Ulver is a band that is clearly not for the casual music listener.  Its early black metal roots have given way to a more avant-garde style parallel to the likes of present day Anathema and The Gathering.  On their latest album Wars of the Roses, Ulver remains true to themselves and not letting outside opinion sway their line of thinking.

On Wars of the Roses, Ulver doesn’t have much in the way of actual metal music, which likely will turn off a few listeners.  However, one of their strengths in recent years has always been to invoke thought with its listeners through atmosphere.  On the album however, some of that gets negated by the subpar production that makes the music barely audible on normal volume levels.  In fact, it seems that the album is more of a rough cut than the actual album at times, particularly on “February MMX” and “Providence.”  If the listener can get past the production issues, then there is the general Pink Floyd/current era-Anathema vibe to get around, which will obviously depend on where you stand with either band.  The avant-garde style is most prevalent on “Island,” which features slight, yet noticeable programming quirks.  The longest track on the album “Stone Angels” encompasses what Ulver is about: atmospheric music that would be at home as a soundtrack to a film noir movie.  The track is mainly spoken word with enough music to create a light atmosphere.  Whether or not this is your cup of tea will likely determine if you’ll ever “get” what Ulver is about or not. 

Ulver has never truly been a band to understand in just one or two listens.  In fact, the band’s music practically demands all of the listener’s attention, yet could also be played as background music to immerse oneself in when looking for something light.  The overall airy nature of Wars of the Roses will definitely take time to get into, but it may just be worth the risk to keep with it, as it has the potential to grow on the listener.

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  February MMX
2.  Norwegian Gothic
3.  Providence
4.  September IV
5.  England
6.  Island
7.  Stone Angels

Total playing time:  45:26

Release Date: April 25, 2011
Kscope/Jester Records

Ulver - Wars of the Roses

Reviewer: Peter

April 21, 2011