Review by Rexorcist for Burzum - Filosofem (1996)

Many have considered this album THE black metal album, due to its pioneering sound, diversity and heavy influence in various genres, including dungeon synth and ambient as well as its metal subgenres.  As for myself, I always acknowledged the talent displayed here, to an extent, but never once to the extent that many have given it.  Like other atmo-black albums, I considered this a great album before.  But now that I am very different as a reviewer and metalhead years later, I've been looking back at the more repetitive classics as overlong or messy or lacking or whatever.  I don't consider this a weakness, however, as I've been known for some wild hot takes, so I'm prepared to take on one of the most classic black metal albums in the world.

The leading issue is that certain things drag on too long.  One of the lesser examples is the lead riff for Jesus ' Tod.  Now the production is beautifully noisy and despondent, and the walkie-talkie quality of his blackened vocals was an excellent decision for the song, and for a leading vocal style.  Production is easily the strong point, which is easily how its been able to influence so many atmosphere-based genres.  Problem is, I've been falling out of favor with some atmo-black albums because so many of them drag on, and Filosofem is no exception.  Having these songs last eight minutes at a time is kind of concerning.  I've heard worse black metal albums that tried for more, so the production is the strongest point, second being the despairing and angry moods.  But honestly, I shouldn't be asking a music album to STOP, especially when the repetition goes on for 25 full minutes on end with an ambient track which takes up 80% of side B.  It should've had ten minutes taken off.  I don't understand the man's line of thinking here.

I will continue to acknowledge the strengths of the album, and appreciate that there are those who love good solid atmospheres to calm them down or simply resonate with.  But the way I see it, this is a music album, and that means creativity should be consistently challenged and justified, and there isn't a lot of it going on in these songs.  The album is surprisingly well-produced, perfectly ambient and atmospheric, but lacking in imagination beyond that.  If you're a metalhead and you just want to soak up moods then this is likely the album for you.  It might be an atmosphere album, but it's also a black metal album, and plenty of black metal albums have done more with less time.

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