Say what you will about Varg Vikernes, but the man is a musical visionary. His work is pivotal in two separate genres, black metal and dungeon synth. He masterfully blended the dark side of ambient and the atmosphere of black metal
Exactly I don't agree with him on a HOLE lot of shit but there's no denying without him Black Metal and in the same vein Deathcore wouldn't be where it is I might even go as far to say it might not even exist without him. But that's just me 🤷♂️
@DoktorGlib I'd argue he actually believes it. If you even skim his and his wife's twitter or some of their posts or other works, yeah it's legit. I mean at the end of the day there's no difference between him and some random dude working a warehouse job with the same beliefs posting on twitter except he managed to make exceptionally good music that was massively influential for various genres.
He's not using a vocal filter btw, he specifically asked the studio owner for the shittiest microphone he had, so he gave him cheap office desk headphones to yell through.
Yes "pytten" Erik Hundin. By the way the father of oldertimes famos handball girl Mia Hundvin. Headphone used trought a shitty 25w peavy said in interwiews...
"Jesus Død" from the same album is awesome too, although more straightforward in terms of what you'd expect from the genre, even though it's still got that hypnotic repetitiveness running throughout. And the track "Rundgang um die transzendentale Säule der Singularität" you've probably heard elsewhere some time or another. You should REALLY REALLY give that a go while lying in your bed and just let it wash over you :)
No guitar amp. was used, instead he just plugued the guitar into is brother's stereo system. For vocals he just used the mic from a headset. Also he was always a fan of electronic music, he used to go to a techno club called Phoenix and just stand in a corner listening to it and get inspiration for his band. About that iconic album cover: The album cover and booklet contain extensive artwork by the Norwegian painter Theodor Kittelsen (1857-1914), the front cover is a close-up of his 1900 painting entitled 'Op Under Fjeldet Toner en Lur' (Norwegian for 'Up in the Hills a Clarion Call Rings Out'), which features a woman playing a birch trumpet.
Varg's control of mood and long form narrative music is pretty much unrivaled in metal. Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, despite how simple it sounds on the surface, is the most sophisticated metal album of all time in my opinion.
The reason why the keyboard melody seems ahead of its time and like it could fit on a hip hop track is because hip hop shares a lot of DNA with house/techno/trance music, which Varg was a huge fan of. So-called white label techno was something that he was drawn to for its repetitive, hypnotic effect, which was also part of the goal of the Burzum project. Actually, when hip hop was in its infancy during this time, it was more sample heavy, and a lot of what makes it sound "modern" now was already old for underground sister genres of electronic music.
@@Xirque666it’s already happened, all the rap tards on here are talking about how their favorite rapper used it as a sample 🤦 that’s the only reason why they are here
@@ChickenJoe-tq6xd very sad... Imagine how the raptards would react if raps were butchered by other artists from other types of music, in the same way that they do themselves with others music...they would be fuming and calling it "Cultural appropriation", and probably throw out the race card as well...
This Burzum album really solidified some kind of change in me regarding black metal, in that it really makes apparent to seek all of the hidden melodies under the grime and repetition. And black metal is particularly good at following slow melodic patterns even if they hide it inside the tremolo. Everyone likes black metal for different reasons though, but this is my reason why I'll keep listening to BM music. Live it's always complicated though, it seems it's tricky to get the mix right depending on the venue and where you stand in the venue etc. I would recommend a solid knowledge of the songs when watching BM live, so that you can fill in the gaps in your head if needed.
Black metal is like opera in that you have to develop an ear for it. Many people can't stand it the first few times they listen but the more they hear it the more they understand and hear the melodies underneath the raw quality. Once it clicks you finally understand how beautiful the genre can be
Oh man me as well I finally got it. Listened to them on a rainy night and I’m like how could I miss the hypnotic elements as the driving force. Definitely changed my pov good comment.
I discovered Burzum in school back in 03 and it was like hearing Beethoven for the first time. Varg or Greven (The Count) as we call him in Norway is a painter with notes. His music is so layered it truly is a symphony, you gotta mind for it. His music is best experienced snowboarding or hiking in the Norwegian mountains at night. Now Kanye tryna bite his style, I see it in his merch.
The album was recorded under purposefully bad conditions. Varg Vikernes used a set of headphones as a mic to record Filosofem. He wanted a raw sound and he got it... this record is so underrated.
