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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Remains one of my most unique folk albums., November 20, 2004
This was pretty much the first folk style album I got, other than Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left. After enjoying the little acoustic parts in metal songs such as very early In Flames, early Dark Tranquillity, At the Gates, Opeth, even Satyricon, this was recommended to me as an album full of little folk songs like that, and it certainly was the perfect suggestion. Most of the songs are very short, as in 2-4 minutes, some are even 1 minute, with the exception of the last track which is nearly 7 minutes. The album is only 35 minutes altogether. It's the same thing with the 2 black metal albums though, just because a CD is short doesn't mean it's bad. Unfortunately I didn't get this right away because I didn't like the vocals, and waited until I discovered some electronic works of Ulver (which are also excellent) to start collecting the old stuff. Now my folk collection has grown far beyond this, and it remains one of the most unique albums in my folk collection, probably due to the vocal style. It didn't really inspire most of my folk collection though, that honor goes to Sol Invictus.
The prominent vocal style I speak of is mostly chanting in Norwegian. Maybe some people are repelled by this because these vocals seem to strong and take away from the calm acoustic playing, but I got used to them and started to enjoy them because of the uniqueness. Tracks 2 and 7 are total a-cappella, track 7 being particularly interesting for no instruments (track 2 is only 17 seconds long).
Most of this album is instrumental, containing acoustic guitars of course, and violins, cellos and flutes. As you should know, this is Ulver's only folk album, in the middle of their black-metal trilogie, but it has no hint of black metal in the music. If you're close-minded and can't listen to anything without harsh vocals and heavily distorted guitars, this isn't for you.
There's really not much to say about each individual track, the acoustic playing is brilliant and beautiful, constantly going through different ideas instead of just strumming the same thing through the whole song. My favorite acoustic playing is probably in the song "Halling," it is just so warm and welcoming. "Nattleite" contains mostly cellos and calm chanting, and the remix, later found on "Quick Fix of Melancholy" is interesting. The first song, "Østenfor Sol Og Vestenfor Maane" has some of the most prominent chanting vocals and mix of instruments. "Hiertets Vee" breaks down near the end into some ambient background noise and some fluffy flute playing.
Fans of "metallers-gone-folk" like later Empyrium, Of Wand & The Moon; fans of Viking/Folk metal such as Vintersorg; and the little acoustic parts in metal that I mentioned above should love this. I'm sure this was quite unexpected when it first came out, and that was just the beginning of the unexpected twists and turns that Garm the Genius would cook up.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Norwegian Folk Perfection, September 17, 2005
There is not a singular album that can describe the "Ulver sound". The Norwegian band is quite possibly the most amorphous band I have ever encountered, commanding sounds from extreme black-metal to pop-influenced electronica. But for my personal tastes, "Kveldssanger" is one of their most beautiful and haunting works they have crafted.
The album begins with "Østenfor Sol og vestenfor Maane", with a guitar, a bass, and an eerie baritone voice. Later joined by several harmonized voices and a cello, the piece is instantly frightening and unsettling, setting the tone for the rest of the album. The second track, "Ord" is literally 17 seconds long, and is the scariest a cappella you will ever hear, led by a low bass voice and harmonized Norwegian folk.
The album is ripe with this mood. Songs like "Høyfjeldsbilde" pride themselves on their catchy and pleasant guitar-work, always gravitating around a bleak, pastoral theme. However short, the songs are direct and very similar to folk-contemporaries Empyrium.
For the ultimate in doom, look no further than "A Cappella (Sielens Sang)", a song composed of only voices for a gloomy and foreboding 86 seconds. Although Garm's voice in this song isn't classically or operatically trained (à la Empyrium's "A Cappella"), it is still an impressive delivery and a tremendous feat of songwriting.
Kveldssanger is a treat. It was a blind buy, and a worthwhile one. If you are impressed or amused by the translation of Scandinavia's seemingly morose and depressing pasture into acoustic guitars and strings, then this album deserves a place in your collection.
See also: Empyrium - "Weiland", "Where At Night the Wood Grouse Plays", Estatic Fear - "A Sombre Dance"
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, March 31, 2005
Ulver have done it again. Another incredible album. Many consider this piece of work to be boring and not 'black metal'.
What I say is that you should try and appreciate the music for what it is, and not judge it because it doesn't exactly tie in with the Bergtatt and Nattens Madrigal albums. Fans of Ulver who own the two 'black metal' releases should be able to appreciate this album, and see through the empty ignorant comments that some people have made in the past.
This album is able to create the same strange/evil yet beautiful atmosphere that the other two 'black metal' releases manage to create, without using the aggression found on the other two.
This is something that I admire about Ulver. Whatever style of music they produce, whether it be black metal, folk, electronic they still manage to create the atmosphere perfectly.
People new to Ulver, who are also fans of extreme metal, I suggest that you start with Bergtatt. The reason being is that you have the extreme elements of Ulver, contrasted with the folkish elements on Kveldssanger. Once you start to appreciate the folkish parts on Bergtatt, you will be able to appreciate this album.
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