Following the 1993 demo releases the demos Rehearsal 1993 and Vargnatt, which have a similar (albeit somewhat rawer) style, the band's first album, 1994's Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitler, is a folk-themed black metal album. The title Bergtatt literally translates as “mountain-taken”, but is more commonly used to describe someone who is stricken with awe. In Norwegian folk tales the word refers to people who wander off into mountains, lured by trolls or other mythical beings. The narrative of the album’s lyrics follows a woman as she becomes so mountain-taken. The subtitle means “An Adventure in 5 Chapters”. Bergtatt features a melancholic, fully acoustical song “Een Stemme Locker” (“A Voice Beckons”).
1995's Kveldssanger, Ulver’s second album, contrasts with Bergtatt as it uses classical guitars, cello and chamber chants, and completely eschews the black-metal elements of Bergtatt, while still having a folk theme. Garm has since remarked that Kveldssanger was an “immature attempt at making a classical album.” He later clarified this by saying that the performance was immature, yet the content is strong when their youth is taken into account.
The third album, 1997's Nattens madrigal - Aatte hymne til ulven i manden, was a return to black metal, more ferocious than Bergtatt was, with only one mellow acoustic interlude in the first track. The album is intentionally under-produced, akin to Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger, with buzzing guitars and rather muffled drums. There are rumours surrounding this album and its recording, the most famous being that the band recorded this album in a forest. The band has dismissed this as impossible, although When Bitter Spring Sleeps later would record their albums in a forest. Another and less-known rumor is that the band purposely recorded the album on a four-track cassette recorder and used the money that Century Media gave them for other things, for example Armani suits, haircuts, cocaine, beer, and/or a new car. When questioned about this, Garm said the band did have rather expensive tastes, though he has denied buying a new car, saying there wasn't enough money.
Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, released in 1998, was different from what Ulver, or even any other band, had made before. Tore Ylwizaker, a new composer and sound architect, paired up with Garm's expanding artistic visions and together they stepped over the boundaries of black metal aesthetics, creating a genre-defying work. In this album, the musicians blended electronics, industrial music elements, progressive metal and avant-garde rock, adding ambient passages. Lyrically, the album incorporates the entire text of the William Blake's poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and features guest vocals. Despite confounding and perhaps alienating many fans of the band's first three albums, the album received widespread acclaim from critics within both the rock/metal and alternative music press. For instance, it was reviewed as 'album of the month' in several high-profile magazines such as Terrorizer, Metal Hammer, and Rock Hard. It also ranked very high at many year's best polls that same year.
Ulver's next two releases, the EP Metamorphosis and full-length album Perdition City: Music to an Interior Film, were even more experimental than the “Blake Album”, and a lot more pensive. The Metamorphosis disclaimer reads: “We are as unknown to you as we always were”. The band had moved further away from rock and metal and into a more ethereal style, much like that of Coil. The use of programmed sound and atmospheric style is dominant here, unlike the previous albums. Neo-classical composer and film scorer Craig Armstrong may have been an influence on Ulver as his use of electronics and hip-hop beats over strings and pianos is somewhat reminiscent of Ulver's later works.
The band followed up these two releases with two minimalist/ambient/glitch works, Silence Teaches You How to Sing and Silencing the Singing. These works featured minimal melodies and often had subtle weird and unnatural noises throughout the song structures; the band also stretched out at length, with "Silence Teaches You How to Sing" being the band's longest composition to date at over twenty-four minutes in length. Due to their individual rarity, they were later released together as Teachings in Silence.
Having proved their proficiency at making atmospheric electronic music, Ulver were hired to make music for cinema films Lyckantropen (whose soundtrack was released as Lyckantropen Themes), Svidd neger, and Uno.
In 2003, Ulver began making more symphonic music. They released A Quick Fix of Melancholy, which kept the minimalist, sparse stylings of their previous albums, while adding a much more expressive, dramatic, symphonic element, with various string sounds (most likely sampled) and various operatic singing styles.
In July 2004, the band finished recording their next album, Blood Inside, which was released on June 6th, 2005. With Blood Inside, the band stepped away from the more minimal styles they had been experimenting with previously. Bringing back more traditional rock instruments like guitar and acoustic drums (since 1998 the band had used primarily digital drums and/or sampled beats), and combining them with real and synthetic classical instruments, brass horns and sound samples, the band created something they had never done before. Managing to fuse genres ranging from rock, classical, minimalism, electronica and vintage progressive rock music with Garm's broad vocal range, Ulver created an album that was far beyond anything anyone has heard in the avant-garde scene.
Ulver have recently collaborated with drone band Sunn O))) on a 15-minute track which appears on Sunn O)))'s WHITEbox box set, released in July of 2006. Additionally, Ulver had announced back in 2002 that they had been working on a string remake of Nattens madrigal, but Garm has stated on the message board of his alternative rock band, Head Control System, that the project "is in a state of total dormancy".
