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Ulver
Blood Inside


5.0
classic

Review

by Werny USER (10 Reviews)
February 26th, 2006 | 118 replies


Release Date: 2005 | Tracklist


You can't just call a band 'black metal'. It doesn't work.

You have to have all of these silly tags like 'symphonic', 'raw' and 'folk'.

Sometimes you just wish you could just say "ok damn it, if it's black metal, it's black metal".

Ulver sure gave that notion a square kick in the balls. From the release of Bergtatt in 1994 (black metal littered with acoustic, folk sections and almost Gregorian vocals) to Kveldssanger in 1995 (gorgeous folk), Ulver would remain ever so keen to escape the 'black metal' tag, yet they could never stop themselves from playing it, it seems.

That changed in 1998 with a foray (read: escape) into electronica entitled Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, a recital of a novel against the music. 2000's Perdition City, a fully electronic experience almost, delivered a righteous kick in the balls to all "cult" and "necro" black metal fans.

---

AaaanyWAY, you probably already knew all of that. I like writing biographies.

Released July 12 2005, Ulver continue to make music that as at once inaccessible, complex, subtle and inspiring with Blood Inside.

When one lays one's eyes upon the album art and promo photos, one instantly gets the idea that this is an album about hospitals. What's weird is that the lyrics don't actually have a concept to them (Christmas, for example, being a talk about religion), but there is a definite story in the music, especially with the last two songs (The Truth ends with an operator picking up the phone, seguing into Operator which races forward with emergency sirens, like you're being rushed through the hospital).

Now, there is a thing these days where every bit of music has to have some sort of retro twist to it. Every rock band these days wants to sound like they're from the 70's or 60's. Death Metal bands always want to take the listener back to the violent Middle Ages. Black Metal groups envoke scenes of gothic churches burning down, with their symphonic flourishes and twisted lyrics.

Ulver do this, yes, but instead they take you back to a more friendly, relaxing age; the 50's. It's a very calm, laid back album. You will find yourself tapping your foot in a lot of moments. A good example is the end of In The Red, with its big-band jazz samples and looped hi-hats (with added distortion) instantly conjuring up images of being in a bar watching Miles Davis toot the old horn.

That doesn't go to say that the whole album is classical and jolly, though. Blinded By Blood and Dressed in Black have themselves some pretty eerie ambience. Some sections, like the beginning of In The Red, instantly recall dark ambient bands of the 80's/early 90's, like Coil.

Now, onto the instrumentation.

The line-up for Blood Inside is as follows (thanks to DarkLyrics.com):

Trickster G. (Kristoffer Rygg aka Garm): Vocals
Tore Ylwizaker: Programming
Jørn H. Sværen: Drums

Guests:

BOSSE: guitar solo on For The Love of God.
CZRAL: drums on Operator.
JEFF GAUTHIER: violin on Your Call.
HÅVARD JØRGENSEN: guitar on Dressed in Black, For the Love of God and
Your Call.
MIKE KENEALLY: guitar on Christmas, solo on Operator.
ANDREAS MJOS: vibraphone on Blinded by Blood and In the Red.
MAJA S. K. RATKJE: choir on Your Call.
KNUT AALEFJAER: drums and percussion on For the Love of God,
Christmas and Operator.

Yes, that shocked me too; the drums on this aren't programmed. The sound of them is very thin and electronic, and some of the fills and cymbal hits are obviously looped. Nevertheless it sounds amazing, it retains the vintage, jazzy feel without losing the trip-hop beat.

The occasional guitar solo does give a welcome breath of fresh air, yet they still retain that relaxed, jazzy feel.

The violin and choir give, yes, that old 50's atmosphere. There are some sections where I cannot tell if it's actual string instruments or synthesizers, which is definitely an upside because often in music like this the feel is ruined by try-hard synths trying to sound epic.

I would love to avoid the cliche of devoting an entire paragraph to the G man. But the man simply deserves it, nay, needs it. I disliked his vocals at first because I was thirsty for something along the lines of his performance on The Sham Mirrors or Bergtatt. What we have here is a very calm, relaxed Trickster who obviously doesn't want to draw much attention to himself. People have complained about his vocals, about how they're not 'spectacular' etc., but I can't help thinking they suit the music better than anything else could.

I'm assuming Trickster handled the production on this too (helped in no small way by Ronan Chris Murphy, who has produced works for King Crimson, Yes and Genesis). He is my favourite producer, no doubt. Every instrument has space to breath, you can hear everything loud and clear. It sounds brilliant, unlike a certain other Norwegian "avant-garde" group's 2005 release.

Samples are used very subtely in this, which is expected as this is a Trickster band. They do help carry the 'hospital' theme across this album.

That's one of the many things I love about this release. Instead of it being a lyrical concept album, it's a musical concept album. You can almost figure out the story from just listening to the album. Just another way in which this album sounds classical.

