Until the Light Takes Us

'Until the Light Takes Us' is an exploration of the 1980s and 90s Norwegian black metal movement largely seen through the eyes of two of its important figures - Gylve 'Fenriz' Nagell, one half of the key duo behind the seminal Darkthrone; and Varg 'Count Grishnackh' Vikernes, the man behind one-man project Burzum.

The documentary is mostly comprised of interviews with Nagell and Vikernes as well as several members of other prominent black metal bands. The film also portrays some fly-on-the-wall moments with Nagell as he recounts the events of the early days of the black metal scene, and includes some archival footage, most notably of the infamous church burnings and the ensuing media frenzy. With no narrator and very few inter-titles, the talking head pieces are largely left to drive the film forward. Whilst the insights from Nagell and Vikernes are interesting, it does tend to make 'Until the Light Takes Us' feel a bit like an incomplete picture of the true goings-on of the time. For those already familiar with the events of the Norwegian black metal scene in the 1980s and 90s, there probably isn't too much more you would learn from this film. However, if you are new to the story, there are some interesting tidbits to be gained - albeit from a limited perspective. Other reviewers have noted the lack of insight into some of the more extreme views of Vikernes - likewise, I feel this would have been an interesting area to explore and was a bit of a missed opportunity from the filmmakers.

From a technical perspective, the film is well pieced together. Much like black metal itself, there is no unnecessary ornamentation (such as crazy edits or 'arty' camera angles/effects) and the story is left pretty much to unfold on its own. A quick note also on the soundtrack - not exactly what I was expecting for a documentary on black metal but an interesting choice and effective for the most part.

In summary, an interesting piece of the story behind one of the more infamous movements in modern music but one that should be taken as only part of the complete picture. Worth a view as a companion piece.