Phonebook Eater
6/10
"Det Som Engang Var" is one of the first and most successful Atmospheric Black Metal albums.
Burzum’s second effort is much more recognized than the first, obscure debut album. It is though an album loved by the fans, and is one that somehow contributed in reinventing the Black Metal genre, like the following albums. “Det Som Engang Var” has many hints of originality, and many of Burzum’s (aka Varg Vikernes) works are definitely an evolution of this album’s formula.
This sophomore LP is a stereotypical Black Metal album, to make it simple. But, It’s stereotypical today only because it used ideas that inspired many bands of the genre. These bands cited Burzum as a major inspiration. But in 1993, “Det Som Engang Var” was in theory pretty much revolutionary; Black Metal at the time wasn’t as experimental, varied, and atmospheric driven; Bands like Mayhem, Darkthrone, and Hellhammer were more focused on giving a brutal impact on the listener. Burzum shows here, with the use of keyboards and Dark Ambient tracks, that he intended on delivering an aura that the listener could immerge in. Other than that, there are the usual buzzing guitars, shriek vocals by Varg, and the extremely rough and lo-fi production.
Songs like “Key To The Gate”, “Snu Mikrokosmos Tegn”, or “Lost Wisdom” are typical BM songs that will however contribute massively in shaping and influencing further Burzum compositions. The ambient, keyboard driven songs like “Han Som Reiste” are also large contributors in the reaching of maturity on behalf of the musician.
“Det Som Engang Var” is a brave and original album for 1993. Although having some flaws in the songwriting, and being a bit immature, it is nevertheless an enjoyable experience that every Burzum fan must embark on.