Now, some of the low-points.

This does take quite a while to grow on you, because the songs tend to sound a bit thin before you "penetrate" the surface and discover all their subtle touches.

Some parts of the album tend to jump-around a lot, which happens in a lot of "avant-garde". This means that once you get into the groove of the song and start tapping your foot to it, it completely changes. You get used to it though, and it doesn't happen often enough to annoy you.

Now this album really deserves a 5, because it gradually reveals its genius through subtle, little flourishes. It would get a 4.5 if compared to such works as Bergtatt, Arcturus' La Masquerade Infernale, but as it's completely different I won't be making such a comparison.

So in summary, this is a brilliant work that shows us the future of music by looking at the past. It refuses to follow any convention and flows as it wants. The band does not care if they sound pretentious or self-indulgent, though Trickster sounds like he's holding back a bit.

This isn't courage, it's more than that. It's ULVER.

Conventions are for the weak.

---

In short.

PRO's:
* Sharp, clear production that lets everything have its space at the right time.
* Brilliant, suitable vocals from the G man.
* Drumming that, at once, sounds jazzy but electronic and spastic.
* Unlike most electronic music it feels very organic and real.
* Clever use of samples and looping.
* Christmas would be the greatest song here.

CON's:
* Takes a damn long time to grow on you.
* Sounds a bit thin in places.
* The drum fills, which are mostly just looped, can sound a bit awkward at times.

---



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Comments:Add a Comment 
Serapheus
February 26th 2006


252 Comments


Excellent review. Ulver is truly a different experience.

br3ad_man
February 26th 2006


2126 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Out of the Ulver albums I own, this is my least favourite. It's still pretty good though.

Zebra
Moderator
February 26th 2006


2647 Comments


I've been wanting to get into this band so I suppose I'll start here. Your review was detailed and gave me a nice idea of what the album sounded like, nice work.

Tyler
Emeritus
February 27th 2006


7927 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

im a toolThis Message Edited On 09.24.07

Werny
February 27th 2006


148 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

I wouldn't call this their most obscure (it's hard its fair share of publicity and attention... unless your definition of obscure differs to mine), but yeah you really shouldn't start out with it.



I still need to get Perdition City and Nattens Madrigal. And then there's all the soundtracks... I want it all!



And thanks for the compliments guys.

Tyler
Emeritus
February 28th 2006


7927 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I guess obscure wasn't the right word, but you catch my drift

Happymeal
March 2nd 2006


330 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I take back what I said about this being electronica album of the year. Listened to it a couple of times, and the shock value wore off quickly.. "The Truth" and "In the Red" are still great songs though.

publicastration
September 25th 2006


57 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Oh my god. After hearing Perdition City I was impressed by the musical genius of Ulver. But after hearing this I was blown away. Perdition City cannot even begin to compare to this. Admittedly, it does have a completely different theme.



I loved this so much when I heard it I actually bought it, if you know me that's a rare thing for me to do.



This is definitely one of my favorite albums, from a band that has unexpectedly jumped up and grabbed the top place in my list of artists.



From this masterpiece to their earlier black metal work, Ulver is now my favorite band.

jrowa001
January 17th 2007


8752 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

love this album!!! does anybody know theres any vocals on their album "William Blakes...."?

Tyler
Emeritus
January 17th 2007


7927 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

There are vocals on that album, but they're usually pretty bizarre.

Angmar
January 17th 2007


2688 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

The Album is good its a trip for sure i got a friend whos a big electronica head who is in love with this. More so than me but it is different.

jrowa001
January 17th 2007


8752 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

thanks cocaine. i like their songs that have the vocals cuz im not a huge electronica fan but Garm is one of my favorite singers of all time

ChandlerN
September 24th 2007


1 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

If they had not have went overboard with the drums in some sections of the album, it would have been perfect. Oh, and "Your Call" is awesome.

Metalikane
November 16th 2007


851 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I suck at life. Thankfully, this CD doesn't suck.This Message Edited On 02.22.08

kmagnum1x
October 13th 2008


459 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

the ultimate grower album imo

Wizard
October 13th 2008


20576 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I think the 5 rating belongs to Perdition City, but I still need to let this one sink in a bit more.

Crysis
Emeritus
October 13th 2008


17641 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Album is good, although I've only heard it once so that's not enough to justify a rating. Do love the album cover though, hence my avatar.

Hawks
October 13th 2008


95351 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This has actually been growing on me, along with most of Ulver's other non-metal albums.

kmagnum1x
October 13th 2008


459 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Perdition city is up there as well, I just always return to this album



There is moments of pure genius on this album that just can't be ignored

Hawks
October 13th 2008


95351 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah Perdition City is probably tied with Shadows of the Sun for my favorite non-metal Ulver album.



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