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A few months ago when director Aaron Aites was asked about the motivation behind his documentary Until the Light Takes Us in an online podcast, he responded that it wasn’t only the fascinating story that compelled him to embark into such an endeavor but also the lack of visual material documenting the crimes. Looking around online for videos related to this story is bound to trigger lots of results. YouTube alone contains at least two full documentaries in the matter, both of which are actually superior than this doc in storytelling and filmmaking. The question then is, did Aites have an internet connection? Had he done minimal search he probably would have resolved not to embark into such a large project. Or perhaps, he would have approached the story from a different angle. How so?
Well, simply put, Until the Light Takes Us contains absolutely nothing new. In many ways, this is a retold tale. A refry. There is no insight beyond what has already been widely publicized in print and visual media. No divergent point of views or new information that may make the old story a bit more interesting. There is not even colorful narrative. Not even Aites astute intrusion into the typically closed world of underground Norwegian black metal musicians was enough to provoke the subjects. Count Grishnack, once prone to talk tons of shit, doesn't even pronounce one inflammatory remark beyond his self-defense arguments. All told with the condescending smile of a guy who got away with crime, by the way. Instead, the typically articulate bigot uses the movie to emphasize the point home that, mind the music, the musician behind are not be bothered with'. Yes, in this movie, Grishnack is a fucking bore.
At the core of Until the Light Takes Us are Count Grishnack and Fenriz. They were once friends but have now strayed away. The first intelligently speaks about the events that took place at the start of the 90’s from the comfort of his cell. He talks about the church burnings, blah, blah, blah, and about Euronymous and his reasons for killing him, blah, fucking blah, blah, blah. Then, he asks the director if he likes the jail? We hear no response but I bet he did. From the look of it, Norwegian jail offers the same commodities of an American college dorm. Fenriz on the other hand, looks every bit the metalhead part. We expect him to, he is a folk hero by now. Donning a black leather jacket, he wonders around Oslo, makes the obligatory dead of winter stroll through the forest, stops for a beer at the pub, hits his label’s offices for a phone interview and travels to Sweden for a black metal exhibition by artist Bjarne Melgaard.
Melgaard may just be the most interesting individual in Until the Light Takes Us. At no point does he express any admiration for the music and his talent seems rather limited. A considerable portion of what is in display in his exhibition looks like simple blown up early images of the early Norwegian metal scene. The original pieces look like shitty abstract art with blasphemous remarks scrolled over in loud colors. When Fenriz arrives to the gallery, they shake hands. Then, awkward silence ensues.
Other musicians appear briefly. Ulver’s Garm shows up for about five seconds, Mayhem’s Hellhammer talks bullshit for about a minute and Satyricon’s Frost arrives in the middle to add a bit of color. With his typical androgenous look, he shares a romantic dinner with Melgaard. The artist seems smitten and goes onto describe the drummer as a 'fallen angel'. Frost then agrees to appear in the latter’s exhibition. Once there, he breathes fire, slashes his arms and bleeds all over a white couch. The people in attendance don’t seem to know what to make of it.
So to those already in the know, pretty much every metalhead by now, Until the Light Takes Us will not inform you. It will not reveal any unknown facts. It will not show new theories nor cool scenes of Norway. It will not introduce us to anyone’s mom (personally I always wanted to know what Euronoymous parents thought about the whole ordeal) and it will only half-assedly, entertain you.
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