Note; I made a hasty, and rather... well, shite review earlier down the line, which you can find here.

Now, Ulver is a band that will always divide opinions among music listeners, lovers and passers by. Hell, Ulver divides the the opinions of it's own fans with every release. I'm sure you all already know, but this is the part of a review where I'm obliged to give a brief over view of Ulver for the unfortunate few who haven't got a clue (Eh?).
Ulver, Norwegian for 'Wolves', used to be a black metal band, releasing their first album in 1993. Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (Spellbound - A Fairy Tale in 5 Chapters) was their first release, a folklore influenced black metal album. Since then the band has moved from black metal, to folk, to black metal again, and onwards into the realms of avant-garde and minimalist ambient music.

Discography
Vargnatt |1993, demo
Bergtatt |1993
Kveldssanger |1995
Nattens Madrigal |1996
Themes From William Blake's The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell |1998
Metamorphosis |1999
Perdition City (music to an interior film) | 2000
Silence Teaches You How To Sing | 2000
Silencing the Singing | 2000
Teachings in Silence | 2002
Lyckantropen Themes | 2002
1993-2003: 1st Decade In The Machines | 2003
A Quick Fix of Melancholy EP | 2003
Svidd Neger | 2003
Blood Inside | 2005
Shadows of the Sun | 2007

Vargnatt
This was Ulver's first album. It's a raw, traditionally produced slab of black metal. Folk influence is there, but this is more akin to 'Nattens Madrigal' (to use it's short name) than it is to 'Bergtatt...'. If you like your black metal, this is a great, solid example of early Ulver. If I had to rate it from personal taste, its getting around 60/100.
Playable on Last. Fm
Tragediens trone


Bergtatt

Fans and critics alike will say that this is the peak of Ulver's black metal phase. Unlike their peers in the the early Norwegian black metal scene, Ulver began to incorporate folk music into their sound, which has and is influencing folk metal as a genre even today. The lyrics are written not in their native Norwegian, or even English, but in archaic Danish. The album does not have the raw sound of Vargnatt or Nattens Madrigal, but has a rich, melodic feel. Garm uses clean vocals possibly more than black metal's screeches here. The atmosphere created here is almost thick enough to reach out and hold. Imagine a forest at dusk, the wind blowing through the leaves of huge trees, lazily, gently. The water ripples and flows down small streams. This is what Bergtatt is - it is the essence of nature, music for forests and grass. 89/100.
Playable on Last. Fm
Capitel IV: Een Stemme locker


Kveldssanger

We leave black metal behind here, for Kveldssanger, Ulver's folk album. It's two years on from Bergtatt, and Ulver have decided to experiment. Kveldssanger is an attempt at a classic folk album, in which Garm uses only chanted, choir like vocals. The album is, again, thick with atmosphere, and possesses a melancholic, peaceful beauty. This album used to be my least favourite Ulver album, so I will say, let it grow on you. The album is an amazing work. More amazing is the band's negative attitude towards it, describing it as an immature attempt at a folk classic. Garm himself says he was not dissatisfied by the album, but by the performance in it. It would be worthwhile to mention that the album has a certain black feel to it on occasions, but the album makes heavy use of strings. And on the side, the cover artwork is outstanding. 82/100.


Nattens Madrigal

I'll note now that this album is all streamable on Last. Fm. And that Kveldssanger is not. Nattens Madrigal is arguably one of the finest raw black metal releases of all time. This album is up there with Darkthrone's classic A Blaze in the Northern Sky, if that puts it in perspective. For fans of classic Norwegian blackness, this is a must have. It is also, however, understandable that many fans prefer Bergtatt, because this album lacks the strength in depth that Bergtatt has in abundance. There is much to be said for the raw emotion in the vocals and screeching guitar here too though. It's a great album for new comers to black metal, and hardened fans. It goes to show that people should never forget that when Ulver played black metal, they played it very well. For me, it's a solid album, deserving a 76/100.

That concludes Ulver's black metal trilogy. (Also Kveldssanger).


Themes From William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven And Hell

Now, simply consider this album. This album is a musical adaption of Blake's book, 'The Marriage of...'. The album contains the book's plates, which the albums lyrics are based on and around. The album contains guest vocals from Ihsahn, Samoth and Fenriz. Even so, this album received a huge backlash from the black metal community and critics, for it's abrupt change in style. This album fuses elements of black metal, drum and bass, avant-garde and spoken word (the vocals have huge chunks of poetic recital) to make an overly upbeat ambient theme. The linear notes of the album contain a statement from the band, said in expectancy of the backlash, that they 'had never been part of the so-called 'black metal' scene'. More significantly, this album is the first to show Ulver's love of the bizarre, experimentation and their signature flourish of creativity. Music wise, the album is a wholly different experience to the norm, and is rewarding after many listens, the sign of a great album. Time will fly by as you listen to this. 84/100.


