Reviews 2105
Powered by pummeling drums and a bulldog bass-growl that recalls both Jean-Jaques Burnel and David Wm. Sims, Ultralyd´s "Inertiadrome" is one juicy serving of intrumental math-punk meat. While the rhythm section of Morten J. Olsen and Kjetil Brandsdal anchor the sound and propel it forward, Anders Hana and Kjetil Møster add slash´n´hack guitar, saxophone and synths to fashion a hard-edged, gymnastic kind of death disco rumble. Starting off black-clad and subterranean eerie, "Lathuma" quickly builds up a powerful head of post-punk steam with an edgy mix of knotted funk and flickering gothic splinters that sounds not unlike early Killing Joke, Bauhaus or Public Image Limited. Employing a bit of proto-industrial ruckus on "Street Sex" and "Contaminated Man", the chopped up and sax-assaulted snarls of "
Rock-a-Rolla (UK)
Man, is rune gramophone on a hot streak. While I'm still raving about Motorpsycho to nearly every customer who walks in the door, along comes another great Norwegian freakout album, this one from Ultralyd. This quartet was formed in 2004, consisting of Kjetil Møster (reeds), Anders Hana (guitars), Kjetil Brandsdal (bass) and Morten J. Olsen (drums), and they are one tight unit, delivering an exhilarating album that straddles prog, metal and free jazz. What makes the all-instrumental inertiadrome unique is that it is practically free of solos; the music is driven by its thunderous rhythm section, and the interplay between Brandsdal and Olsen is something to behold. Ultralyd's members cut their teeth in Norway's stellar jazz scene, and they apply the rigors and discipline of jazz to the brutal, fiery sonics of metal,
Soundfix (US)
Any group containing two thirds of Noxagt and the whole of MoHa! should get pulses racing everywhere, not just Norway. Guitarist Anders Hana (who plays in both groups) is a supremely gifted sculptor of noise; bass marauder Kjetil Brandsdal is one of those girders-for-strings types but plays with unbounded imagination; Morten Olsen's perpetual-motion drums ensure the music's trajectory is ever upwards; and saxophonist Kjetil Møster spits out lines with a weirdly metallic, percussive attack. More brittle sonically than the players´ other groups, with Hana in particular adopting a lighter and spacier tone that provides some welcome melodic color, it is still heavy, intense improvised rock of rare and addictive invention.
The Wire (UK)
Make no mistake, jazz instrumentation (sax, vibraphone) is still present, but takes a back seat to the heavy duty, and ultimately hypnotic, repetitive rhythmic assault laid down by the bass and drums, over which the synth, electric guitar, sax, and vibes provide additionally apocalyptic coloration, but never truly sidetrack or slow down the chaotic yet cyclic rumble and tumble of these six lurching, long tracks. If it's jazz, it's droog-stomped jazz, muscled up with crunching low-slung bass, and martial, punishing drum beats ... imagine maybe if 16-17 and Supersilent teamed up to do something that sounded like Circle ... but scary . There's skree and squall, for sure, but it's all focused on the rhythmic imperative, and damn if this isn't as utterly enthralling as it is urgent and ugly. Except that it's not really ugly,
Aquarius (US)
Ultralyd is a legate of the great Frode Gjerstad. With Inertiadrome (RCD 2105) the quartet has been showing Kjetil Møster as a saxophone tip alongside the guitar by Anders Hana and Morten J. Olsen and Kjetil D. Brandsdal as a drum & bass drive based on the neo-tonal conditions for a piece of music ( 2007) again the 'Contaminated Man' in search of drive removal, for 'Street Sex'. Urge, forward urge, motor skills as sex. The rhythm section cranks and pushes, piston motor, rotating, pumping. The saxophone and Hana's guitar and synthesizer noise feel the cone of light in the dark, cut into the status quo with flames. Each track is a struggle with the inertia of the crowd, a chain of explosions, a running and banging against invisible walls. A furor from howl and howl, fired by Olsen with all his might. 'Geodesic Portico' turns on the spot as a saxophone-tipped worm from Trolltanz, with a persistent splatter bass loop. 'Cessathlon' runs tirelessly like Iron Men against the standstill itself. Never stop, never give up, Olson can't be turned off. This is the way of Chromosome Gun (2005) again. It's hard to believe after the difficult and time-forgotten conditions ...
