Informazioni
Autore: Akh.
It’s a real honour to be here with Varg Vikernes on Aristocrazia Webzine; I don’t ask you to give us a presentation (everyone knows who you are), but may you tell us how you decided to start Burzum quitting Uruk Hai? Which are the main differences between these two projects?
It’s a real honour to be here with Varg Vikernes on Aristocrazia Webzine; I don’t ask you to give us a presentation (everyone knows who you are), but may you tell us how you decided to start Burzum quitting Uruk Hai? Which are the main differences between these two projects?
Uruk-Hai was a thrash metal project that I put on ice when I joined the (death metal) band Old Funeral in 1989. However, in 1991 death metal had become very unoriginal and trendy, and most of the bands just wanted to sound like the «big» bands. So I left Old Funeral and returned to Uruk-Hai. By the time the Uruk-Hai drummer had joined the army, and I had no contact with the bassist, so I started up on my own instead, and shortly after changed name to Burzum.
The main difference between Uruk-Hai and Burzum is that the latter was not really a band, but just a one man music project by me. Also, the former was a more traditonal thrash metal band, but when I started up the Burzum project I made more original and at the time a new type of music. It was musically more like thrash metal than death metal, and the biggest musical difference was the structure of the songs.
What pushed you in recording "Belus" (already reviewed on Aristocrazia)? What can the Art in B.M. offer today and what had offered in the past? Varg Vikernes is glad of what had released till now?
Well, I am a musician, so recording music again was only natural for me. There is not much else I can do... I don't know about the art in B. M. or much about B. M. today at all. I am not happy with my own albums until now; I think there are a few great songs on each album, but all in all they are far from perfect. "Belus" is better than the others, but still not perfect.
It seems that, since "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" till today, you have changed vision on what is "Light", is it right? Do you think that this involves some kind of maturation in you? Do you think that "Unholy Black Metal" is simply a denigration of the Judean egregore, or do you think it implies a subconscious acceptation of the Judean mythology, with the creation, as a reaction, of a “positive vision” of their mythology?
Do you think you are free from the Judaic way of perceiving things? And is Norway free?
No, I have not changed my view on what is «light». On "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" album I mock what they call «light», but naturally I don't think their «light» is in fact «light». The «light» they – id est the Jude-Christians – represent is true darkness, and the only light they provide us with burn us rather than warm us and blinds us rather than enlithen us.
I don't know what Unholy Black Metal is, but if you mean «satanic» I think this is a Judaic way of thinking. I perceive things in a Pagan view, yes, and have weeded out everything Judaic.
Do you see yourself as a believer? If yes, in what do you believe?
No, I am not a believer. I know too much about religions to be religious in any way. I guess you could say I believe in reason.
Is "Belus" an homage to your cultural roots or is it a metaphoric ritual of artistic and personal rebirth?
"Belus" is what you want to it to be. The meaning is in the eye of the beholder. I do not wish to tell you what I think it should be, because you should be allowed to make up your own mind, or if you like you can appreciate it without having to put anything at all into it. I will not try to force you to think in a certain way.
A curiosity: you have a very visible scar, how did you get it?
In a skiing accident when I was eleven years old.
You declared to be a fan of Role Playing Games and you demonstrate it using the cover of an old TSR’s manual for the cover of "Burzum" and "Det Som Engang Var". You utilize a moniker linked with fantasy. Which are your favourite rpgs? Which king of characters did you preferred? Do you think rpgs could be cathartic or do you think they are a mere entertainment? What kind of player do you think you are?
My favourite RPGs? It depends. When I was a kid we played a lot of MERP modules with Rolemaster rules, but we also played D&D and AD&D (2nd edition), we played GURPS, Twilight 2000, Call of Cthulu and others as well. Playing RPGs can be interesting no matter which system you use, so in a sense that doesn't really matter, but my favourite game at the time was MERP/Rolemaster. Not sure if I would say the same today though.
I preferred the scout in MERP and the bard in D&D, and I think the bard would be the best way to discribe a musician like myself. Maybe a sorcerer... :-)
Yes, I think RPGs can be cathartic and also very pedagogic, in addition to being entertaining of course. It's a great way to learn foreign languages, human interaction, basic mathematics and so forth, and a great way to improve your empathy and imagination.
Don’t you find that the first wave of B.M. has been fascinated by the obscure side of fantasy, some examples are the monikers of band such: Burzum, Gorgoroth, Isengard, Myrkskog, Keep Of Kalessin, Summoning, Shagrath, Sanrabb etc… Has fantasy deeply influenced B.M. and Burzum?
Sorry, but I have only heard of Burzum, Gorgoroth and Isengard, and Gorgoroth I only know from reputation. They didn't start playing until 1992 and were not a part of our subculture until later. The others you mention are all unknown to me – save Keep Of Kalessin, that I have heard of because they participated in some commercial music contest.
At which grade do you think the term Burzum (coming from Burz - darkness, um - absolute) can fit with the concept of "Belus"? Why have you changed the legendary logo?
