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Album Review: Ulver’s War Of The Roses

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15 years ago

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Ulver (Norwegian for ‘wolves’) are a black metal band that incorporates elements of symphonic styles, electronica, folk, ambient, and avant-garde. With so many styles in one project, you’ve got to tread carefully to make sure that everything works together and doesn’t end up butting heads, resulting in a musical mess. So with their newest release, ‘War of the Roses’, has Ulver managed to pull off this feat? Check after the jump to find out!
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‘War of the Roses’ is an expansive musical journey, often times feeling more like the soundtrack to a dark fantasy film (such as Legend) than a traditional band release. The album switches from near heavy rock songs to passages in other pieces that are minimalistic ambient etudes. However, there is a motif that hangs over every track, a sense of loss, yearning, fear, and beauty. These emotions make this an album best appreciated on a foggy or rainy day. 
The production of this album is nearly overwhelming. The amount of textures at times is mindboggling and will definitely require multiple listens to fully appreciate. Yet, even with the aural insanity that assaults your ears, there is always a sense of musicality and beauty. I could try and go through the list of instruments but it’s near impossible. Just trust me when I say that the breadth of instrumentation on ‘War of the Roses’ is astonishing and always fits with sublime grace and beauty. 
The Final Word: Without a doubt, ‘War of the Roses’ is not an album for everyone. The album demands a strong amount of patience as well as an appreciation for songs that can (and will) change dramatically within moments. If you can handle all of that, Ulver‘s ‘War of the Roses’ will provide you with a gorgeous, terrifying, emotional journey. 
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Music

‘The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only Live’ Concert Event to Make Streaming Debut Next Month

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1 week ago

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July 14, 2026

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The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only Live

AMC has announced that The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE, the standing-room-only performance celebrating AMC’s premiere of its newly-released The Vampire Lestat at New York City’s iconic Beacon Theatre last month, will debut on streaming.

The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE begins streaming on AMC+ on August 23.

Ahead of its streaming premiere, fans can preview the concert event, featuring original songs from series composer Daniel Hart and performed by Sam Reid, in Hall H at Comic Con International on July 24. 

Our own Daniel Kurland attended the special event, highlighting how electric the Immortal Vampire is on stage: “It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.”

Based on Anne Rice‘s The Vampire Chronicles book series, The Vampire Lestat is the rock and roll-centric third season of AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire” created by showrunner Rolin Jones.

The Vampire Lestat goes on an electric multi-city tour while being haunted by “muses” from his wild and rebellious past. As his band’s popularity and star power rises, so does Lestat’s influence over vampires and humans alike, leaving others to contend with Lestat’s power in the face of the Great Conversion, an unnatural surge in the vampire population.

Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles and Jennifer Ehle star with Reid. Executive producers include Jones, Mark Johnson, Hannah Moscovitch, the late Anne Rice, and her son Christopher Rice.

The series finale airs this Sunday, July 19, on AMC and AMC+.

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