The band's seventh album, Shadows of the Sun, was released on October 1, 2007. Garm called it “our most personal record to date. Low key, dark, and tragic”. The album mostly consists of dark ambient music, with lush symphonic orchestrations backing up the band's mellow material.
The band's eighth album, Wars of the Roses, appeared after nearly four years of silence in April 2011. This time around the band was highly influenced by progressive rock music, also incorporating elements of ambient, post-rock, and spoken word. The same year, the band also released the live album The Norwegian National Opera, a nearly career-spanning performance with the opera cited in the title that featured renditions of material dating from the Blake album to Wars of the Roses.
The band's ninth album, Childhood's End: Lost & Found from the Age of Aquarius, followed in 2012. A long-delayed cover album of material from the '60s psychedelic rock era, the material Ulver chose to cover was mostly quite obscure (with Jefferson Airplane's "Today" being easily the best known track), but further revealed the band's diverse range of influences.
In 2013, Messe I.X-VI.X appeared. A companion piece of sorts to Shadows of the Sun, the music on Messe continues in the same reflective, brooding vein as that album, but contains more influence from post-rock and modern classical music. Most of the tracks were instrumental this time around, and the band stretched out in length, with the longest song exceeding eleven minutes. The same year also saw the release of the live album Live at Roadburn, consisting mainly of live renditions of Childhood's End material (one improvised piece, inspired by and dedicated to the German krautrock band Can, was included as an encore).
2014 found the band's second collaboration with Sunn O))) released, the full-length album Terrestrials. Despite the metal background of the two bands, the material here was mostly subdued drone/dark ambient with little metal influence. The same year also saw the release of the box set Trolsk sortmetall 1993-1997, serving as the definitive retrospective on the band's black metal phase by collecting their 1993 demo Vargnatt, their first three albums, and previously unreleased rehearsal versions of four songs from Nattens madrigal. All material was remastered for this set, with Nattens madrigal seeing substantially more dynamic range and its bass line being clearly audible for the first time.
2016 saw the release of the band's double album ATGCLVLSSCAP, its title an acronym consisting of the signs of the Zodiac. Ulver constructed the material on this album around a series of improvised soundscapes recorded live at twelve different shows, but the studio overdubs create a tightly structured set of compositions, some of which are rearrangements of earlier Ulver songs such as Nowhere/Catastrophe. The material here, which consists of twelve tracks spanning eighty minutes, covers a wide range of genres, including psychedelic rock, progressive rock, dark ambient, avant-garde, and post-rock. The end of 2016 also saw the release of the film soundtrack Riverhead.
2017 saw the release of the band's synth pop album The Assassination of Julius Caesar, which marked the band's first album in since 2011 that wasn't: partially recorded live (ATGCLVLSSCAP, Messe I.X-VI.X); a cover album (Childhood's End); a collaboration (Terrestrials and, to a lesser extent, Messe again); or a film soundtrack (Riverhead). Hailed as a return to form (as much as a band like Ulver can have), it received some of the band's most positive reviews in years. The end of the year saw the release of a companion EP, Sic transit gloria mundi (Thus Passes the Glory of the World).
Ulver have established themselves as some of the most remarkable musical chameleons of the twenty-first century, and continue to evolve with each new release.
1993 - Rehearsal 1993 (demo)
1993 - Vargnatt (demo) (Wolf Night)
1994 - Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (Spellbound - A Fairy Tale in 5 Chapters)
1995 - Kveldssanger (Twilight Hymns)
1997 - Nattens madrigal - Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (The Madrigal of the Night - Eight Hymns to the Wolf in Man)
1997 - The Trilogie: Three Journeyes Through the Norwegian Netherworlde (box set)
1998 - Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
1999 - Metamorphosis (EP)
2000 - Perdition City: Music to an Interior FIlm
2001 - Silence Teaches You How to Sing (EP)
2001 - Silencing the Singing (EP)
2002 - Teachings in Silence (compilation of the above two EPs)
2002 - Lyckantropen Themes (soundtrack)
2003 - 1993-2003: 1st Decade in the Machines (anthology)
2003 - Svidd neger (soundtrack)
2003 - A Quick Fix of Melancholy (EP)
2005 - Blood Inside
2007 - Shadows of the Sun
2011 - Wars of the Roses
2012 - The Norwegian National Opera (live album/video)
2012 - Childhood's End: Lost and Found from the Age of Aquarius
2013 - Oddities and Rarities #1 (anthology)
2013 - Live at Roadburn (live album)
2013 - Messe I.X-VI.X
2014 - Terrestrials (collaboration with Sunn O))))
2014 - Trolsk sortmetall 1993-1997 (Trollish Black Metal 1993-1997 or Bewitching Black Metal 1993-1997; box set)
2016 - ATGCLVLSSCAP
2016 - Riverhead (soundtrack)
2017 - The Assassination of Julius Caesar
2017 - Sic transit gloria mundi (Thus Passes the Glory of the World; EP)
