Customer Reviews

Filosofem

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have such reverence for this album that it feels like arrogant presumption to even talk about it and judging it seems to be blind hubris. One thing is for sure: Filosofem ("The Philosophy") defined contemporary black metal by blatantly ignoring the rubrics, limitations and "rules" that had come before it and truly maturing the genre as a diverse artform. Before Filosofem most black metal sounded similar, explored similar lyrical motifs and avoided incorporating elements from other genres, after Filosofem black metal became a spirit rather than a rule-bound scene, a spirit which permeates every release but does not restrict the music technically. In essence Filosofem signaled the death knell of "true" black metal and gave birth to post-Black Metal.

Instead of having a fixed toolset to work with, Filosofem introduced the notion that the true black metal artist should use whatever he can to express the feeling of dread, isolation and misery he is overcome with - inspiring contemporary bands like Deathspell Omega, Diabolical Masquerade, Astrofaes, Leviathan, Xasthur and Blut Aus Nord to incorporate experimental, introspective movements within their work which during the time before Filosofem would have been considered pretentious at best, and at worst, a betrayal of the "true" meaning of black metal.

Filosofem ignored the restrictive boundaries and formula of prior black metal and presented a very personal, existential philosophy on life - expressed musically in a novel way. Here we see the introduction of the heavily distorted, maddened, desperate style of vocals, the complex layering of complicated guitar riffs to create the illusion of chaos, the slow heartbeat style of drumming used as a bassline to give a song an immediate contemplative effect, introspective melodies choked by dry, scratching riffing, the introduction of industrial instruments to accomplish emotional effects, highly personal stream of consciousness lyrics rather than punk inspired, macho, silly Satan worship, and finally, and perhaps most novel: completely throwing out formulaic song structures, constructing songs as to express a philosophy or idea rather than to merely "rock out" at a concert, constructing entire tracks around ambient noise and droning, austere, mind provoking, minimalistic melodies.

In essence Filosofem introduced the idea of a personal project that wasn't meant to be played live, that wasn't trying to prove anything to anyone, that was created in a way that most clearly expresses a philosophy for means of meditation and reflection. Many "solo" black metal bands emerged after the advent of Filosofem as men found it an ideal method of expression without pretending to be a rock star, or suiting themselves to the puerile expectations of others. Today Varg Vikernes remains an especially aloof, erudite, thoughtful man who still holds to the notion that Burzum was created for his own good, not the entertainment of others, and especially not for purposes of fame or gold; at most the music is offered in hopes of sharing insights gained, in darkness and in hardship. Fame, roadies, intoxication and the whole "scene" which accompanies music is worthless for Varg, and he showed others soon to form solo projects that it was capable to express oneself honestly, and in whatever way is best (meaning: no limitations), without needing to feel shame. This sort of integrity is known only to good philosophers and the method to which Varg created his music is still imitated today as good philosophers still imitate the Socratic Method.

Filosofem is a profound, moving experience that is crucial listening for those seeking an examination of the human spirit.

This is the last Burzum album that is metal, with the next two being dark ambient recorded in his jail cell. While those are good, they don't have the same impact as his metal albums and in particular, this one. This was released while he was in jail and he says he has never heard the final master of it (he has later explained why he said that) but it is perfect. A lot of people like to complain about the sound, saying it is horrible and that any atmosphere is lost due to it, but that is simply untrue. Any real black metal fan knows that production like this only ENHANCES the atmosphere to even greater proportions. While Varg may not be the most talented musician in the world, his knack for songwriting and mesmerizing passages are one of a kind. Just listen to the first track, Dunkelheit, and tell me it is not brilliant.

This album consists of 4 metal tracks and 2 ambient ones, the last two being ambient, and even more, the last track is the ambient version of track 4.

