ITP V.017 ONLY ONE PER COFFIN: R.I.P. GABRIEL MAFA ("NEGRU" DRUMMER OF NEGURA BUNGET)

"NEGRU" (GABRIEL MAFA), drummer of  Romanian blackened/folk metal warriors NEGURA BUNGET passed away 3/21/2017 at 42, no cause of death has been given. 

NEGURA BUNGET were set for a SPRING 2017 NORTH AMERICAN 10th ANNIVERSARY OF "OM" and 20th ANNIVERSARY tour.

NEGURA BUNGET unleashed "ZI", 9/30/2016 via PROPHECY PRODUCTIONS and LUPUS LOUNGE.


FROM ANTENA3.RO:
https://www.antena3.ro/timp-liber/muzica/gabriel-mafa-liderul-trupei-negura-bunget-a-incetat-din-viata-la-42-de-ani-404733.html

 FROM NEGURA BUNGET:

 #EN With great grief in our souls, we inform you that our friend and colleague, Gabriel "Negru" Mafa, passed today, March 21st 2017, aged 42.
We deeply regret the death of the man who founded and maintained Negură Bunget, and who dedicated his life to the sacred side of our culture, bringing it to life through music and transmitting it to various generations from all over the world.
We hope that his legacy will continue to enchant and console those whom he left behind.
With regret and sadness, we offer our condolences to his family and to those who knew and cherished him in this life.

#Ro with pain, death will inform you about our colleague and friend, Gabriel Mafa "Black", who died today, March 21, 2017, at the age of 42 years. We deeply regret ending of human life that seized and dark shadows, and who has dedicated his entire life things sacred in our culture, bringing it to life through music and passing her various generations everywhere. Hope legatia would continue to thrill and comfort to those left behind. With regret and sadness, send my deepest condolences to his family, and those who knew him and loved in this life.


FROM MARK HOWITT (MUSICIAN/PROMOTER):
Don't know what to say....at a loss for words and in disbelief.. it's a sad day and I just don't have words for this right now...you were a huge inspiration to me and shared some of the fondest memories i have in this life..and I just can't.. dont know what to say. Till we meet again under the trees of the largest forests, you will be missed heavily my friend. Gabriel Mafa

FROM PROPHECY PRODUCTIONS:
 Such a sad day. Rest in peace, Negru, our friend and visionary.
http://en.prophecy.de/news/gabriel-mafa-negru-words-of-farewell.html
Last night we learned about the death of Gabriel Mafa aka Negru, drummer and founding member of Negură Bunget. We have no detailed information yet about the circumstances, but considering that the news were spread by Negura Bunget vocalist/guitarist Tibor Kati, we assume they are true. At the moment, this just leaves us in a limbo-like state of consternation like many of you out there.
As a fan of Negura Bunget since 2003, having seen the band live for the first time in 2005, I along with other Prophecy staff members got to know Gabriel and his fellow musicians closer in spring 2007 in Bonn where we wanted to speak about a future cooperation between Negura Bunget and Prophecy. From then on, we at Prophecy have been in regular touch with Gabriel and realized many projects together. We are particularly proud of his short-living folk project Din Brad, which will probably always be one of the hidden gems in the Prophecy catalogue.
Gabriel was always bustling, working hard and full of ambitious ideas with big plans for the future. In an ideal world we would have released full Negura Bunget films, there would have been live broadcasts of Negura concerts from the Transilvanian wilderness and several more extraordinary things Gabriel had in mind for his band.
Right now, it is hard to find the proper words for the situation and to channel our feelings. The entire Prophecy staff wants to express their heartfelt sympathies to Gabriel's family and friends as well as the remaining Negura Bunget members.

Stefan Belda on behalf of Prophecy Productions

FROM METALL INSULA PROMOTIONS: 

We're very saddened to hear of the passing of Gabriel 'Negru' Mafa, drummer and founder of Negură Bunget. We had the pleasure of working with Negru a few times over the years and he was always one of the coolest and easiest people to work with - going so far as to drive from Romania to Malta for a show in front of 77 people to save us costs on flights and equipment (though he did tell us later how much he enjoyed the experience).
RIP Gabriel.


FROM SOLSTAFIR: 

We just found out that our friend Gabriel Mafa passed away.
Gabriel was the mastermind behind Negură Bunget and our paths crossed a few times on the road. We once toured together for month, and had many good times.
So sad to see you gone, way too soon.
We send our love to his friends and family.
Those are hard times indeed.

See you in Valhalla Negru!
Here we are having fun in Romania a few years ago.


FROM CULT NEVER DIES (BOOK): 

We are very sorry to hear about the far-too-early passing of Gabriel 'Negru' Mafa, percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, co-founder and, for the latter part of the band's career, the central protagonist of progressive black metal / metal outfit Negură Bunget.

FROM HELSINKI PRODUCTIONS (NEW YORK, U.S.A.): 

Devastating news.... Gabriel Mafa AKA Negru, leader of the Romanian band Negură Bunget , has passed away. Helsinki Productions was honored to book Negură Bunget in New York City in 2015 to a sold out show. Your music will live on, be remembered and so will the memories of being able to work together.
R.I.P. Negru


FROM BLOOD MUSIC: 

Wow. R.I.P. Negru of Negură Bunget. Quite shocking to read. We last e-mailed with each other just yesterday. I already regretted missing the band's concert in Helsinki last week due to being abroad.
We worked closely together on the "Om" and "Inarborat Kosmos" vinyl editions, as well as the mastering of the two Nightbringer albums released. Definitely a controversial character in the scene but all my interactions with him over the years were great and kind, and I had the impression he fully lived for the music. Nothing but good words to say about him, and 42 is too young of an age to go.

I worked with him on the "Om" and "Inarborat Kosmos" vinyl releases, as well as mastering on the two Nightbringer albums I released, and he genuinely seemed like a good guy who was plainly excited about working on music. I know he has a reputation, but in the few years we worked together / kept in contact, I never had a single problem with him. We had a fair amount of contact and my last e-mail received from him was yesterday ... Feel shitty that I missed the band playing here last week cause I was out of town. R.I.P.


FROM SWR BARROSELAS METALFEST: 

A great artist and even better person left our world a couple of days ago. We've had the pleasure of having him and Negură Bunget at SWR many times, and we're saddened by this terrible news. RIP Negru.

FROM DARKSPACE: 
 
R.I.P. Negru, died in 42.
A big loss for both black metal and metal music in general.

FROM TIBOR KATI (NEGURA BUNGET): 

For those who want to say a final goodbye to Gabriel Mafa (Black), one can be at the new chapel cemetery in timisoara lipovei path.

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/  -l- R.I.P. "NEGRU"