Burzum

http://www.myspace.com/burzumofficial

In 1988 or 1989, Varg Vikernes formed a group called Kalashnikov (named after the Kalashnikov assault rifle), which eventually changed its name to Uruk-Hai. Uruk-Hai means "orc race" in the Black Speech of Middle-earth from the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. In 1989, Vikernes broke away from Uruk-Hai to join the death metal act Old Funeral. Uruk-Hai's drummer and bassist, Vikernes claims, were neither serious nor talented musicians, but this was not the case with the members of Old Funeral (who were also members of the side project Amputation, which eventually went on to form the black metal group Immortal). Vikernes remained with Old Funeral for two years, deciding in 1991 to create a solo project instead, in which he could write and record a "more original and personal type of music" (some consider Burzum to be a progression of the band Uruk-Hai, for several of the same riffs are used in Vikernes' compositions). Varg intended the Burzum project to be an anonymous effort, which was the reason behind his taking the name of Count Grishnackh.

Burzum's early music shows a moderate Tolkien influence; for example, the name Count Grishnackh is taken from an orc character called Grishnákh in Tolkien's works. The choice of the name for the project reflects both this influence and the desire for anonymity: "Burzum" is a word of the Black Speech of Mordor meaning "darkness" (though Vikernes believes that Pagans consider it to mean "light" as opposed to how Christians consider it to mean "darkness"), and is one of those found on the Ring-inscription of the One Ring (the final part of the Ring inscription being "...agh burzum-ishi krimpatul", "...and in the darkness bind them"). Some of Burzum's early songs featured titles like "En Ring Til Å Herske" ("One Ring To Rule"); however, Vikernes later explained this to be a reference to the Rheingold of Norse mythology rather than to Tolkien's works, which themselves owe some debt to Norse mythology. As he continued to release albums, Vikernes' attraction to Norse mythology and Pagan beliefs became more and more apparent. Much of Burzum's later work focuses on Norse legends, especially his most recent two ambient albums: Dauði Baldrs, which deals exclusively with the legend of the death of Baldr, and Hliðskjálf, which recounts the death of Wotan and the approach of Ragnarok.

Musically, Burzum has progressed from primitive, raw black metal to classical-influenced ambient music characterised by minimalist tendencies and dark atmospheres. Vikernes' music is generally considered to be characterised by hypnotic repetition and simple yet profound song structures; this trademark sound has been present on Burzum's black metal and synthieval albums alike. Vikernes has described Burzum as a kind of "spell" or recreation of an imaginary world tied in with Pagan history. Each album, he claims, was designed as a kind of "spell" in itself, with each beginning song intending to make the listener more susceptible to "magic", the following songs to inspire a "trance-like state of mind", and the last song to carry the listener into a "world of fantasy" (dreams, for the listener would fall asleep - Burzum was supposed to have been evening music). Vikernes claims that the intent to create this fantasy world came from dissatisfaction with the real world. He has stated that the "message" of Burzum can be found in the lyrics of the first song of the first album (Feeble Screams From Forests Unknown); that following lyrics act as footnotes.

Count Grishnackh (Varg Vikernes)Currently, Vikernes is in prison for the murder of former musician Øystein Aarseth (Euronymous of Mayhem), as well as the arson of several ancient Norwegian churches. Vikernes is suspected to have taken part in various other crimes, and was believed to have been planning another church burning at the time of his arrest (police found 100 kg of explosives in his home). In 2004 during a week long release from prison, he failed to be back in the preordained time. Some days later he was found riding a stolen car and having a gun and fake passport. Even though he claimed unawareness he got some more years in his sentence.

Vikernes is not a Nazi as many people once called him. The pagan ideals that he follows may be a bit similar to Nazism but according to him have no connection to them. Varg has stated on burzum.org that he laughs at people who call him a Nazi because it is simply not true, claiming that his earlier connections as a Nazi-like figure were an immature phase. He also does not follow some Nazi ideals (like the Nazi's belief that Slav people are inferior) - Vikernes says he admires Slavic culture and the Slavic people.

