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Getting Into: Burzum


Written by: AndyMetalFreak
Published: December 07, 2022
 


I think it's fair to say that no other single musician in the history of metal has been at the centre of as much controversy as the infamous Norwegian artist Varg Vikernes, and so I'm pretty sure you're all familiar with the circumstances regarding Varg's past, unless you've been living under a rock or are completely new to the whole black metal genre. Therefore, I will skip the gory details of Varg's sinister past, and guide you through what is one of the most fascinating and oddly inconsistent discographies in the world of metal.

Known for playing a vital role as bass player for Mayhem's classic debut De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas under the stage name of Count Grishnackh, Varg had also established himself a rather successful solo career, with his black metal project we obviously all now know as Burzum. The band title, meaning "darkness", is derived from the Black Speech fictional language crafted by J. R. R. Tolkien, a fitting title I must say for the dark ambient settings of his work.





1992 - Burzum


Let's begin with the self-titled debut. Back in 1992, Varg's own solo project Burzum was well under way, and so came this debut, crafted by Vikernes alongside former Mayhem guitarist Euronymous, who was back then Varg's co-producer. This was notably released in the same year as Darkthrone’s A Blaze In The Northern Sky, making it one of the first releases in what became the established 2nd wave of black metal (Norwegian black metal scene). This is the most traditional-sounding black metal release of Burzum's entire discography, and not a million miles off the sound that was produced by the majority of Norwegian black metal acts around that time, with the raw, edgy, stripped-back bare production, distorted-to-high heaven guitar tone, and deeply disturbing raspy screeches and screams for vocals.

You could perhaps also say this release contains some of Burzum's catchiest tunes, with some highly memorable riffs, especially on what I consider the highlighted tracks, "Ea, Lord Of The Deeps", "My Journey To The Stars", and "Black Spell Of Destruction". This also contains some impressively short, experimental atmospheric interludes, such as "The Crying Orc" and "Channelling The Power Of Souls Into A New God"; although perhaps a little filler, these do give you a glimpse into the synth work Burzum would provide on future releases.



1993 - Aske


Aske is Burzum's 1993 EP, and it also happens to be one of the band's most infamous releases, mainly due to it featuring one of the most iconic album covers in the history of black metal. It is a photograph of Fantoft Stave Church after its arson on the 6th of June 1992, which Varg himself was strongly suspected of having commited. With the sadistic story aside, this EP contains only three tracks, but each one certainly made an impact. It begins with "Stemmen Fra Tårnet", a simple but raw and effective track, sounding very much like something that wouldn't have been out of place on the debut. Then comes the instrumental track "Dominus Sathanas", with its eerily dark and sinister atmosphere. The EP finishes with the epic, ten-minute track "A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit", which had also appeared on Burzum's debut in a raw demo form.



1993 - Der Som Engang Var


The year after the self-titled debut was released, Burzum presented us with Det Som Engang Var. Unlike the debut, this contained a higher use of synth work, focusing even more on creating a dark and mystical atmosphere. This release may have strayed away from the traditional raw approach of the debut, but it was where Burzum really began to develop its well-known ambient style.

This was a pretty solid and consistent album overall, despite the rushed production, and contains several tracks that are definitely worth taking note of, especially the two tracks "Key To The Gate'' and "Lost Wisdom"; each track is relatively short and catchy, both with a fantasy theme setting, and both provided memorable riffs. As usual, there are several instrumental interludes on here, which again may seem a bit like filler material to most listeners; however, "Han Som Reiste'' is a vastly different approach to the rest. It's basically a medieval dungeon synth track with a strong fantasy vibe, showing Varg's fascination with all things fantasy. Now for me, the song "En Ring Til Å Herske '' is the clear highlight; with its slow-paced build-up, and eerily cold ambience, the track is a clear forerunner of the depressive black metal genre that was soon to take shape.



1994 - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss


Hvis Lyset Tar Oss is the third release, and is definitely one of Burzum's most fascinating albums, as it could well be considered the first atmospheric black metal album of its kind. Even though only four tracks are featured here, two of those tracks are just over fourteen minutes long, with the other two not exactly being short either.

