previous efforts: it was mostly tribal ambient, accompanied by a major performance with rituals and almost theatrical actions. The most lucky people in the audience even had the opportunity to observe Voist's regio pudendalis from a close distance. An interesting fact that is always worth repeating: the Nordic image of the Krywian band PRAGNAVIT decisively influenced the small band HEILUNG, which is not even half as talented (to be honest, they always played absolute shit), but, unlike Voist, these people used their opportunities. Therefore, HEILUNG are now sitting on Season Of Mist, performing at major festivals and recording soundtracks for most fashionable TV series, and PRAGNAVIT is publishing an album on Werewolf Promotion - which is also very good, but infinitely far from the ambitions that the band had (or wanted to have) a few years ago.
Enough of history, now to music. And it is really fantastic. PRAGNAVIT's live program always seemed a little too abundant to me; from time to time I got lost in these sounds and images. It is also true that such music, even if it was designed specifically for concerts, is still not fully suitable for the stage. On the disc, where the circumstances are more intimate, the new songs sound much deeper, even penetrating. "Paústaraga" is a huge piece that lasts 75 minutes, but these are very intense minutes. These are ten very specific tracks imbued with lyrical and musical meaning. Those who did not like the too transcendent nature of “Svietacjam” or certain looped tracks from other recordings will now be satisfied. The album was recorded by as many as 6 people, using at least a dozen instruments (+ ambient images, once again created on an iPad). Whether due to the presence of a full line-up of musicians, or in spite of it, the sound of the album turned out to be very professional, clear, balanced. It is difficult for me to imagine what had to be done to ensure the equality of all elements, from the main voice to the last academic tambourine.
The balance is also observed in the construction of compositions. To be honest, before – at least for me-PRAGNAVIT was primarily about the spiritual; it was "evocative" - creation of images and thoughts through music and sounds. On "Paústaraga", both aspects work well: beautiful songs + unchanging depth; the magic of blood and soil, the embodiment of the primordial spirit of Krywua through ritual music. Now each track has not only a concept, but also a text, and this greatly affects the proper perception of an album. For me, "Paústaraga“ is now the best work of PRAGNAVIT together with "Viede...". At the same time, I'm not saying that other albums are weaker – each of them has its own character, but all this is PRAGNAVIT, and that's exactly why the new record gives me tremendous pleasure.
"Paústaraga" received an edition in the form of a digipack with a booklet of 12 pages. I was a little disappointed with the quality of the images used for exterior design; as it turned out, these are frames from a video, and therefore they are a little blurry. But inside the booklet, the photos are great, and all the lyrics are in place. Details on a video. In Belarus, you can purchase an album only from at Possession or from the band itself.
English (UK) 
Крыўская