ULVER
It was 1993 when a new incredible act was taking form, the “Vargnatt” demo, leaving apart a messy sound was one of the most spectacular and emotive expression of the folk, territorially influenced, Norwegian black metal. The grim, raw and harsh spirit of the new-borning black sound was “distorted” in a melodic manner. Ulver said to play “Trollsk Metal” and it was clear that the Norwegian nature and dark tales of the folklore tradition was an important reference and influence for the skilled musician that were part of that band, the superior musical ability and arrangements capacity immediately come out, an acoustic song was a beautiful vision and the other distorted and visionary songs were able to paint incredible horizons, ancient and forlorn sensations
The
long running time minicd “Bergtatt” (1995 vote 9) become a milestone, and
it’s a better recorded version of the musical direction of the demo, another
time the sensation was like a twilight atmosphere watching a misty land of
sorrow and desolation from the ancient root of knowledge and magic, telling
legends carved in a far memory, a deep walk in that awesome path. The black
metal background of the band was another
time mixed together with more melodic and folkish lines, and the melancholic
Garm’s clean singing was the best edge to the majestic, magical world
created by the Norwegian band, a piece of art, a poetic expression…
It was a bit a surprise for some of the metal fans of the band their second
release, the acoustic ‘96 album “Kveldsanger” (vote 9), an excellent
work where the trolls of Norway went far away in the direction of the acoustic
instrumental song of the demo. The poetic atmosphere, always one of the
dominant aspect of the band, took the front of the scene together with the
always present melancholic spirit of the previous songs. Choirs done with
great passion were another, not always present, brick to the construction of
this superb music, able to express similar sensation of “Vargnatt” and
“Bergtatt” in a new form, strongly folkish. It’s still incredible how
listening to the “Kveldsanger” songs is like watch a
far vision of an enchanted twilight world made by ancestral forces and a
dominant nature, surrounding the listener.
The last excellent and fantastic release of the Ulver musical history is the harsh and cold (vote 9.5) “Nattens Madrigal”, the final demonstration of the total independence of the band from the business rules. Ulver never repeated a formula always choosing the most difficult way, one time coming-out from the black metal world for a more unique music, and then leaving the metal borders to express their art in a new dimension, now they chose to bring back their black roots putting together the extreme spirit of that music with their melodic sensibility, the result is simply astonishing. They said to be strongly influenced by the wolf imaginary and another time, recording the album in a forest!!!, they absolutely captured the true spirit, the true essence of the visions they was creating. In “Nattens…” there’s the melancholy, a misanthropic poetry, a cold, cruel evil sound and mood and last but not the least the Norwegian nature with its incredible magic. After that trilogy Ulver left their path to choose a path of incoherence, without any link with the previous research, they moved to a modern form of pseudo-avantgarde music, without reach the quality of their essential albums.