Customer Reviews

Shadows of the Sun

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This album was so predictable. It was predictable because Ulver is so unpredictable, that it is predictable that their next album will be unpredictable. After 2005's "Blood Inside" and its off-the-wall, wacky character, this album makes it sound like the universe has gone cold. This is a very low-key, atmospheric electronic work of art. It is on the opposite side of the spectrum of their more upbeat albums. However, it is somewhat similar to their somber work such as "Svidd Neger," "Lyckantropen Themes," and perhaps "Silence Teaches you How to Sing" and "Silencing the Singing."

If you're the dedicated Ulver fan, I don't need to tell you that they are an ever-evolving band with a different trick up their sleeve every time they release something. You know this, and this is why you like Ulver. In this case, you should already have this album. If you like the above EPs and soundtracks I mentioned above, you are much more likely to enjoy this album. If you only like Ulver's more upbeat electronic music, like "Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven & Hell," "Perdition City," and "Blood Inside," you may not like this as much, or at all. And if you only like their black metal and folk, well, I have no idea what to tell you.

This is perhaps the first Ulver album I would actually describe as "depressing" though. Sure, the above albums had overall dark atmospheres, but I've described them as more "experimental," "laid-back", "lonely," perhaps "eerie." For the first time, this album is depressing. But that's ok.

I have to admit, this is far from Ulver's best achievement. Still earning 5 stars in my book, because some of Ulver's earlier work is so amazing they will probably never make anything that comes close to it. I'm not saying it is disappointing by any means, but parts of some songs could use at least a little more spark. Most of the songs sound very similar. But hey, I'm certain it will grow on me. I thought the same thing about Lyckantropen - that probably took me 2 years to fully appreciate.

"Vigil" is probably the most interesting, maybe the best song on here, beginning with some arbitrary electronic noises that sound strikingly similar to "The Future Sound of Music" from "Perdition City", then introducing a lush, dreamlike piano melody, some creepy whispering, and almost chorus-like vocals with a rich electronic harmony in the background. In fact the whole album pretty much has that rich electronic harmony, consisting of synthesized violins and strings, pianos, and sometimes hums and choirs. "All the Love" probably breaks through the general feel of the album the most, with a brief, upbeat, almost theatrical-like portion.

As a previous reviewer mentioned, this album should be listened to in a room by yourself, with headphones, in the dark, for the most satisfying experience and to appreciate it to its fullest, along with any other Ulver album really. He also mentions the room should have no windows or doors, which I don't necessarily recommend, because if there's a room with no windows OR doors, then there's no way to get into that room in the first place, unless you maybe bust through the wall, which paradoxically creates a makeshift door, and does significant damage to you or whomever's property it is, or perhaps, build the entire room around you, which would take a lot of hard work, a long time, and knowledge about construction, and then you would be stuck in that room, unless you kept a sledgehammer in there to bust yourself out. Either way, I think you need at least one door or window in the room you plan on listening "Shadows in the Sun" in, for when it is over, you'll probably need to return to reality.

Being a relatively new, yet very enthusiastic fan of Ulver, I can honestly say that I have not anticipated any one of the myriad of great albums to released this year more than I have Ulver's "Shadows of the Sun." With such a serious caliber of genius as Ulver has proven to command, (Most apparent in 1998's "Themes from William Blake's the Marriage of Heaven and Hell," and in 2005's "Blood Inside") I knew that the musical world was in for another otherworldly masterpiece. Of course, Ulver has once again, surpassed my expectations, though not in the same fashion as I had expected.

Completely forgetting Ulver's natural tendency to evolve, I was expecting another album filled with charisma, and widespread vision such as "Blood Inside" was. Upon first listen, any one with similar expectations for this album will indeed be initially disappointed. This album is almost a polar opposite to "Blood Inside." Where there once was powerful and grandiose structure there is now a dark, slow and brooding semi-ambience. Where there was a dark, yet somehow beautifully colorful texture there is now only black and grey. Where there were once layers upon layers of Garm's soaring vocal harmonies, there are much darker, melancholiac, and slower dirges. Ulver have obviously made another 180 degree change in musical direction, and though it may seem for the worse, it really is not.

