I fail to see how it isn't obvious. It is such a captivating and brilliant black metal album. And I havn't heard a black metal band use riffs so beautiful and perfect ever before. At least actually recommend an album you think out does it.

I fail to see how it isn't obvious. It is such a captivating and brilliant black metal album. And I havn't heard a black metal band use riffs so beautiful and perfect ever before. At least actually recommend an album you think out does it.

Deathcrush, in my opinion, is pretty shit. Bad drum intro thing, very simply riffing and musicianship, not very outstanding drumming, band run time, and boring to me.

If I had to choose one album, the one black album superior to all others I have heard, it would be Ulver's Nattens Madrigal. This is so because of the riffs, the harmonies, the absurdly fast drumming that doesn't get shown off because it's drowned in the sickest black metal guitar tone ever. The bass, playing a bass part of it's own instead of following the guitars completely, the structure of the music being intelligent, of being incredibly hateful, beautiful and unique. It is the best black album in my eyes.

Of course, I havn't heard every black metal album. So I wanted to ask all of you if you like Nattens Madrigal like I do, but have heard something that tops it. It's never been topped for me, so if anyone has something better, I wanna know.

Under a Funeral Moon works on a much lower level of musical integrity when compared to Ulver's Nattens Madrigal. Fenriz and Nocturno really lack the mind of creators, they're confined more of minds of old school minimilism and traditionalism. Performing their favorite trend.

I've listened to a lot of black metal, by the way.

Under_Starmere I only have heard Ultima Thule from Blut Aus Nord before A Mystical Beast of Rebellion and later material and it is my favorite black metal album. Very otherwordly with a cold, extremely desolate and oddly sad vibe to it that gives it a feeling of beauty. I often listen to it and close my eyes and forget everything around me as the atmosphere is so dense and engaging.

How does Memoria Vetestuta I compare as I have been meaning to check it out?

I don't think disliking it would even be possible, if you enjoy Ultima Thulée. Ultima Thulée is certainly a masterpiece and MVI arguably even moreso. They're aesthetically quite similar but very compositionally different.... So mostly you're looking at the exact same production style, but with compositions that are denser overall and absolutely packed with epic, vision-inducing riffs, with less emphasis on ambience generated from keyboards. While Ultima Thulée has a wandering, dreamlike, airy atmosphere, MVI feels more earth-bound, fiery...yet still captures that immaculate and otherworldly coldness than all the BAN material has in spades. It's a truly magical work, and one of the most inspiring pieces of art I've ever encountered. Plus you even get lyrics for it...a rare treat in Vindsval's catalogue. I give it my highest recommendation.

Make sure to check out The Eye and Children of Maani, if you haven't gotten around to that yet. Totally excellent additions to every man's Vindsval library.

Thanks very much. I'm very intrigued to check this out now.

I think Behexen is far and above the best black metal band. All of their releases are great in their own way, I personally prefer By the Blessing of Satan and From the Devil's Chalice to the rest of their work but every album is great, I even loved My Soul for His Glory which didn't seem to be as popular. By The Blessing of Satan is one nasty album, the buzzsaw guitar sound is just crushing, their songwriting is top notch, and the energy is raw and aggressive, in my eyes it's the closest thing to a perfect album. From the Devil's Chalice is like it's retarded sibling. The album is far more simple and has more of a trance like feel as it's far more repetitive ( think Transylvanian Hunger song structures). At first listen, with the over saturated sound and static in the background it sounds like one of the ugliest albums you'll hear but after a few listens you really start to see the beauty of it, the guitar has much more higher pitched melodies as opposed to the crushing sound brought forth by By The Blessing of Satan. After these two albums Ulver will be just an afterthought.

Saying that Nattens Madrigal is better than Pure Holocaust, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, In the Nightside Eclipse, Thousand Swords, Far Away from the Sun, and Vikingligr Veldi is absurd. In fact, Absurd's demos are better than that overrated pile.

Edit: Might I suggest that, instead of making this thread into a boring "nooo, this is the best black metal album eeever" travesty, we just discuss this Ulver album here?

For me it was not good enough but I understand it appeals to people who need their music a little bit less strong and complicated. I'd pick an early Marduk, Bathory or Immortal record. Those were the greatest BM bands ever lived (shame they all sold out so hard).

In fact, Absurd's demos are better than that overrated pile.

Every single riff on "Nattens Madrigal" is perfect, as is everything else, thus making it a perfect album.

haha...you always manage to surprise me. I saw that you had made the last post in this thread and I fully expected to see you trash the hell out of the record. Now that I think on it though, I couldn't exactly say why this was the case.

Eh, the production makes it sound like a harsh noise/power electronics album at low volume, and considering I've been on a HN/PE wave since the summer/autumn of 2009...

Besides, I just love how the melodies are entwined with the sheer brutality and rawness of the sound and riffs.

Cheap amps? Not necessarily a bad thing. Instrument-wise, composition and songwriting matter more than equipment and production. Vocal-wise, it should be tolerable lest it mars the music beyond mending. *cough*Inquisition*cough*

I hardly ever listen to metal nowadays, anyway.