Burzum’s Self-Titled Debut (Perfection)

This is it. The perfect black metal album by Burzum.

This band’s name will always be associated with the now infamous church burnings and, indeed, even a murder that took place in the early to mid 1990’s in Norway. All in the name of black metal. And while most of us have an opinion on this Norwegian black metal phenomenon, I would really just like to focus on the music.

The music on Burzum’s debut can be seen as a mix between the proto-war metal and of bands like Phantom, and the early attempts at black metal by Bathory, all covered in Burzum’s own taste for atmosphere (which he would develop even further on Hvis Lyset Tar Oss).

Calling this album underrated is an understatement. Without Burzum’s debut album, there would be no De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, no Under the Funeral Moon, hell, no Divine Necromancy even.

That’s how important Burzum was in giving an artistic direction to the then rising Norwegian black metal movement. It’s no coincidence that all the major players of the Norwegian Inner Circle of Black Metal have nothing but praise for Varg Vikernes and his band Burzum. Seriously. Read any Fenriz interview… even Euronymous was praising Varg before his death.

Back to the album. This is a truly amazing release that will appeal to fans of other perfect evil releases like Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas or Phantom’s Divine Necromancy. The unbelievably evil Burzum is, all aspects considered, the perfect black metal album.