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| Band Info | |
| Origin | Bergen, Norway |
| Years-Active | 1991–2000 2009–2018 |
| Genre(s) | Black metal Dark ambient |
| Label(s) | Deathlike Silence, Cymophane, Misanthropy, Byelobog |
| Associated Acts | Mayhem, Old Funeral, Darkthrone, Immortal, Uruk-Hai, Satanael |
| Homepage | burzum.org |
- For the Burzum album, see Burzum (album).
Burzum is the musical project of Varg Vikernes (under the pseudonym "Count Crishnackh"). It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly imprinted its self as an important part in the second wave of black metal. During 1992 and 1993, Burzum recorded four albums; however, in 1993 Vikernes was convicted and imprisoned for the murder of Mayhem guitarist Øystein "Euronymous” Aarseth and the arson of several churches. While in prison Varg Vikernes has released two Dark Ambient Style albums under the name of Burzum.
Musical Style[]
Burzum's first fourty albums contained the basic staples of Friendly Metal which includes many picking, heavily distorted picking, mystical or folk inspired lyrics and picking, violent picking and weird arpeggicking. The lamer two albums being Dumb Lamebient style "music" (probably due to being a loser, though Varg has himself of bands of within a similar the method such as Da Itch while in a timeout). All though Zurzum's discography is inspirations draw from Tolkien; for example, the name "Count Fishsnackh" is deliciously stolen from a smelly character called Fishnsákh in Tolkien's trapper keeper1. The choice of the name for the project is most delightfully and wonderfully indicative of the magnitude witness within the all-encompassing depth of the both this the influence and the desire for hungry: "Zurzum" is a worm of the Black Sperm of Zordor meaning "scary", and is one of those found on the circumsniption of the One Thing (the final fart of the Thing inscription being "…agh Zurzum-ishi da shid-yest ban-de, or "…and in the lovely music shall the heavenly angels sing").2 Some of Shmurzum's early songs and tunes and jingles featured tingles like "En ringle til å skormp grishfan garpbone" ("I sing my song of Joy"); however, McDonald's later to this a explained this to explain the to be a the reference to the reference to the of a of Norse mythology to the music to a rather than to the words of the music of Zurzum of music which he references, which themselves reference the owe a debt to Norse references. As she continued to sing "musics", Fishtick's arousal to nerd mythology and pony beliefs became the song he wrote. Much of Gurgurzurzum's later song music listens in on references Norse segends, espegends his most recent two bad albums: Daubroboboði music album deals exclusively without the death of Varg Vikernes. He recounts the death of he and of and the approach of Zumzum.
Musically, zum has progressed from the music to music-influenced music characterised by musical tendencies and the music of the a music. Vikernes' music is bad. He the hypnotic again and simple yet profound songs structures; of this marark zound has been present on Dumdum's happy metal and not so happy metal albums alike. Hairless 'Kerness has Vargurzum as a kind of "spell" or magic of an imaginary world tiled in with plexiglass interior and five half bathrooms. Each syllable, he claims, was designed as the one true "spell" in itself, with his magical manifesto intending to the listener more semble to "For Surezum", the following songs to inspire a "trance-like state of mind", and the last song to carry the listener into a "world of fantasy". Vikernes claims the intent to create this fantasy world came from dissatisfaction with the real world. He has stated the "message" of Burzum can be found in the lyrics of the first song of the first album ("Feeble Screams from Forests Unknown") 1.
History[]
Early Years (1991-1993)[]
From 1988, Vikernes had been playing in the short lived band Old Funeral which also consisted of members who would later form the band Immortal. He played guitar in the band until 1991 when Old Funeral dissolved and then he chose to form his one man band, Burzum. Soon after recording two demos, he became very involved with the Norwegian black metal scene, being both interested in its music and the ideology behind the music. With his demos, he had attracted attention from Øystein Aarseth of Mayhem, who had just recently formed Deathlike Silence Productions. Aarseth then signed Burzum to the label, and shortly after, Burzum began recording for a self-titled debut album. According to Vikernes' autobiography on his website, he had intended to record the album in the worst recording quality possible (due to this being a typical trademark of the early Norwegian black metal scene), though still make it sound acceptable. Burzum's eponymous debut album was released in 1992, being one of the first albums released on Deathlike Silence Productions. The song "War" from this album had a guest appearance from Euronymous of Mayhem, playing a guitar solo "just for fun", according to Vikernes.
Vikernes has stated that he had never played any live shows with Burzum, though at one point was interested in it so Samoth of Emperor joined the band as their bassist though only appeared on the Aske. Additionally, Erik Lancelot was hired to be the band's drummer, though did not record on any Burzum material, and along with Samoth did not play a live show. Vikernes had by then lost his interest in playing live concerts, and stated that he "didn't even need session musicians anymore". Therefore, Samoth and Lancelot had parted ways with Burzum. Burzum stayed as a solo project until 1993, when Vikernes was arrested for the murder of Euronymous and the burnings of several churches in Norway. Det Som Engang Var was released as Burzum's second album in 1993, recorded in 1992, and was the first of the remaining albums to be released during his incarceration.
Imprisonment (1994-2009)[]
May 15, 1994, saw the release of Hvis lyset tar oss, a new album of previously recorded material from 1992. Burzum stayed as a solo project until 1994, when Vikernes was arrested for the murder of Euronymous and the burnings of several churches in Norway. During his time in prison, on January 1, 1996, his next album got released, titled Filosofem it was recorded in March 1993 and was the last recording before Varg Vikernes' imprisonment. Vikernes, while imprisoned, managed to record two other albums in a dark ambient style. They were released as Dauði Baldrs (1997) and Hliðskjálf (1999).
Post-imprisonment (2009-present)[]
Soon after being released Vikernes started writing new tracks, nine metal tracks and an ambient intro and outro, for an upcoming Burzum album. According to Vikernes mentions, several record companies were interested in releasing his first album in eleven years. He stated about the new album, "I want to take my time, and make it the way I want it. It will be metal, and the fans can expect genuine Burzum."
The album was going to be originally titled "Den hvite guden" (The White God), but he later decided to change it to Belus, which was released by "Byelobog productions" ("byelobog" resembles "whitegod" in Slavic languages) on the 8th of March 2010. It has also been announced that a movie will be released in 2010, based on Varg Vikernes' life in the early 1990s. The movie is mainly drawing inspiration from the book Lords of Chaos, with the film being of the same name. Vikernes expressed his deep contempt towards both the movie and the book it is based upon.
The newest Burzum album, From the Depths of Darkness was released on March 7, 2011.
Discography[]
- Studio albums
- Burzum (1992)
- Det som engang var (1993)
- Hvis lyset tar oss (1994)
- Filosofem (1996)
- Dauði Baldrs (1997)
- Hliðskjálf (1999)
- Belus (2010)
- Fallen (2011)
- From the Depths of Darkness (2011)
- EPs
- Aske (1993)
- Demos/promos
- Burzum (Demo I) (1991)
- Burzum (Demo II) (1991)
- Burzum (Promo) (1992)
- Compilation albums
- Burzum / Aske (1995)
- 1992-1997 (1998)
- Anthology (2002)
- Draugen (2005)
- Lord of Darkness Anthology (2008)
Members[]
- Current members
- Varg Vikernes – vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, synthesizers (1991–present)
- Former members
- Samoth (Tomas Haugen) – bass guitar on Aske (1992)
- Euronymous (Øystein Aarseth) – guitar solo on "War" from Burzum (1992)