Ulver
's first official album blends together diverse elements that would surface on their next two (wildly different) albums. On the one hand, there are sections of grim, blasting
black metal
with harsh vocals and blurred, buzzing guitars, similar to their later
Nattens Madrigal
/
Madrigal of the Night
album (though with less savage production). On the other hand, there are also a number of quiet,
folk
-like acoustic passages (including an entire song,
"Bergtatt -- Ind I Fjeldkamrene"
) in a style that the band developed more fully on their subsequent release,
Kveldssanger
. Forming a gray area in between these two extremes are the more subdued, mid-paced
metal
sections, during which frontman
Garm
sings in an unusual semi-chanted style. His overdubbed vocals resemble a choir of Gregorian monks, but instead of sounding merely odd, they fit really well with the music.
Bergtatt
is not the heaviest or most aggressive
around by a long shot -- even the faster, more intense sections feel atmospheric due to the somewhat distant-sounding, not very closely miced production -- nor is it the most evil or blasphemous. What makes the album stand out, along with the varied vocal styles and the excellent songwriting, is its unique atmosphere -- mysterious, melancholic, eerie, and oddly tranquil. Considered a
classic by some followers of the genre,
is an excellent debut and one of the high points among
's impressive, diverse discography. ~ William York