Metamorphosis EP

This album follows the avant-garde journey of Themes, and acts as a gateway to the more electronic sound of future releases. Released before Perdition City, this, now hard to find EP is a venture into electronica. It consists of four tracks, and lasts 25 minutes. The EP is full of life, and is worth a listen. Try 'Of Wolves and Vibrancy'. 75/100


Perdition City

This album is the first real biggie. On Last Fm at least, this was Ulver's most listened album until their latest. This is where many people (perhaps wrongly) look and say, 'That's when Ulver changed'. This album is very much an avant-garde album, with strong electronic influence. The album is breathtaking in parts. Too appreciate it fully, consider listening to it through headphones, at night, on an empty road or street. Then you realise that the album follows a city, deserted, a ghost town. It explores that, in a city, you are lonely. I'd also like to reference to the huge Coil influence here. The production is harsh, clean and clear. The trip-hop beats are sonic-ally pleasing. Garm's voice is truly dynamic, he sounds young and almost vulnerable here. The album is best listened to as one; in full, but if I was to cherry pick a song or two:

This is an album that will flow past in one movement. It captivates, it holds, it demands respect. Easily the album of 2000, and a solid 92/100.


The Silence Trilogy: Teachings In Silence

This album is a compilation of the two other Silence related EPs, Silence Teaches You How to Sing and Silencing the Singing, back-to-back. It sounds however, like it's the same EP. This is Ulver's first descent into purely ambient work, and leads to their exploration of film scores. It's worth a good listen too, with some long, but excellent tracks that make it a great introduction to ambient music or a worthwhile addition to a fan of the genres collection. Try 'Darling didn't we kill you?' 72/100.


Lyckantropen Themes

A series of tracks titled as 'Theme I-X', these compositions are the soundtrack to the Swedish short film Lyckantropen. Ambient. 70/100.


1993-2003: First Decade In The Machines

This is a tribute album to Ulver marking their 10th year as a band. The album is made up of remixes, showing various artists, including Merzbow's take on Ulver. Ulver themselves feature on the track 'Crack Bug'.

A Quick Fix of Melancholy EP

Another EP, this time in seeming direct relation to the later release of 'Blood Inside'. This is another electronic avant-garde sounding effort, but it has a richer, fuller sound than Perdition City's harsh, empty tones. Some very good tracks on offer here. For a fan. 80/100.

Svidd Neger

The soundtrack to the same-titled film. More ambient, akin to the previous Lyckantropen Themes. However, this is more listenable on it's own, as an Ulver album. Some pleasing sounds created. 78/100.


---'Uno' Unofficial Soundtrack would be here, 2004---


Blood Inside

My favourite Ulver album. Maybe my favourite album overall. (But not on scrobbles, as of now (14th April 2009)). This album seems to focus on hospitals, the panic, the adrenaline rush, the impersonal, cold and dark corridors, the clean areas where people come to die. it explores the lighter aspects of activity from Dressed in Black to Christmas, then perhaps the darker aspects and consequences up to It Is Not Sound and The Truth. From In the Red on, we are shown the chaos, the panic of the hospital, as if it was being personified. The album crescendos beautifully in electronic noise, pulsating until the very last note. The album starts, slowly, as does nearly every song, and build in glorious electronic noise. Garm's vocals are varied, from deep to high, and it's a great performance from him. Real drums are welcomed. This is a gem of avant-garde in anyones library. Again, headphones will make this seem almost terrifying late at night. Moving, pulsating, energetic, flexible, Ulver at it's best. The album, according to Garm, was refined to the point were he was glad it was over, at it shows in it's sheer quality, it's depth, the sense that everything is measured. Overall, 97/100

It Is Not Sound





Shadows of The Sun

We reach the end of the road, our journey through Ulver's discography nearly complete. It is fitting that we leave such a fine album for last. Shadows of The Sun is, in a few words, peaceful, calming and stunning. I can still remember hearing it for the first time. Running to the computer with the CD, the delivery packet lying in discarded shreds on the floor. Listening to it was a pleasure. Gentle, sloping soundscapes of ambient music, with Garm's deep (very deep, layered) voice washing over the top. The sax in All the Love is heart wrenching, the lyrics throughout are Ulver's best. The Black Sabbath cover, Solitude, is amazing. The album has many stand out tracks; Eos, Like Music and Funebrae included. This is a must have album for anyone and everyone. 94/100.

Overall Top 10 Ulver Tracks:
10| Lost in Moments
9| Capitel IV: Een Stemme locker
8| Your Call
7| The Truth
6| Funebrae
5| For the Love of God
4| Christmas
3| Nowhere/Catastrophe
2| Solitude
1| It Is Not Sound

Ulver is:
Kristoffer Rygg (Garm)
Jørn H. Sværen
Tore Ylwizaker

Side Projects/Related:
Arcturus
Borknagar
Head Control System
Ved Buens Ende

That's all. I hope that I didn't drag on... I leave you with a quote from Garm.

'Ulver is obviously not a black metal band and does not wish to be stigmatized as such. We acknowledge the relation of part I & III of the Trilogie (Bergtatt & Nattens Madrigal) to this culture, but stress that these endeavours were written as stepping stones rather than conclusions. We are proud of our former instincts, but wish to liken our association with said genre to that of the snake with Eve. An incentive to further frolic only. If this discourages you in any way, please have the courtesy to refrain from voicing superficial remarks regarding our music and/or personae. We are as unknown to you as we always were.'