1. Dunkelheit (Darkness) - metal
2. Jesus' Tod (The Death of Jesus) - metal
3. Erblicket Die Töchter Des Firmaments (Beholding the Daughters of the Firmament) - metal
4. Gebrechlichkeit I (Decrepitude I) - metal
5. Rundgang Um Die Transzendentale Säule Der Singularität (Travelling Between the Transcendental Pillars of Singularity, or something like that. My German is not too good) - ambient
6. Gebrechlichkeit II (Decrepitude II) - ambient

With that said, the metal songs themselves are really Ambient Black Metal because they entrance you and provide wondeful soundscapes. Every track on here is amazing, even the 25 minute track 5, which works even if it is only the same 6 notes being played over and over again. Listen to this in the dark and let your mind wander far off into the distant mountains and forests. The repetition each song presents is never boring, but mesmerizing and captivates you and pulls you into its dark lair. Listening to these songs, it's like you are dreaming, dreaming something cold and sorrowful, then you awake to find yourself amidst a nighttime forest filled with all the creatures that the night brings.

Varg was/is a master of composing beautiful melodies and epic black metal and turning everything upside down in the process, making everything you think you know about black metal irrelevant. If you can buy only one album, let it be this one and discover the secrets of the universe in the process...

P.S. To everyone who takes sides with Euronymous and Varg. Can't you just enjoy both bands?

A guy complained about the production ruining the music. I don't think so in this case, it works fine. Burzum has other releases where the production truly is quite (bad), like the aske/self titled. I think his statemenst would make more sense in that context.

As for the music/album, I'd say Varg has made a beautiful and personal album, his melodies touch on odd emotions that are carried throughout, his songwriting is fine that doesn't really stick to a particular bm aesthetic though it does have that vibe. I can't complain. It's a contemplative album that tells plenty about the guy who wrote it if you're willing to pay attention to detail. Lots of people try to create black metal that is 'true' and 'kvlt', whatever the that is they miss the point of making music(although I do enjoy a good homage to a particular sound). Regardless of who he killed and what he burned, this guy made honest music and it's pretty darned listenable. This actually sounds like it came from one mind, one musician, with no other members to contribute their misinterpretations of what Varg was after. The album runs the gamut of emotions from dark, brooding, sorrowful, introspective, reflective, contemplative, odd melancholy, and the serenity of being completely alone, lost in the wonders of drifting thought uninterrupted. It's a very human album, if you ask me and I don't think I've really heard anything as personal as this, save maybe stuff like Hank Williams Sr or Today is the Day. In a word, it's unique and pretty good too.

I recommend it, but surely you're not clueless as to what this sort of stuff is.

Filosofem isn't merely an album, but a disturbing journey into the mind of Vark Vikernes. Which each track, he evokes more emotion than I could ever tell you with words. The Black Metal songs on this release are arguably his best...from the slow, meandering "Dunkelheit (Burzum)" to the faster & unbelievably eerie "Jesus' Tod", Varg shows us a new meaning to the term Black Metal. Aside from the 3 BM songs, the rest of the CD is filled with twisted Ambient. Some noisy...distorted guitars & rasping vocals, to the 25 minute keyboard song which has only one melody all the way through (absolutely the best meditation track I have ever heard in my life). As the reviewer before me said, if you don't like Burzum, you don't like Black Metal.

Filosofem lies on the most chaotic and turbulent era in Varg's career, and rather than reflect the chaotic horror of a mind of a man who has just murdered someone it rather reflects the sedated mourning voice of someone being punished for their beliefs. Yet rather than go out with a whimper of fatalistic anguish, Filosofem reflects Varg's dark promise that his soul and vision will haunt us long after he's been sent to the grave.
Filosofem is like a witch's last words before death, a downward spiral of musical depression, yet coated from beginning to end with the feeling of resurrection, or being reborn someway.
However broad or narrow-minded your tastes in black metal may be, whether you're for progression or traditionalism, there's no denying the pure power this cd has.
Containing the spirit of black metal, yet in some ways this cd doesn't sound at all like conventional metal, but perhaps something new and different altogether. The guitar style is definately not your typical headbanging riffs. There's a very "grungy" feel, as if every instrument has been coated in a layer of dust and decay, which is what I believe was the intended atmosphere, as the layers upon layers of guitar distortion wash through each track in an ambient drone. "Dunkelheit" a very dark track and one of Burzum's best, showcases this minimalist drone sound through a landscape of morbid decay with just a few simple main riffs and a ghostly xylophone echoing the melody. His ode to "darkness" rasps through his new industrial sounding vocal style, very different from his tormented screams of past albums, and sounding somewhere on a line between whispering and screaming. The next two tracks continue in this hypnotic drone style, although not as powerful as the opener. The later half of the cd is where things start(purposefully) becoming disconnected, and we are lost in a long downward spiral of ambient instrumentation and dispair, the conclusion of our last bitter glance at the world.
Now I definitely don't claim to agree with this man's racist and anti-satanist attitude, but there's no denying the sheer genius within his tormented mind and how he's changed the world of dark pagan music forever.

