Burzum: Huis Lyset Tar Oss
Before getting thrown in prison for killing someone, the Count was hard at work creating dark Black Metal.
This albums cover really does kick arse with some of the most dark and traumatising Nordic Artwork. The music is also very dark indeed. Charecterised by highly distorted guitars, satanistic screams and arse-kicking drums, Burzum certainly is quite a talented young chap..
The tracks are basically pretty simple, but because this music is so original and dark the length of the songs and simplicity turn each track into a bit of an experience. Sudden drum tempo changes and chord changes are what you end up waiting for when you listen to Burzum for a long time. The album is basically split into two parts- the first three tunes are extreme metal epics, the first lenghty tune uses gentle and mellow keyboards to slowly submerge you in extreme grinding guitars. The next two tracks get even more hardcore , the tempo and the extremity building on their predecessors, with possibly Burzums finest vocal performance, the vocals are like a huge diseased bird screeching. The second part is the last track, and electronic voyage into the trippychilled mellow side of Burzum.
This is very powerful music - just like Filosofem. This album is possibly a little more powerful, with Filosofem being a little bit more 'tripped out in a dungeon sort of way'. Certainly not an album for the weak.
If you are at all false, do not approach this album - for you will be too pussy.
Now this is fuckin' metal. Produced while in prison, this is a solo performance of the ultimate standards. Referring to himself as Count Grishnak, he was placed in Prison in Norway for the maximum number of years possible in Norway for the murder of Euronymous. He still makes metal, and I bet you've never heard anything like this before!
Distortion is the name of Burzum's game. The vocals sound like they've been put through a metal grinder, and the guitars are severely overdriven. Melodies are simple, but highly effective, keeping the listener waiting for the change of chord. 'Erblicket die Thochter des Firmaments' (track 3) is the best track on the album, and probably one of the best metal tracks of all time. Vocals grate out throughout the album, the only ones we've deciphered audibly are the words "Where is reality…", though even this may be a trick of the mind since no mention of these words can be found in the lyric booklet…
This isn't metal in the conventional sense - it's more a weird mash of some of the noises associated with black metal. It's not fast. It's just slow to progress. But this is a configuration that does work. This is the album which is most repeatedly played by many of the people I know. The only complaint I've got, is that some of the tracks tend to go on for far to long. On the other hand, this album certainly has passed the test of time, so maybe it doesn't go on long enough…
Special Link: WWW.BURZUM.COM - seems to be the place to check out dashit!