2019 - Drone Activity
2020 - Flowers of Evil
Kapitel I: I Troldskog Faren Vild
Ulver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
1. The eternal female groan'd! It was heard all over the earth.
2. Albion's coast is sick silent; the American meadows faint!
3. Shadows of prophecy shiver along by the lakes and the rivers
And mutter across the ocean: France, rend down thy dungeon;
4. Golden Spain burst the barriers of old Rome;
5. Cast thy keys, O Rome, into the deep falling, even to eternity down falling,
6. And weep [and bow thy reverend locks.]
8. On those infinite mountains of light, now barr'd out by the Atlantic sea,
The new born fire stood before the starry king!
9. Flag'd with grey brow'd snows and thunderous visages, the jealous wings wav'd over the deep.
10. The speary hand burned aloft, unbuckled was the shield;
Forth went the hand of jealousy among the flaming hair,
And hurl'd the new born wonder thro' the starry night.
11. The fire, the fire is falling!
12. Look up! Look up! O citizen of London, enlarge thy countenance:
O Jew. Leave counting gold! Return to thy oil and wine. O African!
Black African! (Go, winged thought, widen his forehead)
13. The fiery limbs, the flaming hair, shot like the sinking sun into the western sea.
14. Wak'd from his eternal sleep, the hoary element roaring fled away;
15. Down rush'd, beating his wings in vain, the jealous king; his grey brow'd councellors,
Thunderous warriors, curl'd veterans, among helms, and shields,
And chariots, horses, elephants: banners, castles, slings, and rocks.
16. Falling, rushing, ruining! Buried in the ruins, on Urthona's dens;
17. All night beneath the ruins, then, their sullen flames faded,
Emerge round the gloomy king.
18. With thunder and fire, leading his starry hosts thro' th
e waste,
He promulgates his ten commandments, glancing his beamy eyelids over the deep;
19. Till, clotted with gold, the belting clouds sweep by like worlds on worlds in vision
20. And ever & anon the fiery cope bursts forth amid the thunder's roar,
21. While underneath, around, and within, the deafening tumult labours,
22. Infernal volumes, now reduced to embers, glowing like sleepers' eyes.
23. The groan of imprisoned spirits ringing in my ears,
24. And the silent ascent fluttering of the wings of death
25. Over the cities of the earth.
Ulver's song Kapitel I: I Troldskog Faren Vild is adapted from the poem 'America: A Prophecy' by William Blake. The verses above are taken from the poem, and the song's lyrics are a modified version of these verses. The song describes a world in turmoil, where various nations are in conflict with each other. The groaning of the eternal female signifies the despair and anguish felt by humanity as a whole. Albion's coast, which represents England, is sick and silent, while the American meadows are faint. Shadows of prophecy shiver along the lakes and rivers, and mutterings can be heard across the ocean, urging France to tear down its dungeon.
The song then goes on to describe the birth of a new fire on the infinite mountains of light, which were barred by the Atlantic sea. This new-born wonder is hurled through the starry night by the speary hand of jealousy, and eventually falls into the western sea, its fiery limbs and hair fading away. The hoary element wakes from its eternal sleep and flees, while the jealous king rushes in vain to stop it. The fiery cope bursts forth amid thunder's roar, and the deafening tumult labouring demonstrates humanity's struggle against the infernal volumes of death. The groans of imprisoned spirits ringing in our ears and the silent ascent fluttering of the wings of death signals the end of everything.
Line by Line Meaning
The eternal female groan'd! It was heard all over the earth.
A powerful and enduring feminine expression was uttered, reverberating across the world.
Albion's coast is sick silent; the American meadows faint!
There is a pervasive sense of sorrow and stagnation along the coasts of England and America.
Shadows of prophecy shiver along by the lakes and the rivers
And mutter across the ocean: France, rend down thy dungeon;
The premonitions of future events send shivers through nature, as voices call for France to dismantle its oppressive structures.
Golden Spain burst the barriers of old Rome;
Spain has broken free from the chains of ancient Rome's domination.
Cast thy keys, O Rome, into the deep falling, even to eternity down falling,
Rome, relinquish your power and let it sink down into oblivion.
And weep [and bow thy reverend locks.]
Grieve and accept the natural state of things.
In her trembling hands she took the new born terror, howling;
A figure of dread and anxiety is born, and it is met with cries of emotional distress.
On those infinite mountains of light, now barr'd out by the Atlantic sea,
The new born fire stood before the starry king!
A new source of light shines, but it is blocked by the expanse of the ocean and must assert itself before the ruler of the heavens.