Bad Alchemy (DE)
The Norwegian “Rock in Opposition” scene has been convincing and impressing for a long time with originality, radicalism and frankness. Their protagonists relishly cross borders, network different sound aesthetics and make their contribution that rock remains an adventure. Examples are not only Supersilent, Elephant9 or Jono El Grande (see further below), but also the eruptive Ultralyd collective. The boys spread out a massive, brute group sound in which solo solo acts are left out. The epicenter is formed by martial rhythmic blocks of sound, carried by the toms and electric bass - while subtly played cymbals draw shimmering streaks. Those blocks of sound explode on the one hand in simple, monotonous sequences, on the other hand in differentiated, intricate polyrhythms. The units follow a set sequence and dash with tremendous impulsiveness. The sound vocabulary of saxophone and guitar, which is mostly hunted over a wide variety of effects devices, condenses around it to dissonant, sometimes noise-dominated sound collages. These are composed of small motifs, which are repeated repetitively with minimalist shifts. A fast-paced music of considerable suction power and with a gruff streak. You could call it minimal hardcore techno trash. The shreds fly properly in the "Inertiadrome" brew. which is mostly hunted over a wide variety of effects devices condenses around it to dissonant, partly noise-dominated sound collages. These are composed of small motifs, which are repeated repetitively with minimalist shifts. A fast-paced music of considerable suction power and with a gruff streak. You could call it minimal hardcore techno trash. The shreds fly properly in the "Inertiadrome" brew. which is mostly hunted over a wide variety of effects devices condenses around it to dissonant, partly noise-dominated sound collages. These are composed of small motifs, which are repeated repetitively with minimalist shifts. A fast-paced music of considerable suction power and with a gruff streak. You could call it minimal hardcore techno trash. The shreds fly properly in the "Inertiadrome" brew.
Freestyle (AT)
It is no longer necessary to ask why such surprises always come from Scandinavia. It has long been known that not only beautiful sound can be expected from the far north, but also always fresh wind. The young quartet Ultralyd is not a quiet example. You can hear the saxophone and guitar before a continuous thunderstorm of bass and drums. All of this results in a dense sound with which no prisoners are taken, a compact pressure wave, a solo-free, closed group furor, in which the legs twitch when you hear it loud and louder. Brute futurism is the one that welds elements from electronic and contemporary music together with doom metal and insistent rhythms.
Leipziger Volkszeitung (DE)
Even the name of the band (Ultrasound) suggests heavy metal sounds. Indeed, the raw sound, the emphasis on rhythm and the often booming, futuristic electronic sounds are the hallmarks of the band. The sound carpets are characterized by Olsen's drum and Brandsdals bass rhythms and thus an ideal projection surface for Møster's saxophone and Hana's electric guitar, which always give the sound new colors. Mind you, the true splendor of these sound orgies can only be opened up by appropriately highly regulated potentiometers. The complete equality of all instruments, the juxtaposition of simplicity and complexity in the structure of the music, the often unexpected breaks and the exploration of volume as a means of design distinguish Ultralyd as a contemporary band. The piece “Cesslathon” is particularly enthusiastic,
District newspaper Syke (DE)
Brachial rock from jazz musicians can be blown away by Ultralyd's "Inertiadrome". The four Norwegians rummage through saxophone, guitar, distorted bass, synthesizer and drums through heavily rhythmic instrumental tracks. A cool high.
Trailer (DE)
På sin nyeste utgivelse har Ultralyd utvidet sitt eget soniske univers å arbeide i - med Kjetil Møster (saksofon) og Anders Hana (gitar, synth) sitt lydlandskap som kan assosieres med en dyp gruvesjakt infi ltrert av utenomjordisiner skogshogstm. Spe på en beinhardt raspende, dyp elbass fra Kjetil Brandsdal og hypnotiske trommegroover fra Morten Olsen, så har du suggererende samtids-doom-house som like lett vrikker på danseføtter som de får krautrockere til å vugge acknowledging på hodene sine. Musicians in frekk blanding av mange uttrykk, noe som more complete av in symbiosis av porno and nature pictures on coveret. Saksofonen he hovedsakelig forvrengt gjennom various effect boxes. Og om den rauter insisterende eller skriker fra en glemt planet, he forms the alltid godt innpakket i lyd. Hanas gitar og synth er råsterk i sin gjentakende, Ulende og robotiske Fremdtoning, og Brandsdal more complete det hele med en bass som predikerer dommedag som et taktfast monster. Olsen trommer synes nærmest å ha en tematisk oppbygning, med tilbakevendende rytmer underveis. Alltid med en disiplinert utførelse, og stor bevissthet om lydvalg driver han Ultralyds mektige maskineri. That would help if Jørgen Træens skuddsikre lyddrakt, and he would result in a strong music, so guaranteed funger bra as well. 6/6. Above all, it results in musk music, which guarantees funger bra as well. 6/6. Above all, it results in musk music, which guarantees funger bra as well. 6/6.
Bergens Tidende (NO)
http://www.themilkfactory.co.uk
http://www.hairentertainment.com
http://www.soundofmusic.nu (swedish)
http://www.jazzdimensions.de (german)