Vikernes has released two Burzum albums from prison: Dauði Baldrs and Hliðskjálf. Both albums rely only on keyboards and - in Vikernes' own estimation - are not related to the black metal genre. The Filosofem (1996) album was released to the public after Vikernes had been imprisoned. For the longest part of his incarceration, Vikernes claimed to have renounced any connection with black metal and heavy metal music in general, but a recent interview suggests that with the possibility of a probation release during April of 2006, he will continue with Burzum in much the same vein as the first four albums. He still claims, however, to have little respect for the trappings of heavy metal culture and absolutely detests the "sex, drugs, and rock n' roll" aspect of metal music.

Though Varg Vikernes does admit to disliking metal's "non-Aryan" origins, he claims that this is not why Burzum's music has become more ambient and less guitar-based. It is in fact due to him not being allowed to have certain instruments and equipment in his prison cell. Also, he does not in fact hate his earlier work and Hvis Lyset Tar Oss is his favourite Burzum release.

The Filosofem album did however produce an experimental 8 minute ambient video from British artist/director David Palser, who employed stylistic images of the Norwegian landscape combined with the Rune-Poem of the Elder Futhark, in what has sometimes been described as "the most pure black metal video" of the genre.

Many of the Burzum albums feature illustrations by the Norwegian 19th century artist Theodor Kittelsen (1857-1914).
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Everybody knows Burzum, first album's best along with the early demo's.
Looooooove'em.

Burzum are awesome. Im still yet to own an album though

Is Varg already out of jail? Thought he is going to be released somewhere in 2009.

Burzum has had his ups and downs. The ambient songs equal shit, but songs like Dunkelheit, Lost Wisdom and Spell of Destruction are awesome.

Fenrir wrote:

Burzum are awesome. Im still yet to own an album though

I second that. I'd try and get the self-titled one.

Earthless wrote:

Is Varg already out of jail? Thought he is going to be released somewhere in 2009.

Burzum has had his ups and downs. The ambient songs equal shit, but songs like Dunkelheit, Lost Wisdom and Spell of Destruction are awesome.

Yes he has been released back in March on parole I believe.

Not a fan of Burzum at all.

Nefarious_Priest wrote:

Earthless wrote:

Is Varg already out of jail? Thought he is going to be released somewhere in 2009.

Burzum has had his ups and downs. The ambient songs equal shit, but songs like Dunkelheit, Lost Wisdom and Spell of Destruction are awesome.

Yes he has been released back in March on parole I believe.

Not a fan of Burzum at all.

I find it very hard to want to get into his music, I love Black Metal and I do love the style of Burzum but there is something about Burzum that puts me off.

Hmm Burzum was one of the first black metulz bands for me also.. I have not really listened to Filosofem or those others mainly just s/t and Aske XD

He lives in Telemark with his wife and child XD

Slaytanic wrote:

Nefarious_Priest wrote:

Earthless wrote:

Is Varg already out of jail? Thought he is going to be released somewhere in 2009.

Burzum has had his ups and downs. The ambient songs equal shit, but songs like Dunkelheit, Lost Wisdom and Spell of Destruction are awesome.

Yes he has been released back in March on parole I believe.

Not a fan of Burzum at all.

I find it very hard to want to get into his music, I love Black Metal and I do love the style of Burzum but there is something about Burzum that puts me off.

Could be the fact that Varg Vierkenes is a pretentious sociopath and a crappy song writer but hey maybe it's just me

Slaytanic wrote:

I find it very hard to want to get into his music, I love Black Metal and I do love the style of Burzum but there is something about Burzum that puts me off.

I like the self-titled album, but the vocals prevent me from loving it.

Hvis Lyset Tar Oss anyone?

Dopesmoker wrote:

Hvis Lyset Tar Oss anyone?

A come on.. Really?
Det Som En Gang Var is ok, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss is just weak.. but the rest of the album is total crap imho. Especiallly Tomhet.

