ulver

[affinityband]

they pretty much changed after that, into cooler music.

 

[Fade to Black]

having heard this band mentioned countless times before i have decided to get their albums
Perdition City - one of the best trip hop albums ive ever heard.. i say trip hop cuz that was the closest thing i can classify it by but it was great.

their "opeth-like" release of some weird norwegian or sweden name was not so impressive.. sounded like immortal than opeth but thats just me

but i think they're great changing genres every album

 

[the_3_toed_sloth]

Well, to contribute my 2 cents...

Ulver are a great band. Kristoffer Rygg is a fantastic musical innovater, and lately has developed into a rather fine vocalist. In my opinion, 'Perdition City' slays their other releases (fucking INCREDIBLE chill-out record), but all of the other ones I own are good too. 'Blood Inside' is a little odd, but rewarding once you spend some time with it, 'Themes From William Blakes "The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell"' is fucking... I can't describe how infinitely awesome that record is musically. But Rygg's poor vox let it down (I almost think they should re-record the vox, it would be SOOO much better had he done it now). 'A Quick Fix Of Melancholy' is a likeable EP, with some interesting ideas, and a fucking awesome remake of a song from 'Kveldssanger', which is totally different but really really good (folky stuff, dead nice).
I don't own Bergtatt or Nattens Madrigal, but have heard both extensively. I think I may get the former, but the deliberately shitty production of the latter (how retarded is that btw? They were given the largest budget for a black metal album EVER, and chose to record on a FOUR TRACK and blew the rest on suits and a car :erk ) is too grainy for me to realistically estimate that I'll ever listen to it.
'Lychantropen Themes' is ok, but I'd only recommend it to a die-hard really. At least, get some of the other stuff first. Haven't had much of a chance to listen to 'Svidd Neger' or 'Teachings In Silence', but they sound good.
Am I missing anything?

No love for Kveldssanger (let's not bicker about the spelling.)? Even though the band has themselves called it immature, it's hard to look past that album as a staple in their discography. Overused though that word may be when talking Ulver - even the EPs id recommend in a heartbeat to anyone with but a passing interest in the band. Silence Teaches You How To Sing reminds me of a stereo searching through static, briefly finding incredible music, only to drift off again into nothingness. A Quick Fix on the other hand feels just that - a strangely gripping, yet short, affirmation of a new, more potent Ulver. The other two i have yet to purchase, but salivate already for them.

Themes really is one of their most interesting albums, if simply because it so is the band in transition. It is grand and incredibly ambitious; it is experimental and divisive; it is a garbled mix of styles; it is a coherent transcription of an already great work; it is straightforward rock; it is more than rock; it is less than rock. There are so many things you can say about the album, so may compliments you can pay it, so many critiques you can make of it, and overall, so many times you can play it. Ive no doubt that if they tried again they could do so much better (ie. i generally agree on the vocals), but i would not wish it. I love it in spite of it's fault and because of them.

And while i think of it, i thought that whole spending their money on suits and a car story was nonsense? Pardon the reference, but wikipedia agrees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulver), though i do not know which source interviews it refers to. I as well have not taken to the BM releases like many do, though BM is not typically my genre of choice (enjoying that Bethlehem thanks Illdruit), but assume that given the fanboyism these releases inspire, the 'deliberately shitty production' worked well for them. Given their discography i am more inclined to believe the production values were intentional, and not 'shitty' as much as calculated.

Lastly ill just throw some earth on the fire in saying that Perdition City really does have a weak ending. Catalept followed by Nowhere/Catastrophe is not so much an anticlimax as an afterthought - the meat of the album has ended with The Future Sound Of Music, up to Dead City Centers a tasty dessert. After this it struggling to retain interest, a terrible shame considering the immense brilliance it shone with initially. It feels like the whole album has been this gloriously dark exploration of metaphorical city of sound, but they were worried that the slower students among us couldn't quite grasp this, so they had to dumb it down for the outro. Except make it happy, because people don't like sad endings. A tragedy, in my most humble of opinions (which is automatically greater than yours, because i said it).

 

[Sengir*Buendia]

The idea of Kveldssanger is great! (acoustic guitar-chanting-based folk medieval-like music) But IMO, the schizophrenic vocals ruin it, plus it's too monotonous. Still, the acoustic guitar sounds beautiful sometimes, when you're not tired yet, what happens around half the album...

