Umskiptar | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 21 May 2012 | |||
Recorded | September 2011 at Grieg Hall in Bergen, Norway | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 66:16 | |||
Label | Byelobog | |||
Producer |
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Burzum chronology | ||||
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Umskiptar (Old Norse for Metamorphosis) is the ninth studio album by the Norwegian one-man band Burzum, released on 21 May 2012 through Byelobog Productions.[1][2][3] It has been described by Varg Vikernes as a 'return to the roots', with a priority on atmosphere. The album's lyrics are taken from an Old Norse poem entitled Völuspá.[3] The album was leaked two months before its release date, due, according to Vikernes, to a former PR agent of his having 'sent promotional copies of the entire album to left wing extremist magazines' without his knowledge or consent.[4]
The cover art is taken from the painting Nótt by Norwegian painter Peter Nicolai Arbo.[3] It is Vikernes' final heavy metal album.
Hj resolvi deixar um pouco de Burzum por aqui. Como sempre, postarei os links dos provedores e depois os por torrent. Burzum (1992).
Music[edit]
Despite featuring 'a stripped-down' viking metal sound that 'pays homage' to the likes of Bathory and early Enslaved,[5]Umspkiptar retains 'the fuzzy riffing and low production values' of Burzum's previous black metal releases. SputnikMusic's Kyle Ward described the album's style as 'an odd bastardization of the usual black metal sound.'[6] The album also rarely features harsh vocals.[6]
The track 'Alfadanz' features a 'submerged' piano intro and repeating simple riffs.[6][7] 'Gullaldr' is a ten-minute-long spoken word track, overlaid with guitar plucking.[6] 'Níðhöggr' finds Vikernes whispering over field recordings, a bass drum, and a 'distant, wobbly tone.'[7] The vocals are buried 'between sheets of black-metal guitar screech' on the track 'Heiðr,' while 'Valgaldr', is described as 'an eight-minute bog in which he wraps ghoulish harmonies around distorted riffs,' with a sound compared to 'Iron Maiden on Thorazine.'[7]
Critical reception[edit]
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metal Storm | 3.0/10[5] |
The album generally received negative reviews from music critics. Metal Storm's staff critic Troy Killjoy wrote: 'Rather than beautifully composed epic melodious black metal anthems, encouraging atmospheric tales of fantasy and historical wars, or even the traditional grim and frostbitten stylings of the second wave (of which Burzum was a significant part), Varg presents the world with his least imaginative work to date - even taking Dauði Baldrs into consideration.'[5]
Track listing[edit]
No. | Title | Translation (by Varg Vikernes) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | 'Blóðstokkinn' | Soaked in Blood | 1:10 |
2. | 'Jóln' | Deities | 5:46 |
3. | 'Alfadanz' | Elven Dance | 9:34 |
4. | 'Hit helga Tré' | The Sacred Tree | 6:47 |
5. | 'Æra' | Honour | 3:54 |
6. | 'Heiðr' | Esteem | 2:57 |
7. | 'Valgaldr' | Song of the Fallen | 7:57 |
8. | 'Galgviðr' | Gallow Forest | 7:12 |
9. | 'Surtr Sunnan' | Black from the South | 4:11 |
10. | 'Gullaldr' | Golden Age | 10:14 |
11. | 'Níðhöggr' | Attack from Below | 4:59 |
Total length: | 66:16 |
Personnel[edit]
Album personnel as adapted from official Burzum website.[3]
![Burzum umskiptar rarity Burzum umskiptar rarity](https://wallpapercave.com/wp/sp00Lgr.png)
- Varg Vikernes – vocals, all instruments, production, design, layout
- Pytten – production, mixing
- Davide Bertolini – production
- Naweed – mastering
- Dan Capp – design, layout
References[edit]
- ^'Umskiptar (Limited Deluxe Digibook)'. Plastic Head. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^'News'. burzum.org. 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ abcd'Burzum 'Umskiptar' 2012'. burzum.org. 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^Grimmsberg, Kai (2012-04-29). 'Interview with Varg Vikernes'. HeavyMusic. Power Studio. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ^ abcTroy Killjoy. 'Burzum - Umskiptar: Metal Storm (staff review)'. Metal Storm. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
- ^ abcdKyle Ward. 'Review: Burzum - Umskiptar : Sputnikmusic'. SputnikMusic. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ abcCurrin, Grayson (2012-06-08). 'Burzum: Umskiptar'. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
External links[edit]
- Umskiptar at Discogs (list of releases)
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Umskiptar&oldid=926626657'
- Real Name
- Varg Vikernes
- Profile
- Varg Vikernes was born as Kristian Larsson Vikernes. For a short while, he used the alias Count Grishnackh. With his one-man-band Burzum. Vikernes began making music in 1988 with the band Kalashnikov. The following year, the name was changed to Uruk-Hai, after the creatures from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. In 1990 and 1991, Vikernes played guitar for the death metal band Old Funeral, which also consisted of members who would later form the band Immortal. He appears on the Old Funeral EP Devoured Carcass. Vikernes left Old Funeral in 1991 and began a solo project under the name Burzum. The word 'burzum' means 'darkness' in the Black Speech; an artificial language crafted by Tolkien. Soon after recording two demo tapes, he became part of the Norwegian black metal scene. With his demo tapes, he had attracted attention from Øystein 'Euronymous' Aarseth of Mayhem, who had just recently formed Deathlike Silence Productions. Aarseth then signed Burzum to the label, and shortly after, Burzum began to record for his self-titled debut album. According to Vikernes' autobiography on his website, he had intended to record the album in the worst recording quality possible (due to this being a typical trademark of the early Norwegian black metal scene), though still make it sound acceptable. Burzum's eponymous debut album was released in 1992, being the second album released on Deathlike Silence Productions. The song 'War' from this album had a guest appearance from Euronymous, playing a guitar solo 'just for fun', according to Vikernes.