This album truly shows Burzum at its most experimental, with no track being more so than the lengthy closer "Tomhet" ("Emptiness"), which is such an interesting synth-based concept, one with a unique atmospheric journey that is neither up lifting nor depressive; it basically does as the title says, leaves you feeling emotionally empty, and almost completely helpless. The other song that is definitely worth taking note of is the lengthy opener, "Det Som En Gang Var" ("What Once Was"), which for me is one of the most impressive tracks in Burzum's entire discography; the structure has such a dynamic range of sounds, despite the melodies being repetitive throughout, and it's also very well crafted, with one of the best riffs and keyboard melodies I've heard in black metal.

A main contributor to this unique sound and style is in the lo-fi rough and simplistic production, which is exactly what gives this album its true authenticity; you can genuinely feel Varg's emotion through the songwriting and dark howling screams echoing in the background.



1996 - Filosofem


Now, if you were to have multiple polls on deciding which Burzum album was best, then there is no doubt that Filosofem would at least come out on top the majority of the time. This for me was Burzum's absolute pinnacle, and I would go as far to say it's one of the best black metal albums ever produced, especially in the ambient/atmospheric black metal category. Even though the album was released in 1996, this was actually the last Burzum album Varg recorded before his imprisonment in 1994, so I guess there's no surprise at all that it all went downhill from here on in. The song on this album are all quite long, with the shortest being just over seven minutes, and the longest being "Rundgang Um Die Transzendentale Säule Der Singularität", clocking at an impressive twenty-five minutes.

What makes this particular album special, though, is the uniquely divine sound, mostly due to the particular lo-fi production, which Varg insisted on creating. The ambient setting still to this day amazes me, and many listeners also, with the hazy soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms from the tremolo riffing, blast beats and synthesizers, which are captivating to say the least. The opening track "Dunkelheit" (originally titled "Burzum") is for me the standout track, especially for its opening melodic build-up, as well as the main riff and synth structure throughout, whereas "Jesu Død/Jesus' Tod", at over eight-and-a-half minutes, is primarily based on a single hypnotic riff, with very little variation. This may sound like a tediously repetitive concept, but there's something quite addictive about listening to it, as those hypnotic rhythms really capture you and draw you in deeper with each listen.



1997 - Dauði Baldrs


Dauði Baldrs is the first of Varg's releases for Burzum during his imprisonment. It's solely a dungeon synth-based record, and not one of his most memorable moments in all honesty, especially while following his greatest achievement, Filosofem. While in prison, Varg was unable to use instruments or recording equipment, so was limited to only a basic synthesizer and tape recorder, and thus Dauði Baldrs was his result. The album is basically a concept about the legacy of Baldr, the second son of Odin in Norse mythology, and the whole album is a lead up to Ragnarök, the battle at the end of the world in Norse mythology. The structure of the album itself is very simple, with the only real thing standing out for me being the melody on "Bálferð Baldr", which is literally the dungeon synth version of the main riff from "Jesus’ Tod" off of Filosofem.



1999 - Hliðskjálf


Swiftly moving on now to Burzum's sixth release, and his second to be recorded during his imprisonment. Much in the same case as the previous album Dauði Baldrs, Hliðskjálf was creating using only a basic synthesizer and tape recorder due to his imprisonment, in which he was only given one week to fully record the album. This album was never exactly a success due to the lack of facilities and limited time he had, although the whole ambience and synth work is a massive improvement over Dauði Baldrs, and some of the dungeon synth soundscapes would make for perfect background music in a fantasy RPG computer game.



2010 - Belus


Belus is Burzum's seventh release, after an eleven-year absence, and perhaps you could say a return to his old form following two mediocre releases. Originally to be named "The Return Of Baldur", Belus is themed around the ancient myths of the God Belus (Baldur), particularly his journey through the underworld and his return. Although a shadow of his pre-imprisonment material, Belus does contain some of the old former magic, with the structure from the synth work, tremolo riffing and hypnotic rhythms closely resembling that of Filosofem.

