VARGNATT

Being a huge Ulver fan, I could not resist checking this Demo out as I thought it would be a crucial album in understanding the group - their early influences, their inspirations. However, I couldn't predict such an incoherent demo this one is.

I will not go into detail track to track, because they are quite similiar to each other, so I'll just try to sum it all up. The production is awful. It isn't just bad, it is terrible and I wouldn't be surprised if it was that on purpose in order to sound "atmospheric" and more appealing to the ears of the Norwegian Black Metal underground cult following. The guitar sounds like static noise and it is impossible to hear what riff is being played. The bass, strangely, can be heard amazingly well, and it may seem that it is the actual lead instrument here with guitar serving as incoherent rhythm noise. Don't expect anything from Garm's vocals either - his grunts are pathetic on this release and are anything but convinvingly evil. The music, much like Bergtatt, is divided on three main parts - "heavy", melancholic acoustic and one part that Ulver would never again repeat in their career. It is mortifying, I think: Garm does high screams. I do not know whether it is some traditional Norwegian folk way of singing, which I doubt, or if the young man is inspired by King Diamond's style of singing. What I know is that it sounds extremely awful and embarassing. What's worse is that this "singing" is present on each track except the instrumental Trollskogen, which has no moments of awfulness. There is one moment, though, when one single guitar plays two melodies at the same time and it feels really awkward to listen to this. The songwriting either isn't on its peak yet, or the demo was written quickly without hesitation. The music isn't impressive on any of the tracks, although the title-track features a nice guitar solo that one must struggle to hear as well.

Ah, my ears hurt and I am not far from saying that I regret deciding to hear this. After one listen, however, I have no intentions to go back and listen to this rotten demo. What is left to conclude is that even if you are a fan of Ulver, you aren't missing anything by not hearing this out. No Progressive Music fan would like this release, although I am sure that some of the "true" fans of the raw BM sound would dig this and claim it as the group's best album(because first album/demo is always the best!)and would all lift their horns in the air and defend their opinion with saliva up their mouth. If you are a person still unfamiliar with Ulver's music, I suggest you start either with Perdition City or Blood Inside, their newest album.

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