This is more than hip-covers fun. Ulver, a Norwegian black-metal band, darken the apocalypse in acid-Sixties relics by bands such as the Byrds, the Pretty Things, Bonniwell's Music Machine and electronic-rock pioneers the United States of America. Jefferson Airplane's love song "Today" and the Beau Brummels' trippy-country carol "Magic Hollow" are recast as pagan-folk spells: light on fuzz, heavy with the sorcerer's incantation of singer Kristo er Rygg. Ulver also locate the dark arts in unlikely places like the Troggs' hotline to lust, "66- 5-4-3-2-1." It now sounds like there's real trouble on the other end.

Listen to 'Childhood's End':

“Youth Knows No Pain”

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”