The album mainly consists of ambient instrumental tracks, but the hazy guitarwork is clearly present once again, and the lyrics were entirely written in Norwegian. The flow of the record itself is tremendous; however, as individual tracks it does very much lack in consistency, with only two tracks that really stand out for me. Those are "Belus Doed" ("Belus' Death"), with once again another similar melody and structure to "Jesus’ Tod" from Filosofem, and the epic atmospheric piece "Glemselens Elv" ("River Of Forgetfulness"), the longest track on the album at just shy of twelve minutes long, and clearly one of the more dynamic and melodious songs on the album.



2011 - Fallen


Fallen is the eighth release, and one that follows very much in the footsteps of Belus, with the melodies and structure of the tracks being very similar. Varg, however, did state that, although musically it takes after Belus, the sound and production style is more experimental, with the lyrics being almost back to basics, taking a more personal theme like that of the debut. So really you could say Fallen was a shot at creating something of Burzum's past whilst introducing present ideas. Sounds all fine and dandy; however, for many this did not entirely work to the effect Varg had initially intended. The production was different, sure, in the sense that it strayed away from the raw edgy sound to I guess a cleaner, more refined and classical approach, but musically the tracks fell into the trap of becoming stale and once again repetitive, and the album gave off the impression that Varg was beginning to run out of his magic.



2012 - Umskiptar


Umskiptar is the ninth release, with the title being the old Norse word for Metamorphosis. The album's lyrics are taken from the Old Norse poem Völuspá. Varg had initially described this release as going back to the traditional roots of black metal, with the lo-fi production and distorted guitar sound, referring to the style set around that of the debut, but also with a touch of Viking metal, paying homage to the likes of Viking-era Bathory and early Enslaved.

Although at first the music itself seems like a direct follow-up from Fallen, with much of the same melodies; there are a few new elements featured, the more extensive guitarwork being most noticeable, the acoustic and bass work in particular. However, the album is riddled with flaws, the first being the length, which wouldn't be so much of an issue if it didn't contain so much filler material, but this is certainly way too long. Something else that can't go unnoticed is just how few harsh vocals are present, but rather the use of spoken word instead, which does sound a little corny, and starts to get annoying over time, I have to admit. Overall, it's not one of his strongest releases, despite the effort put in, but I admit it's definitely a grower (if you have the patience level of a demonic saint, that is).



2013 - Sôl Austan, Mâni Vestan


Sôl Austan, Mâni Vestan (Old Norse for "East of the Sun, West of the Moon'') is the tenth release. Now this release is much like Dauði Baldrs and Hliðskjálf, meaning it's an instrumental synth-based album with hardly any black metal elements involved. The songs from this album were also used as the soundtrack for the film ForeBears, which was produced and directed by Vikernes and his wife.

Varg did state that this album was to be a combination of his former instrumental synth work, but with a strong influence of Tangerine Dream, which was made clear in the dreamy atmospheric soundscapes. This release is said to be one of the most disappointing in Burzum's discography, and it's not exactly hard to see why. It's very simple and minimalistic, and although there is a slight mystifying aura about the build-ups, there really isn't much more to find memorable.



2014 - The Ways Of Yore


The Ways Of Yore is the eleventh release, and retains the ambient feel and medieval music from the previous album Sôl Austan, Mâni Vestan; however, vocals are introduced on this record, which mostly consists of chanting and spoken word. The album contains several re-recorded versions from tracks off of previous albums, the first being "Emptiness", a version of "Tomhet'' from Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, as well as the track "To Hel And Back'', which is a version of "Til Hel Og Tilbake Igjen'' taken from the album Fallen.

The album has an ultra-calm ambient feel to it, with slow-building, repetitive synth structures; many synth melodies are similar-sounding to what you've heard on previous records. It seems by this stage in Varg's career he opted for meditation therapy music, rather than something metalheads would appreciate, but perhaps this is a new calmer side to Varg, as the music here is clearly mellower, with his former metal aggression being practically non-existent. Obviously, this style didn't suit everyone, especially fans of his original black metal material; the music is for most part is tedious, and if you’re not in the right mood emotionally, then it can actually be rather irritating background music.



