Metal Reviews

All right, so after searching for months, I finally got Ulver - Bergtatt, and it's definitely one of the more beautiful pieces of music to grace my ears. What else is out there (black metal or not) that has a similar sound? I know later Ulver is more avant-garde, which I'm not crazy about, but are their earlier albums more along the lines of Bergtatt? Any other bands that manage to capture this same beauty in metal form?

It was about goddamn mofoing time you found out that BM is not just noise ;)

You can try Ulver - Nattens Madrigal if you want Ulver, but that album is FAR harsher.

Here is a list of what captures the beauty of nature the way Bergtatt does:

Woods Of Ypres - Against The Seasons
Klabautamann - Der Ort & Our Journey Through The Woods
Interitus - The Journey
Drudkh - Autumn Aurora (!!!)
Alcest - Le Secret
Agalloch - The Mantle
Kátai Tamás - Erika Szobája (Downloadable on their site, I just have to mention this, although it's not what you asked for. Sample)
Nagelfar - Hünengrab Im Herbst
Forest Of Fog - Nebelhymen & Rabenflug
Darkestrah - Sary Oy

None of these sound like Bergtatt, but I'd say most of them are influenced by that album. If you like these or some of them, I can give you more.

I never said that BM is just noise. I'm no trOO grim kvlt necrofvkker, but I listen to the likes of Immortal, Horna, I.C.E., Dragonlord and Sigh. Thanks for the suggestions, but I have to ask; I know Drudkh is, but are any of them NS?

hmm... i only think Agalloch, Klabautamann and woods of Ypres clearly sound like they have been influenced by that album... just because it's nature inspired bm doesn't mean it's influenced/inspired by Bergtatt it's obvious to me that bands such as Kátai Tamás and Darkestrah are more influenced by the musical tradition in their countries, like Ulver was inspired/influenced by musical tradition from norway.

Misha: " ....aargh...NO! ... BERGTATT inspired!!! :x " if black has clean vox and accoustic guitar they come from BERGTATT.. .aarghh!... damnit... Aaargh!"

As always, I'd like to propose Borknagar's self-titled debut. Since Garm handles the vocals on that one as well, it would be very familiar sounding for you.

Edit: I'd stay away from Agalloch; for me, the hideous vocals ruined everything.

You will be missing a lot if you don't listen to Drudkh.

That's why I said most. Katai Tamas waas not inspired by them I think, at least not audibly but I think Darkestrah has influences, however more indirectly.

Unfortunately those bands all suck like no others, if you take away Horna. Drudkh are the only NS band in the row, but it's not evident in their music and it's the closest to Bergtatt you can get without sounding like them. It might not be entirely kosher, but you have no idea what you are missing when you don't give them a try.

No, I won't. I wouldn't be able to enjoy it if I kept thinking, "These people blame me for the downfall of Western civilization."

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. It's always nice to be able to expand your musical repretoire.

Judge if you enjoy them after you gave them a try.

I'm not nearly as schooled as Gast here, but if you are aiming for some similar releases, either of Garm's two other bands at the time work, those being Borknagar and Arcturus. Borknagar's first two feature Garm, and Arcturus' first album is the only one to be in a comparable style. I would suggest Borknagar's work with Simen Hestnaes on vocals as well, he did two albums with them after Garm left. So, to look into:

Borknagar - Borknagar, The Olden Domain
Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symfonia

And with Simen:
Borknagar - Archaic Course, Quintessence (this is the most far removed from the others, but still worth a look I think)

Regarding Drudkh ...



Well, I don't care much for Drudkh at all, and I really like this (overall) style of music. So maybe you wouldn't find you're missing that much anyway were you to listen to them.

And speaking of all these bands, I'm listening to In the Woods - "HEart of the Ages" right now after Gast mentioned it in another thread to me... I like it , I think. Not as much as Agalloch. But I like it; thanks for the suggestions Gast.

I could do without the harsh vocals (just because I don't find them to be that good - my first impression is a cross of Varg and Dani Filth that just doesn't turn out too well)), but I understand after this album they didn't use them anymore.

@Slayer of Kings...



*blinks in disbelief*

No, really I can understand that. Haughm has a rather "unique" sound I think, and while I like his vocals (his clean ones too) I can understand why some would be put off by them. ... It's his vocals on the demo that I have trouble with, but that's to be expected I imagine, and I don't listen to it that often anyway.

-Tyrion

Try In The Woods... other stuff then, they removed most harsh vocals on Return To The Isle Of Men (of something... too lazy to look it up). It's actually a copy of an early demo but the album came out later.

*Nods*, I was planning to.

I'm also trying to remember whether or not Empyrium's first album would be one I'd put into this category. "A Wintersunset" is what I believe it's called. Been so long since I listened to it though, that I can't decide whether it should go under this kind of heading or not. Either way, it's a good album. I at least remember that much.

-Tyrion

I really don't want to get into another NSBM debate; I don't listen to NSBM. Period. Call me closeminded if you want, but I refuse to support it, even by listening to it.

Like I said, though, I appreciate everyone's suggestions. I'll definitely be checking some of them out.

... is most=some? .. anywho.. i think all bands influences other bands indirectly (except for da über kvlt ones), from folk, classic, surroundings etc to black as an organic mass... of course there's alot of bands who are directly influences such as Agalloch, though, still making their own music...


anyway... some additional bands

Mystic Forest - Romance has grown on me :oops: soo.. that's another good nature inspired bm band.

Agalloch/ Nest split is quite good too, though very short :?

Agalloch - Pale Folklore has some beautiful music too, though i hate the female vox on some of the few first tracks, doesn't fit in, i think.

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons huv abut that he he... i think this is some of the best nature inspired music i've heard...

Gast's suggestions are great, especially Drudkh.

I was coming in to suggest Wyrd, but I always remember his work as being more serene and peaceful than it is when you actually listen, haha. Huldrafolk and Vargtimmen Pt. I are two great folky/foresty/pagan style BM albums, but certainly harsher than Bergtatt. If you like Nattens Madrigal like Gast suggested, you should like Wyrd..

I guess there was no point in posting that, just pimping a band I love..

I don't mean to start the whole NSBM-discussion but just to get it straight. Are there in fact any concrete 'proof' that Drudkh is NS other than the statement:



Here they could as well be talking about subhumans in the Nietzschean sense which has nothing to do with 'race'. Besides it is a different band with only Roman Saenko in common and their lyrics is (as far as i know) about nature, culture and slavonic paganism.

It would be a shame to miss out on Drudkh (since it is extremely awesome) if there's no apparent National Socialist influences.

Well I love Bergtatt and the only bands I've heard from that list are Woods, Drudkh and Agalloch, so cheers Gast, I'm downloading some of the others you listed right now!

I have no insight into whether Drudkh count as NS or not, but seriously, if you like Bergtatt, you owe it to yourself to listen to Autumn Aurora. Swan Road is good too...

Oh and don't listen to the Agalloch naysayers. Both Pale Folklore and The Mantle are incredible albums.

Whoa, just downloaded that Kátai Tamás song, the rest of the album is coming down now! Its not metal, I don't know what it is.. but it is GOOD!

I just got Agalloch - The Mantle. I'm liking it a lot so far.