Description

2018 release on black vinyl with gatefold cover

It may seem impossible at first thought the fact that a musician can succeed in creating such an incredible atmosphere with so much limited resources but Varg finished off Burzum nicely with this last release. He takes you on a wave of surrealism, from start to finish, never letting you go. The music of Hlidsjkalf stands as a monument of austerity, dedication and honesty against the decadent plastic art that reigns in these times. One thing can be safely said about this work; this music is simple. Eloquently simple in its expressionist form, this piece of art desires to imitate in a sound form and expand upon certain aspects of Norse Mythology that were used by Vikernes to provide the ideological background of the work. The sacrifice of the thralls, Beldegir’s death by the arrow of the blind Hadnur (the deception of the European people into fighting each other?) as well as other more sentimental themes, like the death of Wotan in the Wigridr plain and the mother’s lament for the death of her fair son. Whatever opinions one may have on the ideology Vikernes stands for, his character or actions, his dedication into transforming it into art is unmatched. Understanding this album requires first to acknowledge the conditions on which it was recorded. A synthesizer along with a computer program for mixing does not constitute what we could refer to as a high end studio. So, the simplicity that characterizes the album should not have been just a matter of artistically approach, but also a necessity. The eight tracks are consisted of a similar pattern in their development, that of a main theme that is performed some times throughout the whole song, and the other phrases that are elaborated upon and bring it to completion. If we have to use modern terms to define the general structure, minimalism is closer to this work than every other genre of modern music. In Conclusion, this is an absolutely amazing album which both Burzum fans and non Burzum fans could enjoy, it’s not too soft or too hard, it just finds the right balance to make it one hell of a finish for Burzum

Track listing:
1. Tuistos Herz
2. Der Tod Wuotans
3. Ansuegardaraitivo
4. Die Liebe Nerus
5. Das Einsame Trauern Von Frijo
6. Die Kraft des Mitgetuhls
7. Frijos Goldene Tranen
8. Der Weinende Hadnar