2020 - Thulêan Mysteries


Thulêan Mysteries is Burzum's final release, and perhaps fans of his original black metal material might have been hoping for something along the lines of Filosofem; maybe his discography would end on a high after several disappointing releases, but no, instead Thulêan Mysteries is actually a double-sided album consisting of random tracks written and recorded by Varg since The Ways Of Yore: basically, leftover material. Again, this release, much like his previous records, contains re-recorded versions of tracks from past albums, the first being the track "The Loss Of Thulê", which is an alternative version of "The Crying Orc" from the debut, and also the track "Skin Traveller", another version of "Han Som Reiste" from Det Som Engang Var.

As stated by Varg himself, his true passion had never actually been music, but playing tabletop role-playing games, so Thulêan Mysteries is an album intended for the use of background music for his own MYFAROG (Mythic Fantasy Role-Playing Game), which I suppose sums up his intentions for his many ambient dungeon synth releases.




Now whether you love or loathe the guy (most understandably the latter), there is no denying the fact that Varg was one of the most important and influential figures in black metal history, as he helped kick start the notorious Norwegian black metal scene back in the early 90s. He experimented, developed and mastered a sound so unique that his music is still used as a template for black metal bands of today, and he has since become a meme for all things sinister and vile in the metal community, understandably. Through the music of his later releases, it seems the mad man had wanted to express the depths of how his emotional state had mellowed out somewhat, but most metalheads will always remember the music he brought to the metal world during the early 90s; for me, his pre-imprisonment material will stand the test of time, whether it's the music to your taste or not.






Written on 07.12.2022 by Feel free to share your views.


Comments

Comments: 22   Visited by: 237 users
07.12.2022 - 18:04
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
That day when I would see Burzum article, I never thought it will come
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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07.12.2022 - 18:33
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by Bad English on 07.12.2022 at 18:04

That day when I would see Burzum article, I never thought it will come

Is that because he is such a controversial character, or because half his music seemingly sucked

I actually quite admire him as a musician, mainly for his early black metal stuff. As a person and for what he did though is another story, so this article is just purposely to shred some light on his music career
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07.12.2022 - 20:51
Alakazam
spendin' cheese
Good shit, this and the Summoning one, with its unique Tolkien universe-derived narrative.

The last sentence says it all, Varg is the epitome of yolo that which many musicians secretly envy behind seething him.

Some people live life and some people live life through others because they’re too high inhibition to actually do anything in the real world.
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I may not have the largest collection but I certainly have the absolute best

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07.12.2022 - 22:04
MahoDM
Dumbass
Great stuff!
I think that people often judge Burzum albums by what they think about Varg. Imo only true metalheads are able to actually appreciate these works of art.
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07.12.2022 - 22:25
nikarg
Staff
Nice work, Andy! I agree with the ratings too, more or less. I would have included the Aske EP too, though; it is a very important release, and not just because of its cover art. I am pleasantly surprised that you appreciate Belus, since it's the only album worth listening/owning for me, among the ones released after Filosofem. Everything else is various grades of shit, really.

As for Varg, the man is clearly psychotic and pretty much a total asshole. However, he is cleverer than most of his contemporaries of that second wave, and an undoubtable pioneer. These first four albums are top-class.
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07.12.2022 - 22:45
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by nikarg on 07.12.2022 at 22:25

Nice work, Andy! I agree with the ratings too, more or less. I would have included the Aske EP too, though; it is a very important release, and not just because of its cover art. I am pleasantly surprised that you appreciate Belus, since it's the only album worth listening/owning for me, among the ones released after Filosofem. Everything else is various grades of shit, really.

As for Varg, the man is clearly psychotic and pretty much a total asshole. However, he is cleverer than most of his contemporaries of that second wave, and an undoubtable pioneer. These first four albums are top-class.

