Review: Ulver ‘Neverland’
Forming in 1993, Norway’s Ulver were predominantly a black metal outfit, producing three albums in that style, 1995’s Bergtatt – Et Eeventyr i 5 Capitler, 1996’s Kveldssanger and 1997’s Nattens Madrigal – Aatte Hymne Til Ulven I Mande.While completists should also track down the 1993 demo Vargnatt and their 1994 split with Mysticum.
However, beginning with 1998’s Themes From William Blake’s The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell, a critically acclaimed yet highly divisive record, it was apparent that this wasn’t a band that stuck by the rules. On Neverland, their fourteenth full-length release, founding member Kristoffer Rygg (drums, percussion, electronics, synths, vocals) is joined by Ole Alexander Halstensgård (programming, electronics, synthesiser), Anders Møller (percussion, drums), Jørn H. Sværen (synthesiser) and Stian Westerhus (guitar, bass). The promotional notes state that their latest embraces ‘a more ‘punk’ spirit – more dreaming, less discipline – freer, quite simply.’
The former isn’t code for Ulver suddenly cranking out a crust punk/hardcore record ala Darkthrone, a notion that Fear In A Handful Of Dust dispels yet further. Instead, you are greeted with blissed-out psych ambient music as well as some Alan Watts-esque philosophical musings. The perfect scene-setting opener.
Elephant Trunk sees wonderfully mournful classical style piano evolve into something reminiscent of Warp Records brand of intelligent dance music that transcends the four-to-the-floor Ministry of Sound blandness in favour of something a little more imaginative. Weeping Stone is an absolute delight sonically speaking, there’s a gothic elegance, such as you’d associate with Gitane Demone (ex-Christian Death), while the haunting retro synthy sci-fi reminds one of Chris Garth’s (upcdownc, Dead Mammals) In Arcadia side-project. If this record was released the same year as Under The Skin, then the track may have featured in the film, stunning.
Ulver have delivered another superb record packed with invention and variety…
People Of The Hills employs more conventional instrumentation with its use of guitars, drums and bass, filling out the sound compared to the more minimalistic approach of the preceding numbers. Musically, there are elements of prog, and the soundtrack feel will appeal to fans of Goblin and Zombi, never a bad thing. They’re Coming The Birds points to post-punk with the use of rumbling basslines, but this is far from mere ‘80s revivalism, as there’s some fantastically dense trip-hop present, akin to a remix.
Hark Hark The Dogs Bark, with its hip-hop swagger, has a brashness similar to the late DMX, as hinted at in the title with the dog theme. With its harder edge, it offers a welcome change in tone and may go some way to satiating fans of Ulver’s aforementioned early output. Horses Of The Plough sees nods to John Carpenter’s work on Starman (which he also directed), giving the track a beautifully ethereal dream-pop flavour, meanwhile Pandoras Box is initially outright electronica, before picking up roughly halfway through with the lush post-industrial beats that can be found on NIN’s better work.
Quivers In The Marrow, both in its title and sensibility, is unmistakably post‑rock and feels so wonderfully expansive and engrossing that it seems longer than its actual three‑minute‑twenty‑one running time – in the best sense. Welcome To The Jungle is surprisingly catchy, massive beats done in a dub style that offers a rare opportunity for the listener to ‘get down’. Fire In The End, the record’s longest track at just over five minutes, concludes proceedings with some of the smoothest pop you can imagine, conjuring images of Fleetwood Mac’s Tango In The Night.
Ulver have delivered another superb record packed with invention and variety, proving that metalheads are amongst the world’s most sophisticated and open-minded musicians.
Label: House Of Mythology
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Scribed by: Reza Mills
