Goth, gospel, SWANS, JARBOE, JOHN CAGE, FOETUS, TODD RUNDGREN’s first incarnation of UTOPIA (minus the rock), NEUROSIS, SPIRITUALIZED, HAFLER TRIO, etc., etc., are all only mild reference points. Every track on this disc is wholly ULVER. The layered vocals of this Norwegian unit unify almost every composition. Keyboards (analog and digital synths, piano, Cage-like prepared piano, etc.), distorted bass, lots of gothic bells (samples or synthesized, who gives a flying fuck – it sounds killer), drums (electronic and acoustic), sampler, violas and various other instruments are employed throughout. The guitars (used kind of sparingly) seem always processed quite liberally with either flange, phase or chorus effects. “Blood Inside” has a somewhat low-fi feel to it which really enhances the sound rather than hinders it (low-fi as in 8 or 16 track reel-to-reel as opposed to 4-track cassette). Maybe they just used shabby mikes and preamps (or not). Whatever they did wrong (in someone else’s misguided evaluation) is right in my book. Sounds bleed into one another and some of them you have to struggle to hear (and may be missed entirely if you were not using headphones, like yours truly). Overproduction could have easily turned this music into audio cheese.

From the intro’s up front use analog sounding synthesizers, I can’t help picturing DEVO and BOOJI BOY. Then the piano and vocals come in. I am reminded that this is a tad more shall we say “serious”. The songs moniker “Dressed In Black” should have given this away. The amazing dynamics of this composition set the tone for a very pleasurable listen throughout “Blood Inside”. “For the Love of God” travels from a SWANS / JARBOE atmospheric dirge to a more uplifting Rundgren/”Pet Sounds” vibe mostly via vocal and ends in noisy chaos. It is important to note that these various diverse stylistic changes are very fluid and never sound forced at all. “It Is Not Sound” is driven by an impressive Kieth Emerson/Jan Hammer-like synth solo (one of maybe two instrument solos on the disc). “The Truth” with its ZEPPELINesque drums (“When the Levee Breaks”) is about as close to rock you are likely to hear from these cats. On “In the Red” they really bust out with their jazz chops (although a good portion of it sounds sampled however). Every piece of music on this stunning release (of which there is 9) is worth hearing multiple times. The listener may hear something different each time (after 3 full plays this is the case for your’s truly). Great stuff.

- Herring

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/ulver1

MP3 SOUND SCRAP: For the Love of God

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