Customer Reviews

Madrigal of the Night (Nattens Madrigal)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I, like others who have reviewed this album, was shocked when I first heard the raw noise that was Hymn I..but yet intrigued at the same time. I took a chance (I was previewing at the local shop) and went ahead and shelled out the $$$ for it. I put it on in the stereo at home and started playing video games or reading or whatever and just kinda let it drift to background noise..thats until the chaotic raw noise gave way to a very nice acoustic interlude...so I stop whatever it was I was doing and just stared at the stereo in amazement...thats when I was utterly blown away by the melody that erupted from the speakers when the distortion kicked back in and I knew right at that moment in Hymn I that I had an amazing album in my collection!

as another few ppl have mentioned, the produiction is intentionally raw for the fact they recorded live in the woods with an 8 track recorder, hence accounting for the sudden stops at the end of songs. the more I got used to it, the more I realized that its actually better than alot of supposedly "kvlt" black metal in the fact you can hear all the instruments quite well..which is kinda rare for this genre of music, needless to say. Ulver is absolutly amazing, and you're really missing out if you dont have at least the first 3 albums in your collection!! Every album had something different to offer...but you cant really say that about the electronic recordings they have since released.

I have owned this CD for a long time, and after all my years of searching for the best black metal, nothing has been able to top this. The production is PERFECT. Yes, you heard me correctly; perfect. For those of you who are already familiar with the buzzing guitar sounds of bands like Darkthrone and Nachtmystium, this is very similar, but even better. It is not so faded away that it takes away from the guitar resonance, and the guitars are always up front, being the main focus of the music.

The music itself is relentless, very melodic, and raw. This is the only album that encapsulates absolutely every emotion a human being can feel; I feel ashamed even attempting to review it. Perhaps the best way I can describe this album is to say that it is the most despairing, yearning, angry, beautiful, and dark/depressing album one can dream about.

Most will not like this album however. I have yet to find a fan as crazy about it as I am; even among true Norwegian black metal fans. It is not a simplistic album, so if you decide to buy it, just be warned that it is very technical, melodic, and complex. You will not love it in only one listen, unless you are me.

What do I mean with the title of my piece on this album? Simply put, if you've been led to believe this album is a sure fire hit with anyone who digs black metal, I'm afraid you're mistaken. This one has turned off many ears, including the likes of black metal fans. Personally, I can't see why.

Upon getting the album spinning, the first thing you'll hear is a very noisy Hymn 1. This is the essence of old school BM, my friend, and it's been captured to a T. The following 7 Hymns are equally noisy, and chaotic.

Here's where my point comes in. For someone who hears this one with an unmatured ear, it's easy to associate it with the likes of... well, we all have our bands we dislike for their perceived lack of talent.

To make sure Ulver is one of those bands for you, start off at least sampling each song clip provided by Amazon.com. If you like what you hear, or are intrigued enough to shell out the cost of the album, good for you.

What can you expect when you get your hands on this gem? A very consistant sound, yes, but I guaruntee every song will shine with it's own distict features. I know, because whenever I pop it in, I make sure I have at least 50 minutes so I can listen to the album from beginning to end. I love every song for one reason or another, whether it's the dramatic way the album opens up (Hymn 1), or the catchy, never slowing Hymn 6. And wrapping things up, Hymn 8, a solid closer.

Speaking of Hymn 8, I thought I'd point out one aspect of genius about this album aside from the more popular, "The Production is bad on purpose, therefore makes the album." Most of the songs seem to be cut off, or will fade out, while the riffing is still at full speed. Some of it is the "Bad Production," and some of it is to keep the album rolling, I assume. But, unlike all the songs prior to it, that end abruptly, or even prematurely, Hymn 8 will have a very distict, metal worthy ending, that really solidifies the album as one big work of art.

So, in closing, whether you like it or not, that's up to you. Whether you fully embrace the album for what it's worth? Hey, that's still up to you.

Enjoy.