...but still great!

Whenever you're feeling angry or depressed, do you ever wish you could either burn the world to the ground, or just create your own world for yourself? I know that is how I feel sometimes, and by the sound of this album, Varg possesses the same desire on occasion. After all, the world isn't exactly all fun and loving, but at the same time it isn't always as cruel or as cold as some make it out to be. In times such as this, it's not too hard to understand what draws people into viewing the world from a misanthropic perspective. Yet again, Varg captures his emotions and transmutes them into some vivid and intense music.

I would definitely say it takes a different kind of listener to appreciate this kind of music, instead of the average gr1m and n3kr0 black metal fan. The only parallel this album holds to any other works of Varg's is probably "Hlidskjalf" (in the sense that even though it`s minimalism is obvious, it still captivates); even then that is calling it close. The guitars are heavily distorted, loud and crispy in sound, which gives the over all sound kind of a passive chaotic feel to it. This isn't the kind of angry that smashes you in the face, but more or less dwells right in front of you; bubbling and waiting to explode against anyone who crosses it's path. The steady and tranquil drums only help to reinforce and escalate the feeling of bitter and unbridled dejected misanthropy.

Varg approaches with some chilly keyboard melodies, which send shivers to every corner of the body. It's so cold and passively angry that it's almost creepy. This is the soundtrack for the concept of the evil demon that dwells in us all - the one that wants to come out, but our mind blocks it out. Much like Hlidskjalf, this is pretty abstract. The vocals are still raspy and shrieking, but on this album they are distorted and electronic.

There is a twenty-five minute instrumental on this album, and as much as I like the gloomy, forbidding, and cold sound it gives off, it is way too long in length. Varg could have easily conveyed the emotion of this song in less than twenty-five minutes; this just feels like a giant filler. Yes, the music is great, but almost half an hour is excessive for a minimalist and repetitive instrumental. Ten or fifteen minutes would have been enough time to get the point across without completely lulling the listener to sleep. Oh yeah, where the Hell is the bass on this album?

Either it's just very hard to hear, or Varg removed it all together. At this point in time, this isn't like all of Varg's other work; it's much more abstract and contrived from deep thought and emotion, rather than just creating an album that would appeal to people. Also, it was around this time that Varg began to become disgusted with most metal in general, so it's no real surprise that he began to change his own music. Not a bad album, it's not my favorite, but still an excellent piece of work on behalf of the Count. If you are a person who likes their music to step into the boundaries of being theoretical, then you'll probably enjoy this.

Absolutely the best Burzum cd.The ambience Varg Vikernes creates is unmatched in black metal."Dunkelheit" is a sonic exploration into subtle riff changes and guitar tones.In my opinion,one of the best black metal songs in ever recorded.Varg's vocals sound incredibly tortured and tormented,but are perfect in contrast with the layered guitar riffs.You almost feel as if you are in the dark woods of Norway when listening to this cd.While the first four songs on the cd are true black metal songs,the last two are more along the lines of the Burzum-Hlidskjalf cd.They are ambient soundscapes of various keyboard lines that create an eerie,mellow effect that leaves the listener wondering through the dark woods of their own mind.The production on the cd is below standard compared the the production we are used to today,but any change in the production would completely destroy the feel of the cd.I would consider this cd to be a top ten black metal cd of all time.Highly Recommended!!

