Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss

Albums I like a lot: Part VII

(Originally submitted to the Metal Archives on September 24th 2021)

When it comes to black metal, it’s almost guaranteed that one has heard about the controversies surrounding the 2nd wave before hearing any of the actual music. Varg in particular has been a standout in that regard, for a litany of crimes and beliefs that have been discussed at length already and to bring them up again would only serve as a way for me to pad this review’s word count. That being said, the man’s musical contributions and influence as Burzum cannot be understated. His first four albums served as my introduction to black metal, and played a crucial role in shaping my taste when it comes to the genre. Hvis Lyset Tar Oss in particular is a release that has stuck with me ever since I first listened to it 4 years ago, and has withstood the test of time.
This album, like many others coming from the Norwegian scene, diversified the archetypal black metal sound and took it into new territory. While In The Nightside Eclipse injected a symphonic bombast to the mix, and Vikingligr Veldi saw the genre head in a more progressive direction, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss laid the groundwork from what came to be known as atmoblack. From the long build-up of the opener, one can tell that this album’s brand of black metal isn’t so much focused on raw aggression, but atmosphere. The compositions are drawn out and rely on a handful of riffs that are used in a very sparse manner, with very simplistic drumming propping them up and driving the rhythms forward. Yet it's this instrumental scarcity that ends up being the album’s greatest strength.

Said scarcity is punctuated by very minimal additions to the songs, such as lowkey synths accentuating some of the riffs, or maybe a tremolo picked lead appearing out of nowhere. They say that there’s elegance in simplicity, and few albums have encapsulated the essence of that saying more than this one. Its desolate and melancholic atmosphere would be nowhere near as potent had each piece been filled with crazy drum fills, leads and bombastic synths cluttering the soundscape. Each drum beat and riff is deliberately used to instil this feeling of emptiness and being lost in nature, which is only intensified by the length of the tracks. Even the ambient instrumental “Tomhet” (“Emptiness” in Norwegian, see what I did there?) is expertly paced, and despite how little there is going on during its 14 minute duration, it manages to stay engaging and is one of my favourite tracks on the album.
I would be remiss not to mention the production on display, seeing as it's arguably the album’s cornerstone and the main contributor to its feel. As is tradition with anything that came out of Norway in the 90s, it has a very lo-fi sound that makes the recording quite hard to digest. The guitars have a thin and sharp sound, laden with static, while the drums sound surprisingly punchy, and the bass is mostly hidden under the guitars, adding another layer of texture to the proceedings.
Varg’s vocal performance and lyrical themes are also of interest here, since they too proved to be one of atmoblack’s defining characteristics. His high-pitched howls and screams deliver tales about nature, life and death, as well as sweeping, dreamlike vistas. They’re surprisingly well written and have a very pensive tone to them, as if they’re reminiscing of a time long past where man was closer to nature and lived in harmony with it.
Hvis Lyset Tar Oss is the masterwork of one of black metal’s most controversial figures. Despite Varg being well, Varg, it still holds a very dear spot to my heart due to its role as my introduction to black metal, and it’s an album I revisit to this day. While the man behind it and his actions cannot be ignored, the quality and influence of his work is immeasurable, and for that reason alone anyone interested in black metal has to give it a listen, whether through legal or illegal means.
Highlights: Det Som En Gang Var, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, Tomhet

Rating: 100%

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