Ulver - Nattens madrigal (1997)

This might be the rawest, most unpolished black metal album I've ever heard. It's pure aggression; a constant wall of sound bordering on noise ambient. Of course, there are discernable riffs and melodies underneath the distortion, but one has to focus to hear them. The story, which deals with lycanthropy, is another interesting facet of the album and certainly a welcome change from the cliched Satanic themes of Mayhem, Gorgoroth and others. Admittedly, I am a much bigger fan of Ulver's later period including such notable albums as Shadows of the Sun and Perdition City. However, despite that fact and despite the lack of variety on this album, I still enjoy it and see it as a classic black metal release.
8.5/10