Until The Light Takes Us tells the story of black metal. Part music scene and part cultural uprising, black metal rose to worldwide notoriety in the mid-nineties when a rash of suicides, murders, and church burnings accompanied the explosive artistic growth and output of a music scene that would forever redefine what heavy metal is and what it stands for to other musicians, artists and music fans world-wide. Until The Light Takes Us goes behind the highly sensationalized media reports of “Satanists running amok in Europe” to examine the complex and largely misunderstood principles and beliefs that led to this rebellion against both Christianity and modern culture.
To capture this on film, directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell moved to Norway and lived with the musicians for several years, building relationships that allowed them to create a surprisingly intimate portrait of this violent, but ultimately misunderstood, movement. The result is a poignant, moving story that’s as much about the idea that reality is composed of whatever the most people believe, regardless of what’s actually true, as it is about a music scene that blazed a path of murder and arson across the northern sky.
View the trailer here.
Bård “Faust” Eithun of the band Emperor poses
Kjetil-Vidar “Frost” Haraldstad
Varg “Count Grishnackh” Vikernes, from the black metal bands Burzum and Mayhem, in prison stemming from murder and arson convictions
Filmmakers Audrey Ewell and Aaron Aites, directors of ‘Until The Light Takes Us’
The official movie poster for ‘Until The Light Takes Us’
FEATURING: Gylve “Fenriz” Nagell, Varg “Count Grishnackh” Vikernes, Jan Axel “Hellhammer” Blomberg, Kjetil “Frost” Haraldstad, Olve “Abbath” Eikemo, Harald “Demonaz” Nævdal, Bjarne Melgaard, Harmony Korine,
FEATURING MUSIC FROM: Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum, Ulver, Thorns, Gorgoroth, Enslaved, Boards of Canada, Black Dice, Sunn 0))), Múm, Lesser
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: Aaron Aites & Audrey Ewell
RELEASE DATE: November 20, 2009 (NYC), December 11, 2009 (Los Angeles)
RUNNING TIME: 93 minutes/Digital/Not Rated (contains language and graphic images, not suitable for under 15)
I remember the story. It was big news in all nordic newspapers.
Parents were outraged because they thought Black Metal would degenerate their kids.
But of course black metal in itself isn’t dangerous. The misunderstandings are build on single individuals behaviour.
Anyway, I look forward to see the film. It’s been debated in Scandinavia already, so I of course want to see it and create my own view.
Cheers!
Can’t wait to see this one. I find the whole Black Metal genre to be fascinating – even if, for the most part – the music sucks. (with a few notable exceptions of course!)