Nothing in this life prepared me for this album. It is by far the most incredable mix of melody and agony by the man known as Varg Vikernes. When you look beyond all of his national socialistic beliefs, the stabbing, and of course the burning of churches you see that a man who is facinated by the beauty of nature. As Dunkelheit, the opening track opens, you begin to feel the tone of this entire album. Very dark yet so amazingly beautiful. Varg's vocals are much different from his screeching tormented screams of previous albums, they are more of a distorted speaking voice. Nothing, and i mean nothing can compare to this. If you are a fan of black metal, ambient, industrial, or whatever, you owe it to yourself to own this masterpiece.

When it comes to black metal what is really relevant? There are so many bands that suck. There are so many bands imitating the old greats - Immortal, Mayhem, Emperor, and especially Darkthrone. Out of all black metal, I believe Burzum is the only trve band. I mean, that Varg actually BELIEVED in what he was doing. He was not doing it for a scene, he actually believed in the ideologies he was setting forth. And yeah, sometimes his infamous crimes overshadow his music, but then you realize just how serious this music is... It is not the joke and parody black metal seems to be nowadays. It is dead serious. This is music from a man who hates our contemporary times, who would like to see them torn asunder and replaced. For one thing, Varg calls for the complete abolishment of Christianity - a religion that had been forced upon the European people. He wants it replaced with the religion that was there before Christianity, which makes sense, but not many people care about these issues nowadays... No one REALLY cares about culture and tradition; it is just about shiny cars and money. With that in mind, it is easy to see why Varg is regarded as an enemy of society, because he really is one. He doesn't dress up in corpse paint, walk around, and wallow in self-inflicted misery like most black metallers seem to do nowadays. Now that doesn't mean I condone murder, because I firmly believe some of his potential went down the drain because of it.

This album shows that Varg had a lot of capability. Perhaps, it was inevitable for someone with this kind of extreme mindset to go to prison. However, for the time being it produced some great, aesthetically pleasing transcendental black metal. And of course, this music was incredibly innovative for its time. It had never been done before....

And it will probably never be done again with the same spirit and intentions.

Chill out black metal? It sounds like a bit of a contradiction in terms, but it's the feel this album produces.

Varg Vikernes, the merry murderer also known as Count Grishnacht, was one of the leading figures of the early days of black metal, but has turned his back on the music he helped mould into the ugly blackened beast it has become now. Which is a shame. The creative outpourings of this man verge on modern minimalist symphonies. This sounds like a contradiction or a mismatch of terms, but take a listen. A track like "Jesus' Tod" contains a static-drenched, over amplified guitar, lacking in any bottom end whatsoever, which creates a hypnotically repetitive melody. There are hints of hidden guitar harmonics buried under the main riff. A simple drum beat underscores it. The vocals, supposedly sung in ancient Norse, are buried well down in the mix, and the throaty rasp is reminiscent of Quorthon's throat destroying efforts in Bathory's early days. The combined effect of it all is something quite majestic, almost other-worldly, greater than the sum of all its parts.

There are hints at Varg's dark ambient direction coming through, with cold melancholic electronic chimes tolling through the mix on "Dunkelheit" and "Gebrechlichkeit". "Rundgang um die transzendentale Saule der Singularitat" is a 25 minute trip (in the hallucinogenic sense) through minimalist aural mindscapes, the perfect accompaniment for yourfavourite mind-altering substance.

This is the sort of album you can lie back and let wash over you. While most black metal is immediate and in your face, this takes time to work it's way into your consciousness, but will still be there days later, the beautiful/primitive melodies meandering unwelcomed, but not unwanted, through your mind.

Forget the hype about Varg's Nazi sympathies. They don't show through in this work at all. Yes, he murdered someone. This is not music to kill people to. Instead, it's a journey through the mind of a creative, if somewhat disturbed soul, which leaves you feeling like it's a nice mind to visit, but would be a curse to own.