����� It goes without saying that the original early 90's Burzum releases remain among the most potent and influential black metal albums ever recorded. While the criminal exploits of sole member Varg Vikernes have always threatened to overshadow the music itself (just read Lords Of Chaos for the whole sordid saga), the impact that these records had on underground metal (and beyond) is still being felt. Ferocious, sometimes experimental, Burzum's early discography includes works that are undeniable masterpieces of black metal profanity steeped in Scandinavian mythology; regardless of how one feels about the notorious character behind this music, several of these albums are required listening for anyone who is truly interested in the sonic black arts. All of these albums were reissued a while back through the Candlelight sub-label Byelobog, retaining their original form with no added bonus tracks or any other extraneous material, each disc housed in jewel case packaging enclosed in a printed slipcase; we now have all of these in stock, some at lower prices than before, and all are highly recommended to those truly interested in the evolution of Norwegian black metal and the malevolent aesthetics of genuinely sociopathic art.

����� Considered by many to be Burzum's best album, and indeed the apex of Norwegian black metal, there's no denying the raw power and awesome otherworldly aura that surrounds Hvis Lyset Tar Oss. Initially released in 1994 on the British label Misanthropy Records and featuring eerie, folkloric artwork from Norwegian illustrator Theodor Kittelsen, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss saw Varg's unique black metal sound solidify into a perfect blend of vicious cyclical riffing, grimly romanticized atmosphere, and spectral electronic ambience. A thousand bands sprung up in the wake of this record, desperately attempting to capture the furious, emotional brilliance of this album, and most would agree that it has yet to be superseded, an absolute classic piece of black metal mastery.

����� By opening the album with the song "Det Som En Gang Var", Vikernes establishes a direct thematic connection to the preceding album of the same name, while weaving his droning, distorted guitar melodies and atmospheric keyboards together in a much more harmonious manner than previous releases. The song veers into one of Burzum's signature mid-paced mesmeric riffs soon enough, but it maintains that darkly soaring, almost cinematic vibe through the entire fifteen minutes of the song. The drumming is heavier and more precise than before as well, the rolling waves of double bass adding more of an undertow to the music, which remains structurally minimalist, the song made up of just a couple of chord changes, but each one resonates with drama and emotion. In contrast, the title track shifts into a relentless blast, a speedy race across snow-blanketed wilderness set to stirring minor key melodies that ring out in the darkness over a simple two-chord progression, with Vikernes' painful shrieks echoing through the gloom. And "Inn I Slottet Fra Dr�mmen" slips into a violent, scornful blast-churn that at first is pure minimalist repetition, only gradually shifting into hideous dissonance and fractured thrash riffing.

����� The final song of the quartet is entirely electronic, but it's no offhand outro piece of superficial synth pads. "Tomhet" is a stunning piece of kosmische-influenced synthesizer music that echoes Vikernes's appreciation for the likes of Tangerine Dream, while soaking these layered drones, percussive pulse and minimal electronic melody with the grim mood of the rest of the album, unfolding into starlit, celestial beauty; it's one of Burzum's best synthesizer-based tracks, a beautifully haunting piece of electronic darkness that even those who dismiss the later "prison-synth" albums speak highly of. A perfect close to this classic album, a blast of minimalist, majestic ferocity that is essential listening for anyone remotely interested in Norwegian black metal.