Burzum "Det Som Engang Var" CD

"Det Som Engang Var" is the second full-length album of Burzum. It is a one of the most important releases for black metal, however, its content is pretty far from being pure black metal. This is a dignity though. Varg has always demonstrated his interest in ambient. "Det Som Engang Var" has three ambient tracks. A one is a non-black metal instrumental. Four out of eight compositions are black metal. "Key To The Gate" and "Lost Wisdom" are dynamic and brisk, they have the remains of thrash metal in them. "Key To The Gate" in addition to all its greatness contains just an epic guitar solo. And "Lost Wisdom" is just too catchy.
"Snu Mikrokosmos Tegn" is the most black metal composition of the album. It is based on a trademark for the genre thick "wall of sound" type of riffing. Its main melody is severe and dark. And "En Ring Til Å Herske" is the highlight of the album alongside with "Lost Wisdom". But these tracks have absolutely different moods. "En Ring Til Å Herske" is utterly slow-paced. Also, it sounds quite sorrowful and can be called the most depressive composition of the album. Tragedy is so piercing in it, yet the track still sounds harsh.
"Den Onde Kysten" and "Svarte Troner" are the intro and the outro respectively. They are expectedly dark and dismal. "Han Som Reiste" is the remaining ambient composition of "Det Som Engang Var", but it is written in the style, that has never been featured on Burzum ambient tracks before. It isn't that dark, but still it has a mystical mood, a fantasy-like atmosphere."Når Himmelen Klarner" follows it and develops this kind of mood. It's instrumental and stylistically it is a more of doom, than black metal. Its title translates as "When The Sky Clears" and the title is descriptive, as the atmosphere of the track represents a sort of a solemnity after, for example, a won battle or stuff like that.
The mentioned things make "Det Som Engang Var" so special. This album has the trademark Burzum's hatred and tragedy, while it demonstrates more melodic and atmospheric elements. And it remains black metal after all those things. The debut album was a pretty diverse work and the following album overcomes its predecessor in that. Varg Vikernes was a truly creative musician in those times. However, Burzum's diversity wasn't over after "Det Som Engang Var". The journey has just begun.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...