I agree that his first four albums are top-class and Belus is definitely the best release he did post Filosofem. I very nearly added Aske but didn't with it being an EP, but I undervalued it's importance and have now come to regret not featuring that now.
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07.12.2022 - 23:36
nikarg
Staff
Written by AndyMetalFreak on 07.12.2022 at 22:45

I very nearly added Aske but didn't with it being an EP, but I undervalued it's importance and have now come to regret not featuring that now.

If you want to write a small paragraph for Aske, send it over to me via PM. I will proofread it, and add it to your article.

But you don't have to; the article is great as it is. Congratulations!
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08.12.2022 - 06:40
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
I like his two prison albums, especially the sneeze album (the one that's not Daudi Baldrs). It's on my top hundred list.
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"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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08.12.2022 - 08:35
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by M C Vice on 08.12.2022 at 06:40

I like his two prison albums, especially the sneeze album (the one that's not Daudi Baldrs). It's on my top hundred list.

I'm glad you like that one, I know the prison era album's aren't to most people's taste, but they are altogether different, you have to understand aswel that he only had a basic synthesizer and tape recorder to work with, and wasn't allowed instruments of aby kind, which was understandable because he was serving his time. I guess he was lucky to even have that at his disposal.
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08.12.2022 - 08:45
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Aske EP added
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10.12.2022 - 19:01
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
It would be foolish to deny the sheer amount of influence Burzum has over black metal. It was one of the first black metal project I became obsessed over. It's also fascinating because he is most likely the entry point for many metalheads when it comes to the issue of "separating the art from the artist". Fact is: The guy is fucking nuts. He also happens to have made good music in the past. To put his current self on a pedestal is laughable though. That being said, this is my quick take on his works:

Burzum/Aske: Good but not great. I can see how the rawness and inventive-at-the-time songwriting really makes people love this album but I can't dismiss the fact that some ections are poorly thought out. The vocals in particular can get very goofy. "War" is a track people like to not mention out loud becaue it's simply ridiculous in its performance. "The Crying Orc" is not too far off either. But then you get real jewels like "Black Spell Of Destruction" (which ha been covered to death by many black metal bands), "My Journey To The Stars" and "A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit". This type of tracks are truly groungbreaking for the DSBM. But I gotta say: He will do better. I give it a 3 or a 3,5 out of 5 depending of my mood

Det Som Engang Var: This is when things get interesting. Varg messed up by having a bit too much ambient and not too well merged with the black metal but it is an intriguing release nontheless and track like "Key To The Gate" and "Lost Wisdom" are marvelous. It' jut a bit too instrumental. It feels like a constant interlude. Still great though. Solid 3,5. Love the bass on "Snu Mikrokosmos Tegn" btw.

Hvis Lyset Tar Oss: The goooooooooood shit. Your writing sums it up perfectly. About a 4,5 as well. The drumming that kicks in on Det Som Engang Var excites me the fuck up, man. Fucking incredible opener.

Filosofem: There is so much to love about this album. But I'm always pissed when people don't mention the obvious. Sure, the first 4 tracks are MINDBLOWING. But after that half-hour you get the bullshit that are the last two tracks. Look, I'm a huge fan of ambient and dungeon synth. But there is no way a track like "Rundgang Um Die Transzendentale Säule Der Singularität" has to be THAT long. I actually listened to the album a few days ago just to check again if it really works. I think it would have had more of an impact if it was around the 15 min mark in the same way as "Tomhet" from the previous album. You can have the same elements and textures for less running time. "Gebrechlichkeit II" is not much different because there are way too few difference from "Gebrechlichkeit I". This time it is instrumental and there is less distortion on it. I think this album would have worked SOOOO much better if "Rundgang" wa about 10-15 mins shorter and after it you get a "Gebrechlichkeit" track that merges both versions as a closer. It would have made the album about 15 min shorter and with far better consistency in its quality. I have to take a holistic approach to this album. I'd say it take down at last one star and leaves it at a solid 4. One thing though: "Rundgang" works surprisingly well if you are doing mundane shit like grocery shopping. Seriously recommended!!