Two exemples of similar but far better bands: Arcturus and the godly HAGGARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS: By the way you guys are SPAMMERS!!!!!!!! This forum desperately needs a nitpicking moderator

 

[Liquid Diamonds]

No love for Kveldssanger (let's not bicker about the spelling.)? Even though the band has themselves called it immature, it's hard to look past that album as a staple in their discography.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, by saying 'no love for Kveldssanger?' I mean, you make a fair point, but I did mention it. Perhaps I misinterperet you.

the 'deliberately shitty production' worked well for them. Given their discography i am more inclined to believe the production values were intentional, and not 'shitty' as much as calculated.

This is true. Hence 'deliberately' shitty. They wanted that "raw" sound, for some inexplicable reason. Which makes me

A tragedy, in my most humble of opinions (which is automatically greater than yours, because i said it).

I'm going to assume that was said in jest. If so, then

If not, then


*EDIT* I agree largely with what you said, btw.

 

[Liquid Diamonds]

Liquid Diamonds - what Ulver album would you recommend next for someone who likes Bergtatt and thinks Nattens Madrigal sounds more like the audio track to Texas Chainsaw Massacre than music?

Unfortunately, as has been said, there isn't really anything else to fit that sound. 'Kveldssanger' was different intentionally, as part of a trilogy. After those 3 records, the bands sound changed entirely. If you're familiar with 'La Masquarade Infernale' era Arcturus, and found that you could bear the vocals, then try the William Blake record. It's a little like that, but more 'rock' sounding. And the lyrics are more interesting.

If you can bear more ambient sounds, try 'Perdition City', which is pretty much a trip-hop record. And if you want something totally off-the-wall, go for 'Blood Inside'.

TBH, you can't really go wrong with any of them, but those are the 3 safest bets IMHO.

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

I thought nattens madrigal was possibly one of the worst BM releases ive ever heard. Ulver (newer) are awesome though.

Well, I'm pretty sure that's the album I heard. So that must be why I thought they sucked. I need to listen to another album.

 

[Metamyr]

Ulver is way cool... awesome "chill out" music.

...Except the beginning of track 7 on Perdition City makes my ears bleed...

 

[derbeder]

god i hated nattens madrigal when i first got it. until, that is, i listened to it very loud on headphones. then i discovered the music underneath the noise. it's been one of my favorite 90s black metal records for a long time.

 

[Metamyr]

god i hated nattens madrigal when i first got it. until, that is, i listened to it very loud on headphones. then i discovered the music underneath the noise. it's been one of my favorite 90s black metal records for a long time.

I prefer my music without the noise... newer ulver = win

EDIT: OMG 100 POSTS WOOT!!111!1!1!!!11

 

[derbeder]

the noise actually works on this one though... i wouldn't want it without that production.

i have been disappointed with blood inside, by the way. the nattens madrigal vinyl still gets a lot more spins than that one. after the silence eps, the a quick fix ep, the soundtracks i thought they would not make such a left turn. they were talking about doing a remake of nattens back in 2003 with electronics and strings, but it seems to have fallen through. it's a shame...

 

[Kenneth R.]

probably. i apologize. call me in 3 years then.

the funny thing is bang, how this thread will get tons of attention, but those retards can continue to call mendez a homosexual in that other thread based off of a fake myspace account. pretty sad when you think about it.

the man has a point.

 

[FUBAR]

I like Ulver

 

[NFU]

Im saving those. NFU has Passion( or hormones....probably hormones) in his blood. Its almost priceless. Lol @ you and your sex life kicking my ass. Go enjoy flirting with the 15 year old internet chick.

wow, you thought i was serious. :Smug: oh boyeeeee

 

[opethXisXlove916]

i have no clue who this rachel chick is
and i'm not HER
i'm ELIZABETH
okay?
and i'm 15
so stop being sucha pedafile

 

[NFU]

i have no clue who this rachel chick is
and i'm not HER
i'm ELIZABETH
okay?
and i'm 15
so stop being sucha pedafile

its pedophile...show some respect. besides, im just kidding. i stopped those jokes a while ago. no hard feelings liz.

 

[stole_my_bike]

lol

 

[Talking Meat]

Well I just got Perdition City yesterday, working backwards, and from what I can tell I like Blood Inside a little better.....just has a warmer and smoother feel.

Both damn good listens. Absolutely down with a band that brings different angle and approach to each album. Next up is the BM stuff I guess.

 

[An Absent Friend]

A kind of a band I would never buy a CD or download. But I wouldn' be bothered if I have to listen it ( If my friend is listening or what in the same room ) As I said ''Musical Sophistication'' is something very important to me.

 

[Scourge of Malice]

I really only like Bergtatt and Kve... i really dont wanna try to spell it out. But Bergtatt is amazing.