If you want to be popular as a reviewer, make polite conversation. For every new release, mention how unique it is and what it does well. Talk about details of the band or its history. Say how it's a lot like other things, but different. Tell it that it doesn't look fat in that dress.
Then conclude your review with "If you like (type of metal) that really (vaguely unique detail), this is for you!" If you like Norwegian black metal with Viking folk vocals, this is for you. If you like brutal American death metal with gurgle and bree, this is for you.
The music industry loves such reviewers because every new CD seems like the best ever, until the next CD. Fans love it because it's really waving the flag of metal, man! Bands like it because they're guaranteed a review that doesn't say anything bad.
Only there's a problem: reviews like these don't help the fans focus their thinking on the music. That means that they soon are awash in stuff that they only "kind of" like. After awhile, they throw in the towel. Hey, if it's all lukewarm, why bother?
So here we have a different philosophy.
The new Burzum doesn't suck, but it's without the kind of direction that makes a great album. So now that we know the best it can do is a B-grade black metal album, we're asking ourselves: what went wrong with Burzum?
The answer all comes down to a lack of direction. Old Burzum was composed around an idea; new Burzum is composed around an image. Old Burzum had passion and a soul, but new Burzum is there to sound like Burzum and puke out an album that fits the bill.
As a result, it's a few really basic riffs and some old riffs that someone made into a droning black metal. They they decked that out with Swedish melodic death metal fills, and indie-rock "atmospheric" riffs, and called it a day. Two songs are clearly of much older vintage and not as good as even recent Burzum.
Since Varg Vikernes is such a proficient musician, nothing here is terrible. It all sounds good, even slightly sweet and pretty. But the method he had of making every detail of an album serve one clear idea -- that's gone, as is the true raging emotion to set the world right or at least set it on fire.
Comments
"The answer all comes down to a lack of direction. Old Burzum was composed around an idea; new Burzum is composed around an image. Old Burzum had passion and a soul, but new Burzum is there to sound like Burzum and puke out an album that fits the bill."
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"Since Varg Vikernes is such a proficient musician, nothing here is terrible. It all sounds good, even slightly sweet and pretty. But the method he had of making every detail of an album serve one clear idea -- that's gone, as is the true raging emotion to set the world right or at least set it on fire."
Agreed.
:(
I as one of his family members agree,although i still enjoy his music.
cool review!
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