Burzum (1992-96)

Burzum (inc. Aske EP) (1993/92)

The term 'Burzum' first appeared in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books. It means 'darkness' in the Black Speech created by Sauron.

The first Burzum album takes the early Bathory sound and imbues it with Varg Vikernes' conceptual ideas: auditory landscapes that reflected the birthing of evil from the womb of Mordor as described in Tolkien's writings. It's cold and desolate; a soundtrack to pain and decay.

It's a little uneven compared to his later works, but remains an essential purchase for anyone interested in the Norwegian Black Metal scene.

Det Som Engang Var (1993)

Creeping desolate darkness is what Black Metal does best. There was a time Burzum did it better than most. Det Som Engang Var is the proof.

The production is raw but more refined than on either Aske (1993) or Burzum (1992). It's also doomier at times but no less aggressive.

The layering of guitar tracks is almost perfect. The repetitive drone sinks into your psyche and drags you deep into Varg's world. The vocals are pained screeches that sound inhuman. For me, it's the real sound that accompanied the birthing of the Dark Lord's denizens on Middle Earth. Howard Shore would probably shit himself if he heard the power of it.

Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (1994)

Forget the creator's political ideology. Forget the media-whoring. Come instead for the music, because Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (If the Light Takes Us) is a fucking genre masterpiece.

What separated Burzum from most other bands in the Norwegian scene was the atmosphere. It wasn't just about playing your instrument as fast as possible and referencing Satan, it had to have meaning and it had to represent something worthwhile.

The darkness isn't the enemy. The lo-fi production isn't a barrier. The aesthetic isn't merely an afterthought. It's all part of something larger.

Filosofem (1996)

Varg stepped out of the shadows with Filosofem, but he managed to bring the essence of the darkness with him. The sound retains the fuzzy coldness of previous releases, while downtuned guitars wail their repetitive pains into your brain.
The vocals are less screechy but more distorted than previous albums; he asked a confused sound technician for the worst microphone that he could find. Crazy, but it works.

Side A embraces the extreme aspects that Norwegian Black Metal is known for. Side B has an extended ambient track that's longer than it seems. Overall, it's a perfect place to start if you're new to the scene.