Burzum/Aske, Det Som en Gang Var, Filosofem and Hlidskjalf are amazing albums,
best time to listen to them is at night right before sleep.. dark, hypnotic, highly emotional.
I, for my part, love the acoustic and ambiente tracks to, from Dungeons of Darkness to Die Liebe Nerpus, and I am mostly astonished by Rundgang um die Transzendentale Säule der Singularität... this song is so insane and so.. epic at the same time.
'tis very sad that (all?) music-magazines here in Germany shun this band because of Vargs bad reputation due to murder, arson and him being a neo-nazi, how short this period in his life might have been.
I still am trying to figure out where to order Burzum-Fanshirts, I guess I'd like the one with the slogan "coming soon to a church near you" on the back.. that would be very.. nice!

Earthless wrote:

Dopesmoker wrote:

Hvis Lyset Tar Oss anyone?

A come on.. Really?
Det Som En Gang Var is ok, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss is just weak.. but the rest of the album is total crap imho. Especiallly Tomhet.

Haha, I always get those two mixed up I was looking through them just now. I actually enjoy Det Som En Gang Var just fine. Not my favorite, but it's ok.

Hvis, not so much.

I think Hvis Lyset is the most solid Burzum album still. Tomhet is greatness, a nice closener for a very deep album. I also kind like both of the ambient-albums, Daudi's cheap midi-sound has something very disturbing in it, and I like that.

I love the dunkelheit cover from Reverend Bizzare
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu9u7TxmgzI

Cuoma wrote:

Daudi's cheap midi-sound has something very disturbing in it, and I like that.

..and it was made in prison.
I like that album quite a lot especially the Daudi Baldrs track itself.

Filosofem is just top notch for me, haunting, mesmerizing black metal.
I also like a lot the first albums...
The S/t and Aske are very raw and straight in your face, that kind of protoblack that i dig, det som en gang var and hvis lyset tar oss are very solid and with interesting stuff (Tohmet...).
I LOVE the last two albums, Daudi Baldrs in one of my favourite background music when I do philosophical/religious/high level chatting (mostly drunk XD) with my friends

Mysterious Traveler wrote:

Slaytanic wrote:

Nefarious_Priest wrote:

Earthless wrote:

Is Varg already out of jail? Thought he is going to be released somewhere in 2009.

Burzum has had his ups and downs. The ambient songs equal shit, but songs like Dunkelheit, Lost Wisdom and Spell of Destruction are awesome.

Yes he has been released back in March on parole I believe.

Not a fan of Burzum at all.

I find it very hard to want to get into his music, I love Black Metal and I do love the style of Burzum but there is something about Burzum that puts me off.

Could be the fact that Varg Vierkenes is a pretentious sociopath and a crappy song writer but hey maybe it's just me

No I think you're on to something here.. lol

I'm going to have to agree with those saying Hvis Lyset Tar Oss and Filsofem are great albums. I like the vocals, you don't hear that sort of thing every day.

I don't really like Burzum. I don't think Varg's music is anything special. HOWEVER, saying that, Burzum does have it's moments, and I do enjoy a few songs.. mainly for the atmosphere they create. The first three albums are the best, in my opinion.

Regarding the 'new Burzum album' .... I'm not interested, but it'll sell a lot of copies

I'd like to give it a listen, I think he'll express himself pretty well through it.

Filosofem is am amazing album, dark, moody and just all around evil. Nothing to not like about it! I even like that 20 minute ambient song at the end of the album!

ive checked them out once...diddnt really like them tbh

maybe i should try some other album :/

I always find the anti-Burzum sentiment odd, I love the early albums and the later ones, the keyboard only releases from his prison cell are fantastic and Hvist Lysett Tar Oss would make my top ten BM releases every time.

I can't stand what the man stands for, or his lying, revisionist ways but there's no doubting his talent. Unless you're slightly mad of course.

I'm not heavily into Burzum. I do like the self-titled album and Aske. Those are pretty damn solid. As for the rest, I never listened.