Make no mistake, this is a VERY dark and depressing album. It is vital that you understand that by dark, I do not mean the theatrical evil act that metal bands shamelessly delve in, but very real and very serious melancholiac suffering that is very clearly displayed in musical form. There is not one lighthearted moment in "Shadows of the Sun's" entirety. Of course, Ulver has always been more in tune with the darker spectrums of music; (Even having a couple of black-metal albums under their belts.) but not even this foresight could prepare you for the downright bleak and beaten experience that embodies this release. The album almost entirely lacks percussion, giving it an almost ambient feel. "Shadows of the Sun" is made up mainly of slow, subtle melodies, driven by weeping string sections, and sometimes choral like effects. There is even an appearance of a trumpet on three of the tracks which really adds a nice shimmer to this dark sonic pool. While being undeniably melancholic, this is still a very intelligent album that is still unmistakably Ulver. The piano sections, particularly in `Like Music' are absolutely beautiful, as are most of the arrangements throughout "Shadows of the Sun." in their own grey and twisted manner. The only slight fault I can possibly convict this album of is its length, clocking in at barely over 40 minutes. Then again, perhaps the short length is only meant to protect us from becoming overly immersed in this bleak state of existence.

This album has a very distinctive beaten feel about it, as music seems to collapse under the weight of the unjust world. The very heavy emotions that have been so vividly captured in this work of art are sure to bring even the most lighthearted listener down into the depths of momentary depression. Surely to some of you, this sounds like nothing you would voluntarily want to put yourself through, as if you don't have enough problems in our day to day lives to deal with without Ulver's very real display of utter sorrow. Personally, I find this album very therapeutic, taking me and my hyperactive imagination to a myriad of cloudy places. Granted this album is definitely not for everyone, though I suspect if you find Ulver's previous releases as enchanting as I do, then you will not be disappointed. Ulver's "Shadows of the Sun" is definitely not something that I would listen to on a daily basis, but nevertheless is an impeccable work of beautiful art, that deserves recognition.

For those who aren't already aware of Ulver, this review will serve as a brief introduction. Ulver are an avant guard/electronica trio hailing from Norway whose origins are firmly rooted in the black metal underground of the early 90s. Since 1998 Ulver have been releasing music on Jester Records, owned by their front man Krystoffer Rygg. Not content to travel only one path, Ulver cast off their armor following the release of "Nattens Madrigal" to shroud themselves in the ever shifting cloaks of the magus. "Shadows of the Sun" follows this tradition of change, being a masterful collection of some of the most somber, yet captivating pieces of music I've ever heard. This is a great CD to listen to on a dark, gloomy winter day. From the first track, "Eos", ending with "What Happened?", the mood is shaped and reshaped again with surmounting intrigue that causes your finger to want to press the 'repeat' button on its own volition. One particular highlight is the inclusion of an excellent cover of Black Sabbath's "Solitude", from the album "Master of Reality". Ulver's "Shadows of the Sun" has stayed in my car's CD player for over a month, and to this day I have not heard enough of it.

As Garm said, this is a dark and tragic collection of music. Beautiful and sorrowful. Again, this is a departure from almost anything they have released before. This is intelligent music,and a very dark mood setting CD. It reminds me of the slowest and most thoughtful songs from the Blood Inside collection. If you love Ulver, go ahead and buy this CD. You will find no Black Metal here nor any Metal type of music at all. The only thing that comes to mind is Sunno))) although it sounds nothing like them? They can do no wrong....

Ulver's musical career is so diverse that its hard to imagine that each one of their releases were created by the same group of artists. Beginning with a folk inspired Black Metal style, Ulver have gone through so many genres and musical styles over the years.

Most bands are too afraid to stray from their comfortable niche to even realize that they have vast potential (and some bands in truth have no other talent other than their initial offerings). The ability to change genres, styles and overall moods is the the true mark of an artist, and evolution. Ulver have, over many releases proven that they cannot be pigeon-holed into one category or style, and they most definitely have proven that they are truly talented without being pretentious or snobbish.

"Shadows of the Sun" is the latest LP by Ulver, and it is so far removed from everything they have done in the past. It is also one of THE most beautiful and atmospheric albums I have ever heard since Anathema's "A Natural Disaster". Like with most Ulver albums, the most dominant emotions are melancholy, death, the divine mysticism of humanity, and in some ways love; all blended together to form one of 2007's musical masterpieces.

Like previous Ulver albums there is a plethora of musical instruments and programming involved. Some tracks feature Violins, Cello, String Quartets, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, a Theremin (a really funky instrument that requires no physical touch to "play"), and other various electronic manipulations and keyboards. The instruments are so diverse, and the sounds are so well crafted with solid production; Shadows of the Sun will completely engulf you into its universe of ambiance.

Kristoffer Rygg's vocals are so diverse and soothing, deep brooding and soulful yet very accessible: a feat most elusive with many modern vocalists. Kristoffer has the voice of an angel, and is a very haunting vocalist.

