Review by Rexorcist for Burzum - Hvis lyset tar oss (1994)

Looking at old reviews for albums is a good way to see just how much you've changed.  In this instance, it's one of Burzum's crowning gems, the one he wrote right before his legendary (tho overrated IMO) Filosofem.  The name is Hvis lyset tar oss, which is Norwegian for "If the Light Takes Us."  At this point in time, much like Filosofem, I can't say I like this one as much as I used to.  I even knocked off a whole star from my Filosofem rating when I heard it.  But I don't think I'll go quite that far.  Back then, I liked Filosofem more, by a 2/100 edge (92 vs. 90).  This time, I'd say I like this much more than Filosofem, which only had a 93.

In my old review, I mentioned that Burzum expressed his anger perfectly.  I really don't think so anymore.  Hearing so many professional and even frighteneing shrikes and growls in my time as a metal fan, now Burzum's voice sounds unpolished and even a little dorky, like he's trying either too hard or not hard enough.  Otherwise, the music itself is pretty good.  I got it right in my older review when I said that Burzum delivers on the basics of atmo-black well enough.  This album is cold and treacherous, much like an actual blizzard.  There are synths in the back but they're typically faint and not forced, working just well enough to add a little spice to these four epics.  But the thing about these epics is that they largely have a one-track mind, so once again, it's more about the atmosphere than the music.  Still, it's a careful, though not too experimental, blend of atmo, despressive and traditional black metal with a little dungeon synth on the side.

So I would say in my current state as a music buff that Burzum;s album right before Filosofem has the edge.  I didn't really expect to like it more than Filosofem at first, but I'd say that this one feels more like an actual music album, and it doesn't have an overdone 25-minute ambient track at the end, but rather a synth track which feels like something out of a Tangerine Dream album (it has a 14-minute one, which is still overdone but easier on more melodic ears and actually showing clever shifts in gear).

76