The guys (gays ?) of Century Media must have been quite disppointed with this album ! They had decided to sign with ULVER because of their first two CDs (out on Head Not Found records, Norge), on which the band peformed a powerful yet very melodic black metal (on "Bergtatt") and sweet Norwegian folkloric music (on "Kveldsfanger"). But "Nattens Madrigal" is certainly the rawest black metal album ever recorded by a Noerwegian band ! Saturation on guitar parts is at its climax, probably no band ever reached such a sound ! It's not an album you can listen to as background music, for sure... But it's so good ! This CD features pure Norwegian BM tracks, worthy of the best bands of the style. ULVER manages to express melancholy, sadness, sorrow as well as hatred and anger. They will take you either into the most beautiful forest you can imagine in your dreams or to the nearest cemetery full of ghosts and pain... This band is really an exception in the Norwegian scene. Personally I consider them as geniuses until this CD (the next releases are more like those of the "new" Norwegian scene, i.e. not really interesting) but I know many people hate this band, so my advice would be " listen to it before you buy it".

8.5 / 10

© 2003 lord pesten