Vikernes has stated that he had never played any live shows with Burzum, though at one point was interested in it, so Samoth of Emperor joined the band as their bassist, though only appearing on the Aske EP. Additionally, Erik Lancelot was hired to be the band's drummer, though did not record on any Burzum material, and along with Samoth did not play a live show. Vikernes had by then lost his interest in playing live concerts, and stated that he 'didn't even need session musicians anymore'. Therefore, Samoth and Lancelot had parted ways with Burzum. Det som engang var was released as Burzum's second album in 1993, recorded in 1992.
15 May 1994 saw the release of Hvis lyset tar oss, a new album of previously recorded material from 1992. Burzum remained as a solo project until 1994, when Vikernes was arrested for the murder of Euronymous and the burnings of several churches in Norway. During his time in prison, Vikernes released his next album, titled Filosofem, on 1 January 1996. Recorded in March 1993, Filosofem was the last recording Vikernes made before his imprisonment. Burzum / Aske, a compilation comprising the Burzum album and Aske EP, was released in 1995. While imprisoned, Vikernes managed to record two other albums in a dark ambient style. They were released as Dauði Baldrs (1997) and Hliðskjálf (1999).
In 1998, all Burzum albums released up to that point were re-released as vinyl picture discs in a special box set called 1992–1997; however the Filosofem album didn't contain 'Rundtgåing av den transcendentale egenhetens støtte' due to its length.
Soon after being released Vikernes started writing new tracks, nine metal tracks and an ambient intro and outro, for an upcoming Burzum album. According to Vikernes' recounts, several record companies were interested in releasing his first album in eleven years. He stated about the new album, 'I want to take my time, and make it the way I want it. It will be metal, and the fans can expect genuine Burzum.'
The album was going to be originally titled Den hvite guden ('The White God'), but he later decided to change it to Belus, which was released by Byelobog Productions (byelobog is the transliteration of 'белобог' in Slavic languages, meaning 'white god') on 8 March 2010. It was also announced that a movie would be released in 2010, based on Varg Vikernes' life in the early 1990s. The movie would mainly draw inspiration from the book Lords of Chaos, with the film being of the same name. Vikernes expressed his contempt towards both the movie and the book upon which it is based.
A second new album of original Burzum material, Fallen, was released on 7 March 2011, followed by a compilation album, From the Depths of Darkness, containing re-recordings of tracks from Burzum's self-titled album and Det som engang var, on 28 November 2011. A third new studio album of original material, titled Umskiptar, was released in May 2012. Sôl austan, Mâni vestan ('East of the Sun, West of the Moon'), Burzum's first electronic album since 1999, is scheduled for release in May 2013. On April 27th of 2013, a song was posted on the official YouTube channel of Vikernes, Thulean Perspective, titled 'Back to the Shadows.' In a blog post, Vikernes stated that 'Back to the Shadows' will be the last metal track released by Burzum.
Burzum's music features characteristics common in black metal, including distorted, tremolo-picked guitar riffs, harsh vocals and the use of double bass blast beat techniques in the drumming. Earlier Burzum albums feature very low production quality, which has improved in albums created after Vikernes' release from prison. Burzum's early music shows heavy Tolkien influence; for example, the name 'Count Grishnackh' is taken from an orc character called Grishnákh in Tolkien's works. The choice of the name for the project reflects both this influence and the desire for anonymity: Burzum is a word of the Black Speech of Mordor meaning 'darkness' (though Vikernes views what Christians consider 'darkness' as 'light'), and is one of those found on the Ring-inscription of the One Ring (the final part of the Ring inscription being '...agh burzum-ishi krimpatul', or '...and in the 'darkness bind them'). Some of Burzum's early songs featured titles like 'En ring til å herske' ('One Ring to Rule').
Musically, Burzum has progressed from primitive, raw black metal to classical-influenced ambient music characterised by minimalist tendencies and dark atmospheres. Vikernes' music is characterised by hypnotic repetition and simple yet profound song structures; this trademark sound has been present on Burzum's black metal and electronic albums alike. Vikernes has described Burzum as a kind of 'spell' or recreation of an imaginary world tied in with Pagan history. Each album, he claims, was designed as a kind of 'spell' in itself, with each beginning song intending to make the listener more susceptible to 'magic', the following songs to inspire a 'trance-like state of mind', and the last song to carry the listener into a 'world of fantasy' (dreams, for the listener would fall asleep—Burzum was supposed to have been evening music). Vikernes claims the intent to create this fantasy world came from dissatisfaction with the real world. He has stated the 'message' of Burzum can be found in the lyrics of the first song of the first album ('Feeble Screams from Forests Unknown'). - Websites