Dauði Baldrs & Hliðskjálf: Aaaaaaaaaaand this is where people will tell me I'm nuts. I actually really like these two albums. Specially Dauði Baldrs. It was around the time I did a lot of gaming so it really matched the atmosphere. I will give them both a solid 3 personally. And I want to add that the two albums Sôl Austan, Mâni Vestan and The Ways Of Yore fucking SUCK. I'd give them 1 star to both. They are waaaaay to meandering and rely too much on a constant ambient drone that inflates the albums too much. Dauði Baldrs and Hliðskjálf by comparison have ACTUAL songs on them. That's why they are vastly superior imo.

I must admit that I have not dived too much on the Belus/Fallen/Umskiptar period. Why? Because I found it derivate as hell. Old Burzum and all the bands Varg influenced ended up doing much better. I do need to relisten to this period though because I want to give it an honest chance. But it feels so underwhelming specially with the vocals. I'd give an overall 2 stars to all of them.

Thulêan Mysteries was intereting as it gave a similar vibe to his first two dungeon synth albums but it is waaaaay too long. If it had been 40 min it would have been a 3 for me. but hey, I'm a sucker for a lot of dungeon synth sooooo...

___________


EXCELLENT article, man! It is a tough band to write about but you truly did it justice: Balancing the greatness of the band with the shitty nature of the artist.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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10.12.2022 - 19:44
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by X-Ray Rod on 10.12.2022 at 19:01



EXCELLENT article, man! It is a tough band to write about but you truly did it justice: Balancing the greatness of the band with the shitty nature of the artist.

Thanks so much for your feedback and I totally agree with you on "Rundgang um die transzendentale Säule der Singularität", that track was way longer than necessary, but does make for excellent background music when out doing shopping or something like that.

I went into this article expecting some people to be puzzled as to why I'm giving Varg any justice at all? To most of us he doesn't deserve the time of day, let alone a getting Into article, but Burzum was one of my first introductions into extreme metal just over ten years ago, when I decided to take a chance by delving into Norwegian black metal.

I always remember the first time I listened to Hvis Lyset Tar Oss and thinking wow I've never heard anything like this before and was so amazed by it, so next was Filosofem and that album still gives me goosebumps now over ten years later. I grew fond of his music regardless of his background and history and had followed his work right up to the end.

I admit his later releases were a shadow of his early work in terms of quality, but his a prime example of a musician who reinvented his style without a care in the world of what people thought, so that is at least one thing I ought to respect him for.
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12.12.2022 - 00:35
Aries Rising
Great article, however I am going to state that Filosofem is one of the most overrated albums in all of black metal.
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12.12.2022 - 11:29
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by Aries Rising on 12.12.2022 at 00:35

Great article, however I am going to state that Filosofem is one of the most overrated albums in all of black metal.

Thanks and it's completely understandable why you consider Filosofem overrated, I've always thought of it as a classic love or hate album, it clicked with me instantly after my first listen, but then I've known people who have listened to it over and over to try and get something out of it, and have been unable too.
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18.12.2022 - 23:03
Alakazam
spendin' cheese
Written by Aries Rising on 12.12.2022 at 00:35

Great article, however I am going to state that Filosofem is one of the most overrated albums in all of black metal.

Took me a decade after earning its influencers to come back and be woke by it. Then again, it makes sense that one prime, continual aspect I loved about Burzum was that they were introducing me to a huge variety of new sounds. Be it the black beating ambiance in Hvis, the time-testing drone in Filosofem, and the extremely pitched dungeon synths in Hlidskjalf. It was all new to me.

Not even Bathory, Mayhem, and Darkthrone combined come near to the amount of inspiration that stems from what Burzum has made for other artists. He's indefinitely the most influential black metal artist. Sure you have worshippers of certain sounds made like your Summonings and Dissections however Burzum's inspiration has spanned across several outside metal genres (strictly speaking) to the point of being a global span in how metal genres sound.
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I may not have the largest collection but I certainly have the absolute best

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19.12.2022 - 00:16
nikarg
Staff
Written by Alakazam on 18.12.2022 at 23:03

Not even Bathory, Mayhem, and Darkthrone combined come near to the amount of inspiration that stems from what Burzum has made for other artists. He's indefinitely the most influential black metal artist. Sure you have worshippers of certain sounds made like your Summonings and Dissections however Burzum's inspiration has spanned across several outside metal genres (strictly speaking) to the point of being a global span in how metal genres sound.

