Burzum – Belus

Morgenroede + Belus' Tilbakekomst (Konklusjon) is an unforgettable serie (18 mns +).

After so many time Varg has certainly transformed himself into a living obsession, this is patented through "Belus". This is an album that becomes as an amalgam from his masterpiece "Filosofem" in a way, sort of a recurring nightmare compiling his old compulsive ideas presented there full of repetitive riffs and ever looping atmosphere of raw reverb coming from the arpegiated tremolo,back then it sounded fabulous but today maybe it just shows as a curious symptom, a decadent symbol. It is as if he never grew up musically, getting stagnated into the past and only getting rid of minor details in order to sound "new". It also partially defines his tendency. We can see Black metal elements that evidence his past but there is also some other fragments inscribed into this album that somehow shows Burzum as a vile mix of Indie Pop and tribal music disguised behind the so called Metal aesthetic. A mesmeric journey of rutilant guitar atmospherics and virulent buzzing that has the juvenile enchant of a 90 year old. Take for example "Kaimadalthas' Nedstigning", it sounds as some kind of 90s Grundge band mixed with a dose of psychedelics and shaked in the motor of some bastardized mid tempo Black metal , this is simply hillarious. And "Sverddans" along with "Keliohesten" sounds as some unknown Thrash metal band from the 80s playing elemental hooks aimlessly trying to convince with its caveman punch. There is some magic on the album that makes it special at least for someone that is not merely impressed by the mongoloid reputation from Varg. The first two songs are awesome. Even though this songs are dig ups from "Filosofem" both atmospherically and harmonically are very well constructed and appeals to create a vigorous atmosphere of hypnotic beauty after a while, this is simply Varg's obsession exposed, nothing else. Last two tracks retain this same direction and sums up a decent album. Far from been groundbreaking, just decent, theres brilliant moments but also absolutely lousy ones that if not saved by the good organization of the tracks would have ruined the album into a completely forgetable piece. Times has changed, Varg remains in the 90s.

I have written a very innacurate review a while ago wich had to be substituted after further listening to Belus, it was a rather positive review than the following I gotta say.. but well, here is it:

I have been a huge fan of the guy since the first days, I have even tattooed a huge fucking "Filosofem" in my right forearm about 10 years ago, from elbow to hand, yeah, I was crazy to Burzum music for a long time, so of course when the new album came out I was very anxious but somehow I knew there was a possibility it couldnt be as good or better then his original material and at first it almost got me to think it was a good album indeed, but it's not...

This is a classic Burzum album BUT without the energy, soul and aesthetic peculiarities of the past. Without the chaos, the anger, without the grit, without the real sadness of a pure spirit, without the bad guitar, bad amp, bad mic and old fuzz pedal, without all the beautiful recording/production mistakes of an innocent yet very honest approach ..

This album actually is very boring if you let me be honest, and even though u dont listen the "bad sound" of the past it does sound even worse by sounding simply "good", Belus sound very clear, very compressed and dry (lacks effects processing aka reverbs, delays, analog distortion, etc.), it sounds software you know? Sounds digital in a boring fashion like if it was a recording project of a recently 1 year Audio Engineer course grad, there is no personality in the production of this songs. Absolutely 2 dimensioned.
In of arrangement, the drums are terribly programmed still but now it really takes more of your attention, why? because the mix is very clean , so you actually listen to much of that boring, repetitive and shy drum set.
The guitars also sound very uninteresting, totally over compressed, lacks processing and a more creative and edgy overall mix.
He changed his vocal timbre too, what's presented in Belus vocally is a rather softer version of Varg screaming wich is not necesseraly bad, but I would process it a bit or mix it differently , again, trying to get a better spot in the mix.
And where are the keyboards?? I have always enjoyed his Casio CZ sounds and field recordings, who didnt right?? So tripping! Well it's gone, why? no clue! (Unless you think the few seconds bouncing delayed ping pong of an intro is relevant, wich I obviously disagree..)
But hey I like some of his harmonies and riffs ok, wich makes me think most of his tracks could have been very good tracks with a more creative recording/production ideal.
Perhaps he rushed to much to release this, perhaps he just did it for the buck or he is still "inside" mentally, I dont have a clue, perhaps Varg will need some time to get his things together as a relevant artist for this new era of computer music. I truelly hope so, because as my arm tattoed tells me everyday at the mirror, Burzum is part of me and I dont really want to start regreting my homage because of the worst intro ever , lazy drum programming and a boring "Garage Band" mix..
If Varg reads this, I guess no other worshiper has told you, but I think you must raise your musical skills and musical knowledge a bit, this new time asks us artists to be more complex, you must evolve, just as Filosofem did perfectly after Hvis Lyset, you must evolve and if you cannot get the same sound of your past , because you dont know how (very common to millions of musicians in their late 30's) or dont have the equipment, or your producer is an idiot , dont try it, do something else, I thought you would not be doing anymore metal anyway, but if you decide to go back to electronic music again, dont you dare do it like Mortiis or IT are doing, that is disgracefull! I personally recommend you better reference , listen to some of the great masters of electronic music for a change (both academic like Xenakis, Bayle, Ligetti, Stockhausen, Steve Reich and non academic comtenporaries like Aphex Twin, Autechre, Boards Of Canada, Fennesz, Tim Hecker, Alva Noto) so you have a better grasp of what could you be doing in the future with your project, what I mean is, as a suggestion, you have just 2 ways of being (as Pierre Boulez would have said) "relevant" in our times , you either blend your old sound, personally I suggest the Filosofem sound with some fancy "programming" electronica (You should learn the musical programming language Pure Data imho!) or you go really back to basics and record your stuff with vintage / old equipment and avoid software mixing , unless its done by a real professional with a good grasp of who you are and who knows perhaps all of the sudden you might be really relevant again as an artist in this new world and in our lives. Until then, Belus shows me you are 2/5 in 2010!

p.s: Hope I have not been to hard on it! ;)

Seth