I know it's "part of the sound" to sound shitty, but I still prefer to listen to a version with proper recording/production. For example listen to Lykanthrop's cover.
Being a Norwegian metalfan that never was all that into black metal but absolutely love Burzum is a weird experience. The Burzum vs Mayhem thing is still going on to some degree. Mayhem is cool and they were the OGs but damn Burzum really just made it all that much better. Brilliant.
Much of the artwork on Varg Vikernes's albums are works by his favorite Norwegian painter, Theodor Kittelsen. Kittelsen's main themes involved Norwegian folklore. The painting you see here is "Op under Fjeldet toner en Lur", (Up in the Hills a Clarion Call Rings Out), painted in 1900.
I had a period when I was out in the dark winter nights after work taking care of storm felled trees then I had it on repeat for a few hours. Cut 400 cubic meters that winter alone in the dark and cold...
Varg is a genius and a legend, in both music and political ways, never will be afraid to say it loud, and the actual state of the world just proves that he was always right about everything, HEIL BURZUM
Burzum was always his band, before he played bass on the Mayhem album, and before the murder; Euronymous actually wrote one of the solos, I think in the song Ea, Lord of the Depths. Many would say Burzum is far and away the best. I've communicated occasionally or sporadically with Varg over the years. The old YT channel was good times; they still have the video available here wherein he explains the night of the murder though. Something like, "about a day [night?] in 1993 that changed black metal forever" Pardon the essay, felt like it.
@imakaiya Varg recorded all the instruments himself. Dude is a legendary musician. Varg was influenced by electronic and EDM, btw. Varg's music is simplistic like EDM. Repetitive simple riffs that create more of an ambient atmosphere than riff salad. The true essence of Black metal in my opinion. Hopefully you'll react to Glemeselen Elv.
Great reaction, Kaiya! Burzum: the first 4 LPs and the EP "Aske" (1992 to 1996): masterful! I suggest the reaction, analysis of the following songs from these albums: Feeble Screams from Forests Unknown, Spell of Destruction, Key to the Gate, En ring til aa herske, Lost Wisdom, all tracks from the album "Hvis Lyset tar oss", A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit (this song is a masterpiece! I recommend this song to be reviewed by you next, Kaiya!), Dunkelheit (there's already been a great reaction from you, Kaiya), Jesu dod, Beholding the Daughters of the Firmament...
More interesting fact is he recorded first four albums within a year. Four different sessions during a year. Four albums that sounded differently. And his band didn’t appeared as a Mayhem fallout. He had this band before and was a guest session bassist on De Mysteriis dom…by Mayhem.
The whole mood of Filosofem is so brilliant. Dunkelheit is atmospheric, Jesu Död is amazingly haunting, Erblicket Die Töchter Des Firmaments is so hauntingly beautiful and loneliness enducing. Gebrechlichkeit 1 and 2 i mostly skip but they are okay gives off more S-cide vibes to it. Rundgang Um Die Transzendentale Säule Der Singularität is by far the saddest Burzum song ever made because of how Ambient and depressing yet so calming the song is. Filosofem is great while Vikernes views are not great. I am from Sweden, Dalarna. Btw. And it gives me such a nordic vibe.
Burzum is especially unique for its feelings or emotions it brings which conveys essential understanding of black metal. For me this is the closest interpretation of the idea black metal reflects. I listened to it hundreds of times in the forest at night with friends drinking beer around flickering flame of a campfire 🔥. Bright Memories and strong emotions you would value forever.
Burzum might be my favorite blackmetal material, after Emperor's Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk anyway. Simple and repetitive, but very effective. He does have some songs that are a little more varied though, like Key to the Gate, probably my favorite Burzum track. Compositionally it reminds me of the few times in my life when I totally lost my shit - represented by alternating between riffs bashing out tritones and a more ballsy sounding typical heavymetal riff. Insanity and aggression, short lived, and followed by a daze after the adrenaline runs out - represented by rocking back and fourth between two arpeggios without drumming while the vocals switch from screaming to 'ah's. Then, after the dazed period of shame for acting like an idiot, the logical mind returns and tries to solve the problem - represented by a series of arpeggios moving around the neck of the guitar. It is played through the first time with one ending, but it is not the right solution, so he wipes it away and then plays through again and ends with another idea - and this is revealed to be the correct solution with an "ah ha!" moment - landing on two stacked tritones and sitting there for a bit. Interesting that the interval used to invoke madness in the beginning of the song is now used to describe a solution being found. Then there is a brief "twinkly magical" bit where he is picking an arpeggio in an interesting way, this sounds like rolling the solution around in his head. "Is this right? Have I really discovered the path forward?!" Then the last half of the song is more hopeful sounding, a bit jerky and stilted at first, but becoming more and more like "campfire" or "cowboy" chords with some melody over top, seemingly becoming more and more convicted to this new path forward. The last bit of lyrics are a choked-out "one day..." Goddamn.
