Click on a link to hear a sample of the track.

01. Dressed in black
02. For the love of God
03. Christmas
04. Blinded by blood
05. It is not sound
06. The truth
07. In the red
08. Your call
09. Operator


Review in Whiplash TV September 2005

When I first started this show with our show editor Andy, he said he would help with the show for free. Every once in a while I try to comp him with a cd for all his work (of course it's not nearly enough for all he does!) and in this case he wanted me to get a copy of Ulver's Blood Inside. The folks at The End Records were kind enough to send one along. I know nothing of the band except after listening to Blood Inside I am now a fan. For people who already know who Ulver is, the band definitely has a place in Metal. This is not a metal album as much as it is a solid album that even a casual/first time listener would find appealing.

Ulver is a good fit for The End Records because bands who are on the label are wide ranging but more importantly while it's safe to say most bands on the label most likely won't sell a million albums, they will however, do well. The point is bands on the End label challenge the listener to broaden their listening experience. The results speak for themselves. I will not hesitate to buy anything from the End. Ok, enough praise for the good work that the End does. Let the review begin!

Blood Inside has the flow of a concept album in the same vein as a pink floyd album. The cd starts with "Operator" and ends with the song "Your Call". Upon the first listen I was trying to pin down why this album was so appealing to me . I then realized that this cd, for me, had all the best elements of English bands that I liked. Garms vocal work on songs "For the Love of God" and "Christmas" remind me of early XTC but with a Peter Gabriel tinge and I'm talking about the early non pop stage of Gabriels work. The keyboard work on "Christmas" reminds me of Pink Floyd's album "Wish You Were Here". Blinded by Blood starts out with a spooky glass organ sound and I can't help but wonder if the very opening bluesy vocals are a loose tribute to James "Blood" Ulmer? At this point "It Is Not Sound" breaks away from those early influences (for lack of a better word) and proceeds on to music that is truly their own. I am surprised at the lack of guitar work on this album on the whole but I do not miss it either. Ulver are true musicians in every sense. This album is musically the strongest album I have heard in a long time. There have been a lot of good albums out there this year but this one should be on your short list to get. If you have been looking for something truly different buy this album you won't be disappointed.