Artist: Niet
Label: Menart Records
Released: 2008
Rating: 4.5/5
When Niet held their first rehearsal in November 1983, nobody imagined this would one day become a cult band. In their fairly short but above all very eventful existence, they created dozens of legendary tunes known to every generation – from the older punks whose youth was lived in the early nineties, to today’s kids who discover the treasures of Slovenian punk heritage on the threshold of high school. After all the ups and downs, and the death of cult frontman Primož Habič – the best way to put it is that Habič was to Niet what Sid Vicious was to Sex Pistols, an icon – Igor Dernovšek finally disbanded the band in 1994. Fourteen long years followed before the reunion, which we first witnessed at a smaller gig at Orto Bar on March 31, and then on May 27 (just like in 1984 and 1985, when they played as part of the Novi rock festival), when they packed Ljubljana’s Križanke to the last corner and tore through the most legendary tunes in an hour and a half. Niet couldn’t have returned to the stage in a more original lineup.
Guitarists Igor Dernovšek and Robert Likar, bassist Aleš Česnovar, drummer Tomaž Bergant and backing vocalist Tanja Ukmar were joined by Borut Marolt, former singer of Prisluhnimo tišini. He’s a worthy successor to the late Habič and proudly shoulders the responsibility and reputation of a cult frontman. The record at hand, titled “Bil je maj”, showcases exactly these nineteen most legendary tunes – in a remastered version and with three old songs freshly recorded.
The first fourteen tracks on the record show Niet through the history of their music-making. Under those numbers you’ll find their best tunes, such as “Depresija”, “Perspektive”, “Lep dan za smrt”, “Vijolice”, “Sam” and “Ruski vohun”. If you expect to hear hiss or anything of the sort while playing them, you’re wrong. The recordings are remastered, everything sounds clearer, and you can actually follow the lyrics. Niet also put three newly recorded tracks on the record, sung by new vocalist Borut Marolt, whose voice is uncannily close to Habič’s. These are “Vsak dan se kaj lepega začne”, “Strah in krik” and “Bil je maj”. The first two were written between 1987 and 1988 by Igor Dernovšek, who started his own band at the time, since Primož Habič was in the army and Niet were “on hiatus”. “Bil je maj” is the third newly recorded track, and Borut sings it with a tenderness we’re not used to hearing from Niet.
The fourteen tracks are followed by “Minuta za Primoža”, which is an exceptionally beautiful gesture. At the end of the CD, Niet added four more tunes from their first period of creativity, when songs ran a minute and a half at most. These are “Umiranje”, “Srečna mladina”, “Zastave” and “Melanholija”.
Without big swings between the longer and shorter tracks, the record takes us through the history of one of the most cult bands of the previous decade. And it’s definitely one of those records that belongs in the collection of everyone whose rebellious youth was marked by Niet.
Lineup
Igor Dernovsek: guitar, vocals
Aleš Česnovar: bass
Primož Habič: vocals
Tomaž Dimnik: drums
Tanja Ukmar: backing vocals
Tomaž Bergant: drums
Robert Likar: second guitar
Borut Marolt: vocals
Production
Niet
Tracklist
1.Depresija
2.Perspektive
3.Ritem človeštva
4.Lep dan za smrt
5.Vijolice
6.Molk
7.Heroj
8.Februar
9.Tvoje oči
10.Sam
11. Ruski vohun
12.Vsak dan se kaj lepega začne
13.Strah in krik
14.Bil je maj
15.Minuta za Primoža
16.Umiranje
17.Srečna mladina
18.Zastave
19.Melanholija
