Originally written by Ryan Plunkett
Ulver is a band best known for their ability to keep their fans on their toes. You can never be too sure of what you’re going to get with each subsequent release. Just look at the first trilogy they released. The first album, Bergtatt, is a combination of folk and black metal, while the next album, Kveldssanger, is straight up folk, and lastly, Nattens Madrigal is an all-out black metal assault. After that, they pretty much dropped any form of black metal from their music and instead chose to embrace electronica. In doing so, they may have alienated many fans, but also brought in many new ones. By maintaining their ability to craft an amazing song through these changes, even though I didn’t dig Ulver’s new direction as much, I always respected what the band had to offer.
Hot on the heels of their Norwegian Grammy-nominated soundtrack release Lyckantropen Themes, they have released the A Quick Fix of Melancholy EP. Once again, mixing things up quite a bit, Ulver has something original to offer to the masses, and I for one really enjoy it. Using Trixter G’s amazing vokill range and the band’s ability to create some stunning atmospheric music, A Quick Fix of Melancholy is sure to please fans of this band. Leading you through a mix of keys, horns, strings, and sometimes just noise, Ulver is able to evoke so many different emotions with each track.
Although Ulver is not a band for everyone, they are truly a band that can create stunning music. If you have an open mind, definitely look into checking out this release. Although it’s only a mere four tracks (three new ones and a remix from the Kveldssanger album), what’s offered is filled with atmospheric splendor and should not be passed up.
