Artist: Ulver
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I don't keep up with black metal much anymore since the scene has become so large and fragmented. Of course I still follow the old heavies (Enslaved, Darkthrone, Satyricon, etc.), but there's so much new crap to wade through, I rarely bother. Every once in a while though I'll come across something, whether in print or from a personal recommendation, that will pique my interest and I'll check it out. So I don't know if it's this more reserved approach or a much-improved bullshit detector, but I'm finding that the few new BM acts I'm checking out tend to be above-average. Hence my latest example, October Falls from Finland. Their sound is a tad on the retro side -- I hear echoes of "Nightside eclipse"-era Emperor, a bit of early Ulver -- but it's also progressive in a way that brings to mind US artists such as Weakling and Wolves in the Throne Room. The Wolves comparison is especially apt actually, especially in the way they embrace environmental themes. After all, the album this track is from is entitled "The womb of primordial nature". Now I can't say if they're involved with eco-terrorism as has been insinuated about Wolves, but does it really matter? So much of BM's appeal is in the mystery behind the artists. Anyhow, it all comes down to the music in the end and October Falls makes beauitful, epic soundscapes that takes on qualities of shoegaze and drone, but always remains undeniably metal. Perhaps not melodic enough to win over non-metal converts like, say, Alcest, but very recommended for anyone interested in hearing that old mid-90s sound made fresh.
October Falls - IV
Swedish electronic duo Valutan is giving away their new album "Blame the voters" as a free download via Pitch 9: http://www.pitch9.com/
I still need to spend more time with it, but a cursory listen reminds me a bit of later-era Ulver.
Listen to Ulver's contribution to the massive Norwegian Prince tribute collection "Shockadelica: 50th Anniversary Tribute To The Artist Known As Prince": http://www.myspace.com/ulver1
Paper Thin Walls guest editors Experimental Dental School (from Oakland, CA) expound on the greatness of Ulver: http://www.paperthinwalls.com/singlefile/item?id=1607
Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg of Ulver will be touring as a member of international experimental/doom act Æthenor this coming April. Read more about the project here: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=34726270&blogID=370807411
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Figurines - The wonder
02. TALK 1
03. CS Nielsen - Happy
04. Superfamily - Teens of the 70s
05. Winter Took His Life - Oh
06. TALK 2
07. Frivolvol - Out come the knives
08. Bogus Blimp - Untitled jazz no. 1
09. Firefox AK - Pushing
10. TALK 3
11. Disfear - Get it off
12. Biker Boy - March song (Kalle J remix)
13. Eskju Divine - Darkness all around
14. TALK 4
15. Dogday - New romance
16. Mew - Am I wry? No
17. Det Är Jag Som Är Döden - Hello!
18. TALK 5
19. Familjen - Huvudet i sanden
20. Darkthrone - Skald av Satans sol
21. Caesars Palace - (I'm gonna) Kick you out
22. TALK 6
23. Lack - Behead
24. Bertine Zetlitz - Fake your beauty
25. Hebosagil - Old prophet
26. TIAC - OTW
27. TALK 7
28. Marybell Katastrophy - Hip
29. Strip Music - Never die
30. The Social Services - Electric brae
31. TALK 8
32. At the Gates - All life ends (live)
33. Fireside - Jupiter
34. Ulver - Funebre
35. Paper - They're gonna keep me
36. TALK 9
37. Convoj - Cultural legacy
38. Maia Hirasawa - Still June
39. Silverbullit - Run
40. TALK 10
41. Massgrav - Vuxenliv
Brainwashed finally gets around to reviewing Ulver's latest: http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6655&Itemid=64
In other Ulver news, check out the Ulver flask: http://www.jester-records.com/ulver/images/ULVER_flask.jpg
"It is the most useful band merchandise we will ever make, tragic as we are." Order here: http://www.jester-records.com/flask.php
Pitchfork's 'Show No Mercy' metal column rounds up some of the year's best albums and gets a few lists from contributors such as Kristoffer Rygg (Ulver) and Svein Egil Hatlevik (Zweizz): http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47248-column-show-no-mercy
Scandinavian highlights on said list include Watain, Bergraven, Ulver and DHG.
MetalKult has posted a video interview with Ulver frontman Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg: http://blogs.guitarworld.com/metalkult/videos/ulver-the-metalkult-interview/
Black Sabbath is my #1 all-time favorite band, so I always approach covers of their songs with serious trepidation. You know I don't expect much when 98% of the bands that plagiarize their style totally miss the mark. On hearing that Ulver had a Sabbath cover on their new album "Shadows of the sun", I was skeptical. What song would they do? How would they perform it? Ulver is constantly surprising and reinventing themselves, so I didn't even have a clue as to what new Ulver songs would sound like. When I found out the song they selected was "Solitude" from "Master of reality", my fears were somewhat abated. It's a great piece of music and often overlooked, thus a perfect candidate. Perhaps not as surprising as Pantera doing "Planet caravan" (which is excellent btw), but along the same lines. Anyhow, Ulver's cover is surprisingly faithful to the original - the arrangement, the instrumentation, everything. Really, the only liberty that they take is with the vocals which have been brought up to the front and double-tracked with harmonies. Garm has grown into a tremendous singer as proven with recent Ulver albums, but it's really here, on "Shadows of the sun", where all the accolades come to fruition. Now, not only can he hit all the requisite notes, but he is now capable of showing much more restraint and emotion. Now, as for comparing it to the original, well... it falls short, but I give them credit where credit is due. It's an inspired song choice, but they didn't make it their own. Sorry. On the other hand, the rest of the album is excellent and definitely their best post-black metal work yet. Well worth checking out.
Ulver - Solitude
The playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Boys of Scandinavia - Beautiful as a person
02. TALK 1
03. Don't Be A Stranger - Perfect problem
04. Timo Räisänen - Sixteen
05. Promise and the Monster - Sheets
06. TALK 2
07. Deathbed - When hope leaves a body
08. Closer - Sensing the wake
09. TALK 3
10. The Tarantula Waltz - Two arrows
11. Sambassadeur - Subtle changes
12. Anna Järvinen - Götgatan
13. TALK 4
14. Eric Malmberg - Slutet på en epok
15. Mustasch - Bring me everyone
16. September - Until I die
17. TALK 5
18. Leütenhaven - Still life (trompe l'oeil)
19. Frode Haltli - The latter
20. Lykke Li - Little bit
21. TALK 6
22. Downstairs - Peephole city
23. The Cardigans - Don't blame your daughter (Diamonds)
24. Paris - When I laid my eyes on you
25. TST - We are the kids
26. TALK 7
27. Ghost Brigade - Based on you
28. Mikko Singh - Palmun juurella
29. Audionom - Dc2
30. TALK 8
31. Ulver - Solitude
32. The Psyke Project - I get paralyzed
33. Silverbullit - Winter coat
34. TALK 9
35. Bodies Without Organs (BWO) - Let it rain
36. Icos - On my own
37. Torpedo - Hang me high
38. TALK 10
39. Graveyard - Satan's finest
FYI, in case you missed my announcement: next week will be a spooky Halloween-themed program.
PopMatters talks to Krystoffer "Garm" Rygg of Ulver (as well as Anneke van Giersbergen, ex-vocalist for the fine Dutch band The Gathering): http://www.popmatters.com/pm/columns/article/49495/sun-and-air-an-interview-with-anneke-van-giersbergen-and-krystoffer-garm-ry/
MIC Norway profiles Ulver and their new album "Shadows of the sun": http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2007101014044114328679
I still need to spend a lot more time with it, but cursory listens have me thinking it's probably Ulver's best post-black-metal work yet.