Flag'd with grey brow'd snows and thunderous visages, the jealous wings wav'd over the deep.
The wings of jealousy, wrapped in the appearance of snow and thunder, ripple over the ocean.
The speary hand burned aloft, unbuckled was the shield;
Forth went the hand of jealousy among the flaming hair,
And hurl'd the new born wonder thro' the starry night.
Jealousy drives a spear through the new source of light, sending it hurtling into the expanses of space.
The fire, the fire is falling!
The source of light is descending towards Earth.
Look up! Look up! O citizen of London, enlarge thy countenance:
O Jew. Leave counting gold! Return to thy oil and wine. O African!
Black African! (Go, winged thought, widen his forehead)
People of London, expand your awareness and look to the heavens. Jews, money should not be your only concern. Africans, open your minds to the world and expand your knowledge.
The fiery limbs, the flaming hair, shot like the sinking sun into the western sea.
The fiery object descends rapidly into the western sea, leaving a trail of light behind it.
Wak'd from his eternal sleep, the hoary element roaring fled away;
The ancient element is awakened, and it retreats with a thunderous roar.
Down rush'd, beating his wings in vain, the jealous king; his grey brow'd councellors,
Thunderous warriors, curl'd veterans, among helms, and shields,
And chariots, horses, elephants: banners, castles, slings, and rocks.
The King of Jealousy descends in a futile attempt to reclaim the light, his followers and weapons arrayed around him.
Falling, rushing, ruining! Buried in the ruins, on Urthona's dens;
The descent turns into a chaotic disaster, and the scene is left in ruins where the light descended.
All night beneath the ruins, then, their sullen flames faded,
Emerge round the gloomy king.
Amidst the sullen flames and darkness of night, something emerges around the gloomy King of Jealousy.
With thunder and fire, leading his starry hosts thro' the night,
The King of Jealousy leads his followers through the night, wielding power through force and fear.
The fiery terror falls from the heavens,
The source of light, now a figure of terror, descends from the heavens.
And in its wake, chaos follows.
The descent of the fiery object unleashes chaos in its wake.
Contributed by Gabriella F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
afoolisharrangement
They awaited the girl/maid's return [home]
[But] she was lost in the dark forest
The snow had fallen like a blanket as far as the eye could see
On the road home
Her only friend..
If she only could
Follow the road of the stars
But she was lost
Among the dark trees
The Forest's dark arms embraced it self over the unknown guest
Reminded her of her biggest fright
That the mountain king thirsts for Christian blood
Those underground:
"Somone closes silently
A sorrowful girl
She is sitting there with folded hands
She is sending a prayer to the heavenly realm"
Over her head
It's dripping from a branch
Drop, by drop like the blood
[Of the body] from Jesus christ
The girl:
Aa, alone in a scary forest
I feel that tonight
Tonight no one thinks of me
Gh0st Control
Esperaban el regreso de la niña/niña.
Pero estaba perdida en el bosque oscuro
La nieve había caído como una manta hasta donde alcanzaba la vista.
En el camino a casa
Su única amiga..
Si tan sólo pudiera
Sigue el camino de las estrellas
Pero estaba perdida
Entre los árboles oscuros
Los brazos oscuros del Bosque se abrazaron a sí mismos sobre el huésped desconocido
Le recordó su mayor susto
Que el rey de la montaña tiene sed de sangre cristiana
Los que están bajo tierra:
"Alguien cierra en silencio
Una chica afligida
Ella está sentada ahí con las manos cruzadas
Ella está enviando una oración al reino celestial"
Sobre su cabeza
Está goteando de una rama.
Gota a gota como la sangre
[Del cuerpo] de Jesucristo
La chica:
Aa, solo en un bosque aterrador
Siento que esta noche
Esta noche nadie piensa en mí.
Benjamin
40 year old listening to Black Metal. Memories. I really appreciate the young keeping it alive.
Lord Odium
Just turned 20 years old and just recently got into BM and Old School DM they're supreme I've been called a metal elitist for liking this and not the new wave Deathcore scene
M L
@ari arion That was a lie, more than 2times!
ari arion
@M L im 99 years old but i did not start to listne to black metal since last year
M L
41yo here. And Black Metal wasn't a phase. :)
tibet bukan
That vocals are haunting and beautiful. Ulver is a phenomenal band.
Josh Spawn
this song single handedly created agalloch and alcest two of my favorite bands,
it doesn't get much better than beautiful acoustic guitars with melodic black metal riffs and double bass in my opinion. the vocals fit perfectly too i would like it either way with all screaming or just cleans or even a mix of both
blutrre
@RafireRocksNRules You know, this album and Morningrise were pretty much my absolute fucking faves when I got in to this kind of music, still holds a special place in my heart
Zachary P
I love alcest
Tejas Karve
100% true