Ulver

The Assassination Of Julius Caesar CD

€10
31 August 1997 was one of the hottest nights in Paris that year. Just after midnight a black Mercedes Benz rushes through the dark streets with a horde of ravenous paparazzi on tow. In the Pont de l'Alma tunnel the car swerves into a roof-supporting pillar and in the echo of the metallic roar dies Diana, the Princess of Wales. The world has lost one of its greatest icons and the morbidity of popular culture hits a new high. The story is strangely resonant with the myth of the Greek goddess Artemis (Roman: Diana) and the hunter Actaeon, who, after having seen the goddess bathing naked, is turned into a stag and torn to pieces by his own hunting hounds. This picture opens Ulver's 13th album, The Assassination of Julius Caesar.

Such historical quantum leaps often occur in Ulver's musical universe, which has never been bound by any physical law. And the band's unruly play with myth, history and popular culture has never been more manifest than now. From the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II on one day in May 1981, to the queer, black house with the address 6114 California Street, San Francisco, better known as the headquarters of Anton LaVey's Church of Satan - Ulver moves seamlessly through time and space, and manages, in their own strange ways, to create a coherent tableau with a deeply personal backdrop. "I want to tell you something / about the grace of faded things," as it goes in the song "Southern Gothic".

Those familiar with this stubborn pack of wolves from Oslo will not be surprised that they also this time round are shifting shape. Never afraid of challenging or redefining current musical conventions, Ulver has now enacted what they are calling "their pop album". You don't have to worry about vexing radio humdrum or pastel ear candy though - Talk Talk and Music Machine are pop music as good as any in the universe of Ulver. A universe where "pop" is more a mark of distinction, denoting immediacy and possible body movement. Factory Records and Welcome to the Pleasuredome. The Assassination of Julius Caesar is an album the band has been longing to do for many years, to delve into the music of their childhood, along with the now fading memories and drifting clouds of romance.

After the (to them) surprising success of last year's hybrid ATGCLVLSSCAP, released on the recently established House of Mythology, the way was eventually cleared for a full status studio album from Ulver. Not since Shadows of the Sun, now ten years of age, has the band worked under such clearly defined criteria, staying true to an aesthetics. Such music is never easily conceived, but Ulver's unyielding ethos of following their instincts has again showed them the way. Fear of repetition and standstill is just as instinctive in the mind of this group as hunger is for their counterparts in nature.

The core crew behind this album is Kristoffer Rygg, Jørn H. Sværen and Tore Ylwizaker, in company with Ole Alexander Halstensgård, who has also been an important contributor to earlier albums. As usual, there are prominent guests, the renowned experimental guitarist Stian Westerhus puts his personal signature on several tracks, the same goes for associated members Anders Møller and Daniel O'Sullivan. Legendary Hawkwind shaman Nik Turner adds his sax to "Rolling Stone".

The Assassination of Julius Caesar is mixed by Martin "Youth" Glover, known from bands such as Killing Joke and The Fireman (with Paul McCartney), plus producer of The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and many other major players. The result is epic and wide-scoped as a historical drama, without ever mollycoddling the listener.

"What have I done to leave you here," asks vocalist and primus motor Kristoffer Rygg on the last track, "Coming Home". Since Ulver was formed a quarter of a century ago, their musical odyssey has taken them round the world in many shapes. This year will see them perform in select places with a new spectacular live production. And even if Ulver might have brought home the game with their most ambitious and majestic work thus far, rest assured that the wolves will keep on following you through the night.

Tracklist:
1. Nemoralia
2. Rolling Stone
3. So Falls the World
4. Southern Gothic
5. Angelus Novus
6. Transverberation
7. 1969
8. Coming Home  

 

Will my shirt fit me?

Probably yes! But if you want to be sure then just consult our size chart below.

How can I Pay?

We currently accept payment by credit card or Paypal. Our store is operated in Euros but you can also pay in a variety of different currencies such as GBP or USD. Just select your local currency from the dropdown menu at the top of the page and all prices will be updated and the checkout will be processed in your currency of choice. Please note that the exchange rate is calculated automatically on the day of the transaction and therefore, in the case of a refund, the amount returned may be slightly more/less than the original amount.

How much does shipping cost?

Shipping costs vary depending on what you're ordering, where it's going and whether you want to be able to track it. For a t-shirt, prices start at just 3.75 Euros for shipping within Germany, 7.90 Euros to the rest of Europe and 12.90 Euros Worldwide. You can always check exactly how much shipping will cost on the cart page before you head to the checkout though.

Will I be charged customs on my order?

Please note for all non EU orders any customs & duties owed on a shipment are entirely the customers responsibility. Please ensure that you provide all information required to ship by your local authorities and take care to inform yourself of local customs requirements. More information on local customs thresholds can be found here.

Will I get a tracking number?

We always give you the option of tracked shipping. Just be sure to select the DHL or Fed Ex option at checkout and you will be sent your tracking number so you can check the status of your item. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours after your order is shipping for your tracking number to be generated.

How long will my order take to reach me?

Approximate delivery times with untracked shipping. Please note the tracked option will always be considerably faster:

Within Germany: 2-3 business days
Within the EU: 5-20 business days*
Outside EU: 15-30 business days*

*We strongly recommend choosing the tracked option here due to the unpredictability of standard shipping caused by ongoing global logistical issues.

Can I return or exchange an item?

Of course you can! We will refund your purchase with no questions asked if...

1. The goods are returned to us within 30 days of you having received them.

2. We receive the goods back in exactly the same condition they were when they were shipped, i.e.: unwashed and unworn, free of odours from pets or perfume, no make up stains.

3. Where applicable (including when sending from the UK) provide all relevant customs information and pay any duties in advance. Please note your return may not reach us without this!

Please write your name clearly on the outside of the return envelope. Please also include the original packing slip or your order number when sending anything back as well as a short note detailing whether you would like a refund or a replacement (i.e. other size). The later is subject to availability so we recommend checking whether the desired exchange item is in stock before initiating a return.

Shipping and handling expenses will be applied to the re-shipment. Shipping will not be refunded for returned items. Please take care that all customs and duties are pre-paid to ensure your return reaches us safely. We are not liable for items that do not reach us due to unpaid customs fees.

Please send your return to:

Bingo Merch GmbH

Webshop Returns

Naumburgerstr. 4

12057 Berlin

Germany

Help, I haven't received my order!

Unfortunately, even the fine, qualified postal system loses a package now and again. If you have not received your package, we kindly ask you to let us know within 30 days (60 days for customers outside the EU) of your order date and we will credit your account or reship the item. Notices about undelivered goods received after the above time frames will not be considered for store credit or reshipment!

If your stuff does not arrive at your door within the delivery times listed above, please drop us an Email and we will look into it for you right away.

Information on Pre-orders

First off, we do everything in our power to ensure that you will! However with pre-orders we are reliant on external suppliers and labels sending all the stock to us in time. Rest assured though that as soon as we have items here, we will be working on shipping them out as fast as we can. Our aim is to ship them prior to release day so that you will have that record in your hands on the day it comes out! Also just be aware that if you include other items together with pre-order we will ship everything together when the pre-order is ready.

Please note that certain pre-order items are limited to a certain number of copies/items per person, we reserve the right to cancel any orders that exceed these limits.

Any other questions?

Please feel free to drop us an Email.

Responsible Person

Bingo Merch GmbH

Naumburger Str. 4, 12057 Berlin

shop(at)bingomerch.com

shop.bingomerch.com

You may also like

Recently viewed