Originally written by Ryan Plunkett
All right, here we go… my third review of an album with no singing what so ever. In addition, once again, it is from the one and only Burzum.
Hlidskjalf feeds off its predecessor, Daudi Baldrs taking a somewhat neo-classical approach. However, the production is much more professional and sounds less like something a 15 year old pagan grim black metal enthusiast came up with on his shitty Casio keyboard in his mom’s basement.
Overall, the album feels much more focused and it also takes on a more ambient and avantgarde approach. Through vast sound capes of keys and backing ambience, Varg does manage to create something worth listening to maybe once or twice. The songs still drag out, however, and they repeat themselves a bit much for my taste. With its use of keys, it escapes that horrible title of complete noise, but still I am just never feeling the atmosphere this has to offer. If there’s not going to be singing, then the instruments have to be doing something amazing that speaks for itself and never once does this really go anywhere with its slow pace. Each time I listen to it, I cannot wait for each track to finish so it can go to the next and eventually end.
If you want to hear Burzum at its best, check into this album. It is ten times better than the kvlt black metal released so many years ago and beats the hell out of the last album, Daudi Baldrs. Nonetheless, this is still not worth buying in my mind. I could see giving it a couple spins, but still there is just nothing exciting to offer here.
