Det Som Engang Var [Import]

Burzum | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 14, 1997)
• Format: Import
• Label: Misanthropy Records
• ASIN: B00000DFKE
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,351,147 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Den Onde Kysten

2. Key to the Gate

3. En Ring Til AA Herske

4. Lost Wisdom

5. Han Som Reiste

6. Naar Himmelen Klarner

7. Snu Mikrokosmos Tegn

8. Svart Troner

Editorial Reviews

1992 album for the Norwegian metal act. Eight tracks.Misanthropy Records. Digipak. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No one writes music like this anymore., February 27, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Det Som Engang Var (Audio CD)

This is a black metal masterpiece from Burzum, quite possibly Count Grishnackh's best work, but Hvis Lyset Tar Oss and Filosofem are just as good. Varg Vikernes is an absolute muscial genius, what he does outside of that is under serious question. But that's besides the point, Det Som Engang Var expresses so much beauty hidden inside the obvious anguish and anger by Varg himself. He's a very talented guitarist and almost sings with it, his emotions are let out just as effectively on the 6-string as with his loud-shriek, pain-filled vocals.

The fact that Count Grishnackh does the production and all the instruments are further proof of his musical mastery of the genre. If he kept his anger in check and not do outrageous things like burn down churhes and kill someone he could have been BIG. Music this angry, beautiful and most importantly, well-done would not go unnoticed. This is just an amazing album, I can't praise this enough. Bathory, Mayhem, Emperor and Darkthrone are all excellent black metal bands, but Burzum is quite possibly the most important band in black metal history.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sheer Genius, Varg has mastered his art with this one!, April 2, 2005

By 

Darkened Puissance "At the Height of Beauty" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Det Som Engang Var (Audio CD)

The Burzum/Ask EP is far less musically and conceptually advanced in comparison to this album. I own both and have for a while, but Det Som Engang Var, tops the debut. There is no gauge for the mastery of the mood, that is what primarily sticks out between the two albums. In the debut Varg uses very low quality musicianship, i love it still however, and he does a lot of switching between minor and major chord systems; this produces a noticeable shift in moods, and in fact he uses more major than minor which is dissapointing to say the least. However, in Det... he has almost completely mastered the sustenance of the mood. There is much less major chord usage, and far more minor chord, not only usage but progressions taking the music out of the previous album's minimilistic properties somewhat. Burzum still remains minimilist to the definition of the term on this album, but the drums are more varied, the guitar takes on beautiful mourning melodies, and as usual the vocals are the epitome of torture. This album is a much better listen, and retains more sophisticated atmospheric elements. I do not discredit Burzum's debut however, that is an essential for any BM fan.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ambient mastery shrouded in darkness, July 24, 2004

By 

Hellforge (brooklyn, ny United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Det Som Engang Var (Audio CD)

Burzum is a now infamous old black metal band, headed by the equally legendary Varg Vikernes.
This early album contains pieces of music similar to the black metal of the day, every instrument radiating a sort of hatred and evil the first bands tried to capture. However there are many pieces similar to Burzum's later work, ambient and artistic.
The vocals are inadible screams. The guitars slowly change and morph riffs into deeper and darker sounds than they originally were. This creates a very atmospheric work of music, different than the more brutal bands like darkthrone or marduk, but the climate alone on this cd gives it a place in black metal music history.