Legendary logo? Well; check out what I have to say about this on burzum.org. Burzum as a term fits the concept of "Belus" perfectly. The light is born from darkness. Belus from Burzum.
Why have you abandoned your legendary screaming in "Belus"? Is it a question of concept or is it because your vocal cords can not afford it anymore?
Which are the best parts in Belus for your own taste?
I never liked the old Burzum vocals, and in fact I abandoned this in 1993 when I recorded Filosofem. It does not matter which parts in "Belus" I like the most.
Many consider you a poet for your deep and introspective verses, do you think we can refer to you as a Skald? Do you think that today someone can be truly marked as a Skald?
A bard is a Celtic name for a skald. A skald is a Norse name for a bard. So why not?
What is the Sun for you? In which way is it possible to link B.M. and solar themes?
I have no idea, and I don't care. I don't play B. M. I play extreme metal alright, but if Immortal, Emperor, Hades Almighty, Thorns, Enslaved and other bands made up of rats play B. M. then I sure don't.
What is the sun to me? The star of our solar system. The bringer and destroyer of life.
What is for you the Tradition? Which components are the most important in the Tradition? Do you think that B.M. and Tradition can be linked together or do you think they are strictly separated and so they have to remain?
(Not answered)
In your "orthodoxy" you have been a pioneer, an innovator, a leader of this extreme genre, in the way of using the screaming, in the utilization of Dark Ambient, in posing the base for other sub-genres like Depressive B.M. and Black/Ambient. What do you think of this?
I know very little about this, and because of that I don't think too much about it.
Are you honoured or are you indifferent regarding the fact Burzum’s Art had had a great influence in music, creating millions of clones?
More honoured than indifferent, but in general I don't like clones. I only like the originals.
You have always been a listeners of extreme electronic music, what do you think of Industrial B.M.’s bands (like Mysticum, Diabolos Rising, Diabolicum, Aborym, DHG, Snorre’s Thorns)? Do you think they had been able to mix the violence of the two musical genres? What may you say to people who approach this kind of music?
Sorry, but I have not heard any of these bands, save Thorns – and I have only heard a Thorns demo. The latter was a rip off of Alphaville (the German pop band).
I’ve found a deep epic vein in "Belus", where does it come from? I find you have the capability of creating music that transcend the contemporary, giving to your songs a life beyond time, and capable to awake ancient remembrances, giving freedom to inner energies. Are you conscious of you capability of moving this inner factors? When you compose, do you let your spirit free to create or do you use a more meditative and conscious process?
(Not answered)
Which is your emotional state during the composition of your music? How do you give birth to one of your songs?
(Not answered)
Who is Varg Vikernes and what is Burzum today?
V. V. is a musician and Burzum a music project. Still. As before.
Thanks for staying with us and thanks for your kindness. The last words for our readers are up to you:
Thank you for the interest. Check out burzum.org for info on Burzum. This is the only reliable source of information regarding Burzum, and if it's not on burzum.org then it's not true. As simple as that.
The main difference between Uruk-Hai and Burzum is that the latter was not really a band, but just a one man music project by me. Also, the former was a more traditonal thrash metal band, but when I started up the Burzum project I made more original and at the time a new type of music. It was musically more like thrash metal than death metal, and the biggest musical difference was the structure of the songs.
What pushed you in recording "Belus" (already reviewed on Aristocrazia)? What can the Art in B.M. offer today and what had offered in the past? Varg Vikernes is glad of what had released till now?
Well, I am a musician, so recording music again was only natural for me. There is not much else I can do... I don't know about the art in B. M. or much about B. M. today at all. I am not happy with my own albums until now; I think there are a few great songs on each album, but all in all they are far from perfect. "Belus" is better than the others, but still not perfect.
It seems that, since "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" till today, you have changed vision on what is "Light", is it right? Do you think that this involves some kind of maturation in you? Do you think that "Unholy Black Metal" is simply a denigration of the Judean egregore, or do you think it implies a subconscious acceptation of the Judean mythology, with the creation, as a reaction, of a “positive vision” of their mythology?
Do you think you are free from the Judaic way of perceiving things? And is Norway free?
No, I have not changed my view on what is «light». On "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" album I mock what they call «light», but naturally I don't think their «light» is in fact «light». The «light» they – id est the Jude-Christians – represent is true darkness, and the only light they provide us with burn us rather than warm us and blinds us rather than enlithen us.
I don't know what Unholy Black Metal is, but if you mean «satanic» I think this is a Judaic way of thinking. I perceive things in a Pagan view, yes, and have weeded out everything Judaic.
Do you see yourself as a believer? If yes, in what do you believe?
No, I am not a believer. I know too much about religions to be religious in any way. I guess you could say I believe in reason.
Is "Belus" an homage to your cultural roots or is it a metaphoric ritual of artistic and personal rebirth?
"Belus" is what you want to it to be. The meaning is in the eye of the beholder. I do not wish to tell you what I think it should be, because you should be allowed to make up your own mind, or if you like you can appreciate it without having to put anything at all into it. I will not try to force you to think in a certain way.