Ulver's first album, _Bergtatt_, presented two distinct sides of the band: their raw, melodic black metal side and their roots in Norwegian folk music. Their second album, _Kveldssanger_, delved purely into acoustic Norse folk. For equilibrium's sake, Ulver turns to ultra-grim black metal for their third release.

Legend (well maybe not LEGEND...rumor, perhaps) has it this album was recorded on a 4-track in a forest somewhere, and it certainly sounds like it. On its technical merits, this is one of the worst-recorded official release I've ever heard. I don't find it PAINFUL like some reviewers, but it's definitely ugly. (If you want something really brutal and deadly, check out "Never Again" by John Zorn, on his excellent album _Kristallnacht_, and Merzbow's classic _1930_.) BUT, the overall aesthetic substantiates the sheer rawness and atmosphere conveyed. Telling of men, wolves, the moon, and the dark power of lycanthropy (all in archaic Danish, no less), this album exudes pure atmosphere such that there is a layer of frost blanketing the room upon its completion. This album would have not have been so great if it had been beautifully recorded.

The whole album sounds like it is coming through a wintry tempest, with sound sharp and buzzing. Melodic tremolo picked guitars, withering frosty distortion, and screeching vocals dominate the mix. The tinny, blasting drums and pulsing bass sound like they were recorded far away from any microphones. Garm's vocals on this album are entirely screaming -- there is none of his eerie, ethereal chanting but perhaps it would not have suited this. His bloody, scraping voice sounds like a dying winter spirit. The riffs are ultra-melodic and beautiful, but very simple. The drumming is nearly non-stop black metal blastbeats. There is one brief twin acoustic guitar passage near the beginning, but mostly the album is a relentless metal gale. The only other respite from the metal is found with some short, nocturnal soundscapes between the songs. All of the songs are excellent in atmosphere, although there isn't much variety between them. My favorite songs are all of them, but if I could only choose one it would be "Wolf & the Devil". I honestly don't think I can explain why this album is so great. It just has a sound and mood unlike any I've heard before.

A few words about Ulver's albums in general. The first three, the "black metal trilogy," are the most beautiful metal I have heard. Technically _Kveldssanger_ isn't a metal album but it fits the character of the other two. Ulver injects profound lyricism and beauty into a genre of music that is often violent and evil. Essential, and highly recommended, as is everything Ulver does. Electronic Ulver is completely different but remarkable and they just seem to keep getting more interesting. If you're new, get _Bergtatt_ for metal Ulver and _Perdition City_ for electronic Ulver.

Track 1 begins. To the un-trained ear, it sounds like fairly typical black metal: two tremelo-picked guitars, pedal-toned bass, breakneck-speed blast beats and incomprehensible screeching - but without the keyboards and theatrics that make bands like Emperor and Cradle of Filth sound kind of cheesy. If you dig a little deeper, there's a sense of musicality and composition that's missing from most bands like this. Suddenly it breaks into a classical guitar interlude and things start to make sense: these guys know what they're doing. Watch and marvel as your fingernails begin to grow to twice their length. Track 2. Listen closely to the dizzying speed of the guitar triplets under the lightning-fast drums (which sound like they were recorded into a television on a static channel). Then, through the noise, a gorgeous melody cuts through. Pain shoots through your gums as your canines are replaced with fangs. By the time the Mixolydian-moded "Wolf and Passion" is over, you're completely covered in fur and ready to run into the forest.

It begins. A harsh, raw, sudden explosion of extremely heavy instruments and screaming tortures the ears. It continues for one minute and then stops for a long, beautiful acoustic interlude. Oh, it must be like "Bergtatt" and have lots of acoustic sections, right?

Nope.

Even though that acoustic part is calm and pleasing, it is the only one on the entire album. The other songs do not let up from the deliberately nasty, extremely punishing production, crunchy guitars, and raw screaming. Ulver doesn't just have a huge mess of unorganized songs though - there are really great melodies underneath all the chaos. My personal favorites are the beginning and end of track 6 and the end of track 7. The riffs are just brilliant and sound perfect with this sort of production. The drumming is constantly ultra-aggressive. The songs have names, but they aren't listed in the booklet.