Kayne did actually sample burzum in the song Pussy Print from Gucci Mane with kanye producing and featured verse, song is from the same album as duklehiet too
IMO there were only a few musicians in the scene that shaped the style of TNBM. Varg, Euronymous, and Snore. I believe that these dudes came up with the trademark sound together, that the scene is infamous for. There are certain riffs on Mayhem's opus De Mystiirs, that were written by Snore of the band Thorns that are really some of the most classic examples of the sound. I think Euro actually saw Snore do it first and adopted the style. Snore doesn't get enough credit. But Varg took the idea and incorporated the method in his songs that surpasses Mayhem and Thorns's music. His songs are written almost like a classical piece of music, and he uses his riffs /song writing to convey emotion so well. At times the riffs are very dissonant and sometimes they are triumphantly melodic. In many songs he will add the "spell riff" as he describes, that is supposed to bring you into a dream like hypnotic state. Truly a musical visionary.
The album artwork is actually a drawing from the famous Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen. His most known works are of Norwegian nature, fairy tales and legends. His work actually formed the way we vizualise trolls in Norway. The Norwegian black metal scene naturally grew fond of him, and used him on their album covers.
Still one of the albums I always go back to when I'm in that mental state where I just need the noisy riffs and atmosphere Burzum delivers. Filosofem is one of those albums that you just gotta listen to it and then listen to it again, and again, and again.
Find the crappiest somewhat broken equipment and record it in a shitty place like an abandoned gas station bathroom and you'll have the quintessential 90's sound Burzum was going for. Then you have Emperor, who did The Wall Of Sound overproduced don't let the listener have a moment blast them into the wall style sound which is equally what I love about this sub genre. Mayhem walked the line between both styles and still do.
I wonder if Buzum would get the same attention and acclaim if Varg was not a murderer and church burner. Anyway, Burzum is cool and entertaining to listen to.
filosem. others would play fast tracks. not varg. not for this album. that is why this album stands out. very mantric, drone like, hypnotic.....you can get into a total trance and journey to the fifth dimension. open up the third eye....
After Mayhems Fallout 🤣 The band was there the same time as Mayhem. Euronymous signed Burzum, and invited him to play bass, after Necrobutcher left. (You know, the guy that is claiming all the fame now). His bass track was removed after the killing from De mysteriis...
@ around 0:59 he didnt start the band after the fallout, it was before Dead self deleted even. He did play in Mayhem but by that time most of his early stuff was already or fully written and mostly recorded. Also this is the only Album that sounds like this from him. I Prefer his first album and some from his second a bit more but Filosofem is awesome.
Varg is a genious (he's actually a mathematical genious, snd went out of school with very good grades), and his music reflect that. No matter what one might think about Varg as a person (my logic actually support his claim that he acted in self defense as well.
I have a Dauoi Balders cd from 1997 he released in prison. Dungeon Synth album. Varg only had limited instruments in prison so there is no vocals. Expensive and one of my rare prizes of my collection.
Loooove Burzum. Please you have to listen to the third track from this masterpiece. It’s called “Erblicket die Töchter des Firmaments”. Imo, the best song on the album. I’m so glad you checked out Dunkelheit, which is a great opening song. But the third track is sooooo amazing and I hope we get to see you react to that one. :)
its funny you mentioned kanye ive also had that thought before and i think hes a fan, he's even pictured on official burzum merchandise. He dropped a new song a couple days ago (Vultures Havoc version) thats mv visuals to me felt very inspired by bm imagery.
This song is released in 1996 Kaiya not 1991 so not that ahead of it's time like you said. İf you listen to debut album that album has same kind of atmospheric riffs like this album.
Dunkelheit = Darkness. I learned of this song on a video comp called Embrace The Hate. Pungent stench and the hitching axe murderer too. Dunkelheit is in all playlists. The Freezing Moon by Mayhem from the Euronymous Tribute album with Dead on vocals. Varg has an interesting story considering he killed Euronymous.
