Review by Jack on March 9, 2002.

Ulver has stretched, poked, prodded and seriously tested the limits of what each individual does perceive of music from their last three releases. What each person does think of these releases is entirely unique; some hate it, some can’t begin to comprehend it and some (like me) get transported away into a strange cybernetic dimension ripe with machines and technological where mankind is on the brink of absolute destruction.

If I was asked to draw a time line of whereabouts in past, present or future each of Ulver’s last three releases would draw their inspiration from I would say this; “Perdition City” on the whole is music that is entwined with the squalid jazz/blue clubs that one may find in the town of one Dick Tracy. I am talking the ‘30s.

“Silence Teaches You How to Sing”, is more contemporary in its approach and inception, reminding more of a modern day large city/sprawling metropolis, but still contains hints of the elements that gave “Perdition City” its taste for the jazz clubs.

We are finally met with “Silencing the Singing”; which as its title suggests contains no singing whatsoever. Gone is the seedy atmosphere of the ‘30’s and precious few traces of today can be found in the three weird and wonderful songs that are “Silencing the Singing”. Mechanical and precise in mood and atmosphere is what “Silencing the Singing” is all about. Certainly on the tracks ‘Darling Didn’t We Kill You?’ and ‘Speak Dead Speaker’ one would swear that we have been transported way into the future of the world. Static is combined with a plethora of silence to set the initial undertone for the basic sound for ‘Speak Dead Speaker’ for example, then overlaid with samples of many different sounds; the clutter of feet over pavement and ambient scratching to create interesting textures and basis for one’s imagination to come alive.

The beauty of contemporary/neo Ulver is the ability not to create a wall of noise that many a band does, but instead prompt the listener to form his/her own form of music from intriguing samples and ambient pieces. This is completely unique from what Ulver has done in the past and certainly sets a precedent from what will come up next...

Bottom Line: The last of three brothers. Past, present and future come together and fly apart just as quickly. Ulver will leave a legacy that gives startling realisation of what the human mind can really achieve with a push in the right direction...

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 9
Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 10
Production: 9
Overall: 9.1

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Jack on August 22, 2001.

I must stress that this album review is written in appreciation of music, and not specifically metal either. Those with an appreciation of the art of music; read on; if you are narrow minded in your perceptions of music; read on anyway, as this album may endeavour to change that...

Ulver and Garm (Christophorus G. Rygg or Trickster G., whichever you prefer) were at one stage the essential dark/black metal band. Through “Vargnatt” they started with traditional (?) black metal, “Bergtatt” saw Ulver expand their black/dark origins to incorporate folk and acoustic influences with harmonic clean voices. “Nattens Madrigal” was an extreme noise thoroughfare with a brutal black assault on the senses (said to be recorded in the forest too). “Themes From William Blake's Marriage Of Heaven And Hell”, Ulver were heading down a more avant-garde path to infamy. The “Metamorphosis” EP once again broke the trend of Ulver’s current music trend, and experimented with electronics and synthesizer samples...

Thus we have Ulver and Garm in their present cycle. “Perdition City”. ‘Music to an interior film’ is what is stated on the album cover. ‘...Music for the stations before and after sleep’ is inscribed under the track listing on the reverse. Muddled signs and apprehension crept into my mind once I read those statements. “Perdition City” is no-way known, in any definition of the term; ‘metal’. But crikey it’s a bloody good listen!

Ulver’s latest incantation; the contemporary, city strolling “Perdition City” has Ulver creating gaps in their song structures to pave the way for the thoughts and projections for each and every individual. Essentially, in essence, you and I create “Perdition City”, however much a horrifying or terrific that thought may be, it is the reality. We are the protagonists in Ulver’s new accomplishment. For me “Perdition City” is either a dark sprawling Central Business District (CBD) area in current time or a bleak 1930’s seedy jazz night club, or often both.

Saxophone and synthesizer dominates this release... along with the gaps I was talking about earlier, whether this is good or bad, is obviously up to each individual to discern. Vocals are used like synthesizers are used in your average death metal tune. Not at all, or barely present. There are no real standout tracks, “Perdition City” should be experienced like an Opeth release, from track 1 to track: # (#: insert whatever the last song number is on each album).

Bottom Line: The bottom line is that “Perdition City” is not the metal Ulver we once knew and loved, whether this is good or bad is a tough call to make, “Perdition City” will be forged by the listener, up to you to discern whether your experience of the neo-Ulver will be good or bad.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10