Each song ends or begins with a few seconds of ambience and mysterious sound effects, leading you to believe the next song will be a slow, ambient song to give you ears a rest, but there is no such thing. Most songs begin and end very abruptly like someone just pressed the stop button for you. Some say Garm recorded this in the forest but I have no idea if that's true or not. It would be quite grim of him to do so, and it sounds like it anyways.

Fans that have got into Ulver through their electronic/ambient music should be aware that the first 3 Ulver albums were a black metal trilogy. The first, "Bergtatt" has just as many acoustic and quieter sections than heavy sections. The second, "Kveldssanger" was entirely calm, atmospheric folk songs. "Nattens Madrigal" is the third and is 98% extreme harsh black metal. Most people that discovered Ulver through their newer works probably won't like this, and that is no surprise. Personally, I love every Ulver album, as radically different as they all are. I did discover them first through "Themes" and collected the albums in random order. It really depends on how much of an open mind you have. On the other end of the spectrum, fans of Norwegian black metal will either love or hate this album, maybe hate it because of the lack of variety in the songs, but it really depends on the person, obviously. No matter what the case, give this album time to grow on you. Don't make the mistake of laughing at it on one listen and never taking it out again.

Check out other projects with Garm: Arcturus and Borknagar if you haven't already. This is a little similar to the first Borknagar album, if you've already heard it. It's definitely one of my favorite black metal releases ever, even though I don't really have that much.

I've never loved an album so much. Many say you should look past the bad production, but it shouldn't be cast aside at all. It adds to the album. It adds to the raw atmosphere, as if it were some separate instrument. If the production was of a much higher value, I think the album would lose it's aura. I'll be honest to say that it's unforgiving at first, but over time I've learned that music isn't about great production, but it's the actual music that counts, and Ulver has crafted quite a masterpiece. They knew exactly what they wanted to achieve, and how to achieve it. Garm's vocals are nothing short of amazing, especially on Hymn II: Wolf and the Devil. The guitar riffs and drum beats do a great job of adding to the atmosphere, especially on Hymn I: Wolf and Fear... It's very hard to even describe this album. Listen to it and decide for yourself.

But I'll leave you with this... It's not just music, it's art.

ulver is wesome and this cd is awesome. the sound is pretty "raw" but that is the point. if you want a glossy, produced sound, look for britney spears or metallica. this is pure, raw, black metal which actually looks like it could have been performed by the wolf pictured on the cover. along with kampfar, burzum, and nargaroth, this is my favorite black metal band and definitely one of my favorite b.m. albums. buy it!

Where to start? I would have to say Ulver's "Natten's Madrigal" is among the top three BM recordings of all time. The production is purposefully harsh and raw - those unfamiliar with the recordings of Darkthrone or Gorgoroth may be in for a painfull listening experience. Save for a brief acoustic break in the first hymn, the entire album is full-on fury. Even between the songs there are ominous soundscape-type interludes. Although the pace is relentlessly fast and brutal, the melodies weaved by the guitars and the slow-picked bass are beautiful. Garm's vocals are possibly the coldest and most hatefull ever recorded. "Nattens Madrigal" is at times mellancholic, hatefull, longing, fearfull, somber and always very dark and cold - pefectly complimenting the lyrical subject matter of the inner struggle between the conformist world of man and the unbound, savage world of the wolf.

I'm usually not one to like lo-fi recordings, considering most bands just use lo-fi to seem "raw" and end up with a horrible sounding album, but this CD is a definite exception. The lo-fi production does no harm to the music whatsoever. Everything is still amazingly put together, the primitive sound of black metal is still present throughout, the vocals are some of the best, the atmosphere is incredibly riveting, and there's not one throw-away song on the album. This is some truly amazing black metal...one of the best CD's I've heard in awhile. Definitely worth your money.