Bathory is the beginning of it all. Everyone admits it. Those of us who actually lived it, as well as the ones who didin't.
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19.12.2022 - 00:31
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Written by nikarg on 19.12.2022 at 00:16

Bathory is the beginning of it all. Everyone admits it. Those of us who actually lived it, as well as the ones who didin't.

Well, if we're talking black metal or extreme metal in general, my vote goes to Mercyful Fate for starting it all
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19.12.2022 - 01:46
nikarg
Staff
Written by F3ynman on 19.12.2022 at 00:31

Well, if we're talking black metal or extreme metal in general, my vote goes to Mercyful Fate for starting it all

I am with you all the way in terms of how influential Mercyful Fate were. However, the first black metal album of all time is The Return. The whole second wave, including Varg and subsequently Burzum, were dedicating their night time prayers to Quorthon. And quite rightly so.
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19.12.2022 - 04:46
Aries Rising
Written by Alakazam on 18.12.2022 at 23:03

Written by Aries Rising on 12.12.2022 at 00:35

Great article, however I am going to state that Filosofem is one of the most overrated albums in all of black metal.

Took me a decade after earning its influencers to come back and be woke by it. Then again, it makes sense that one prime, continual aspect I loved about Burzum was that they were introducing me to a huge variety of new sounds. Be it the black beating ambiance in Hvis, the time-testing drone in Filosofem, and the extremely pitched dungeon synths in Hlidskjalf. It was all new to me.

Not even Bathory, Mayhem, and Darkthrone combined come near to the amount of inspiration that stems from what Burzum has made for other artists. He's indefinitely the most influential black metal artist. Sure you have worshippers of certain sounds made like your Summonings and Dissections however Burzum's inspiration has spanned across several outside metal genres (strictly speaking) to the point of being a global span in how metal genres sound.

Maybe that is why I dislike it. I prefer the preceding albums over this and the styles they encapsulate. But I 100% agree with you on the influence of Burzum and Filosofem on not just on Black Metal but on several extreme metal genres that developed around the same time and afterwards.
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19.12.2022 - 05:35
no one
Filosofem is the first dsbm album
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19.12.2022 - 08:30
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
I think all the first wave black metal bands contributed somewhat, Venom and Celtic Frost along with Mercyful Fate introduced Satatanic lyrical themes, Mercyful Fate also introduced Corpse paint and theatrical stage displays, but Bathory took to a whole new level in terms of musical style, he pulled away from the more traditional thrash and heavy metal approach, introducing more extreme elements to his style, particularly with his lo-fi no-nonsense raw sound, so undoubtedly Quorthon's Bathory was the strongest major influence for me.

As for the second wave Darkthrone has a huge influence on how black metal sounds today, but Burzum was the most important for me, as he expanded the genre to new horizons. Because of Burzum's influence you now have DSBM, ambient, atmospheric black metal and dungeon synth.

I admire each and every band that has had some degree of influence towards the black metal genre
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19.12.2022 - 21:28
Alakazam
spendin' cheese
Written by nikarg on 19.12.2022 at 00:16

Written by Alakazam on 18.12.2022 at 23:03

Not even Bathory, Mayhem, and Darkthrone combined come near to the amount of inspiration that stems from what Burzum has made for other artists. He's indefinitely the most influential black metal artist. Sure you have worshippers of certain sounds made like your Summonings and Dissections however Burzum's inspiration has spanned across several outside metal genres (strictly speaking) to the point of being a global span in how metal genres sound.

Bathory is the beginning of it all. Everyone admits it. Those of us who actually lived it, as well as the ones who didin't.

A select few honestly care about Bathory anymore. I mean by who has the vast number of inspirers by each said artist. None of them come anywhere close to such genre-making, ground-laying universal impact.
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I may not have the largest collection but I certainly have the absolute best

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