The music on "Shadows..." follows the same pace throughout the whole record; a slow, dream-like rhythm that rarely lets up to intensity or speed. But in regards to Ulver, that's a good thing. They know how to do slow just right. The best thing about Ulver is that they know when to incorporate a certain sound and when to use silence. To me this album doesn't even seem slow because it captures my total attention every time I listen to it. Most of the music has no drums or percussion at all, further adding to the dream-like feel, and the record is better because of this. Electronic manipulation is kept to a minimum, making "Shadows of the Sun" seem very organic, yet make no mistake, Ulver will take you on a mystical journey through the Ethereal.

"Shadows of the Sun" is a very complete album, each track artfully blends into the other in such a perfect way. Its definitely an album that should be consumed whole rather than in parts ( "Eos" the album opener seems to fit rather nicely with the ending track "What Happened?"). 'Shadows of the Sun" could certainly be a concept album where each song is part of a story (it definitely has that feel to it), but just like other Ulver albums, each song has enough strength and depth to stand alone. There is even a Black Sabbath cover on here ("Solitude"), a cover done up 'Ulver' style, even to the Sabbath initiate it will sound like an Ulver song; yeah, it is that great of a cover. Complete with minimalistic trumpets and melancholic atmosphere, no drums, with the haunting and soulful voice of Rygg. I didn't even know it was a cover until I heard the Sabbath version and read the lyrics.

Ulver fans (those that have grown accustomed to their ever shifting sound) will embrace "Shadows of the Sun" with open arms, but I think even the casual music lover with find much to enjoy here. Those who favor true ambient music will certainly find affinity with this.

There are a few moments of brilliance in some of these "songs" but they are never realized. It's as if the group sat down and recorded a 15-45 second song idea or cool Ulver moment and instead of developing it, wrapped an additional 3-4 minutes of unrelated drool around it. This is the most irritating thing about this record. And any kind of song build up is quickly killed by the short track length. Sci-fi/easy listening + random seemingly improvised vocals is a good way to describe the sound. Take out the vocals and you'd have a great soundtrack. Overall the album feels empty and incomplete, way too slow and way too short.

Ulver has the moodiness of early Tears for Fears, the intelligence of XTC, and the insanity of Coil.

This is brilliant.

I've been listening to this album for a while now. It has become one of my favorite albums of all the time. Ulver will take you into one of the most dark journeys that you can imagine. I would recommend the use of headphones when you listen to it. There are many layers of sounds in the songs and may find yourself discovering new sounds with every time you listen to it.

Besides the usual words used to describe this album, (dark, tragic, solitary) I think I would use the word "human". Shadows of the Sun is an album that I think everyone should listen to at least once. I can see that it may not be enjoyable for some, but it speaks that part of our human condition that sometimes it's hard to talk about.

I find in the absent of light outside and in my head is the best time to listen to this album. It offers little hope of a brighter moments until the sun sits at high noon. Only there will no shadows reside.

I can think of no other album (there might be I just dont know about it) that is so sad and dark. Not stupid satanic dark but just pure audio depression. Its very slow and somber with out a touch of percussion. The whole album is about loss and the pathway to the grave (literally or figuratively). Its all very subtle like Vigil, Funebre, and What Happened? Its about the end and trying to comprehend a life that was never lived.

I will never listen to this album with anyone else. Its a personal experience that is meant for an individual to dwell on. Its a soundtrack of personal exploration to the depths of the abyss. It makes me say to myself "I dont care anymore, I will go peacefully there is nothing left to fight for".

Yeah, not for the positive person. But its actually good music. You might feel weighed down after, though.

You have to be an Ulver fan first off. Rather, you could also just appreciate the song writing process in general to know this album is just another step in the (cliche) Ulver legacy. I dont say cliche like it is a bad thing, but this is one band who never completely settles on style, or even considers that a true word of the music business. Everything changes, everything evolves with Ulver, just like the evolution of mankind, whereas man seems at a standstill progression wise, Ulver musically show that nothing is taboo when music is the heart of the matter. I consider myself a true Ulver fan, only lacking one album (Metamorphosis E.P) in their catalog and never know what to expect from them record to record, but one thing reigns true after hearing each new thing, it is fresh and never NEVER ceases to amaze. The album begins and could almost end at that, on an extremely somber note. Beginning to end the songwriting of this album is in summation one word, Bitter. This is the saddest Ulver album to date, everything before this seems to have alluded to this point. You cannot be a fan of Ulver if you dislike change because that is what they are all about. The song Lost in Moments from the Perdition City cd comes to mind, because their use of so many styles compliment who they are, and they do it with perfection. They even cover a Black Sabbath tune, I cannot stand Sabbath, but if this is an indication they could cover a Dolly Parton song and make it amazing. If you are an Ulver fan, you already have this cd, if not and you are a fan of brilliance musically, pick it up. Listen to it alone, in a room with no windows or doors. Ulver is the epitome of the thinking mans music, thank you Ulver.