A curiosity: you have a very visible scar, how did you get it?
In a skiing accident when I was eleven years old.
You declared to be a fan of Role Playing Games and you demonstrate it using the cover of an old TSR’s manual for the cover of "Burzum" and "Det Som Engang Var". You utilize a moniker linked with fantasy. Which are your favourite rpgs? Which king of characters did you preferred? Do you think rpgs could be cathartic or do you think they are a mere entertainment? What kind of player do you think you are?
My favourite RPGs? It depends. When I was a kid we played a lot of MERP modules with Rolemaster rules, but we also played D&D and AD&D (2nd edition), we played GURPS, Twilight 2000, Call of Cthulu and others as well. Playing RPGs can be interesting no matter which system you use, so in a sense that doesn't really matter, but my favourite game at the time was MERP/Rolemaster. Not sure if I would say the same today though.
I preferred the scout in MERP and the bard in D&D, and I think the bard would be the best way to discribe a musician like myself. Maybe a sorcerer... :-)
Yes, I think RPGs can be cathartic and also very pedagogic, in addition to being entertaining of course. It's a great way to learn foreign languages, human interaction, basic mathematics and so forth, and a great way to improve your empathy and imagination.
Don’t you find that the first wave of B.M. has been fascinated by the obscure side of fantasy, some examples are the monikers of band such: Burzum, Gorgoroth, Isengard, Myrkskog, Keep Of Kalessin, Summoning, Shagrath, Sanrabb etc… Has fantasy deeply influenced B.M. and Burzum?
Sorry, but I have only heard of Burzum, Gorgoroth and Isengard, and Gorgoroth I only know from reputation. They didn't start playing until 1992 and were not a part of our subculture until later. The others you mention are all unknown to me – save Keep Of Kalessin, that I have heard of because they participated in some commercial music contest.
At which grade do you think the term Burzum (coming from Burz - darkness, um - absolute) can fit with the concept of "Belus"? Why have you changed the legendary logo?
Legendary logo? Well; check out what I have to say about this on burzum.org. Burzum as a term fits the concept of "Belus" perfectly. The light is born from darkness. Belus from Burzum.
Why have you abandoned your legendary screaming in "Belus"? Is it a question of concept or is it because your vocal cords can not afford it anymore?
Which are the best parts in Belus for your own taste?
I never liked the old Burzum vocals, and in fact I abandoned this in 1993 when I recorded Filosofem. It does not matter which parts in "Belus" I like the most.
Many consider you a poet for your deep and introspective verses, do you think we can refer to you as a Skald? Do you think that today someone can be truly marked as a Skald?
A bard is a Celtic name for a skald. A skald is a Norse name for a bard. So why not?
What is the Sun for you? In which way is it possible to link B.M. and solar themes?
I have no idea, and I don't care. I don't play B. M. I play extreme metal alright, but if Immortal, Emperor, Hades Almighty, Thorns, Enslaved and other bands made up of rats play B. M. then I sure don't.
What is the sun to me? The star of our solar system. The bringer and destroyer of life.
What is for you the Tradition? Which components are the most important in the Tradition? Do you think that B.M. and Tradition can be linked together or do you think they are strictly separated and so they have to remain?
(Not answered)
In your "orthodoxy" you have been a pioneer, an innovator, a leader of this extreme genre, in the way of using the screaming, in the utilization of Dark Ambient, in posing the base for other sub-genres like Depressive B.M. and Black/Ambient. What do you think of this?
I know very little about this, and because of that I don't think too much about it.
Are you honoured or are you indifferent regarding the fact Burzum’s Art had had a great influence in music, creating millions of clones?
More honoured than indifferent, but in general I don't like clones. I only like the originals.
You have always been a listeners of extreme electronic music, what do you think of Industrial B.M.’s bands (like Mysticum, Diabolos Rising, Diabolicum, Aborym, DHG, Snorre’s Thorns)? Do you think they had been able to mix the violence of the two musical genres? What may you say to people who approach this kind of music?
Sorry, but I have not heard any of these bands, save Thorns – and I have only heard a Thorns demo. The latter was a rip off of Alphaville (the German pop band).
I’ve found a deep epic vein in "Belus", where does it come from? I find you have the capability of creating music that transcend the contemporary, giving to your songs a life beyond time, and capable to awake ancient remembrances, giving freedom to inner energies. Are you conscious of you capability of moving this inner factors? When you compose, do you let your spirit free to create or do you use a more meditative and conscious process?
(Not answered)
Which is your emotional state during the composition of your music? How do you give birth to one of your songs?
(Not answered)
Who is Varg Vikernes and what is Burzum today?
V. V. is a musician and Burzum a music project. Still. As before.
Thanks for staying with us and thanks for your kindness. The last words for our readers are up to you:
Thank you for the interest. Check out burzum.org for info on Burzum. This is the only reliable source of information regarding Burzum, and if it's not on burzum.org then it's not true. As simple as that.
