Burzum- Hvis lyset tar oss

[skeptik]

So not describing the way an album sounds at all is the goal of a review? News to me. Regurgitating overblown, unrelated cliches such as "It is that simple. It is that complex. The infinite past is reimagined as the eternal future; the future is the endless present that never was" does not construct an accurate picture of the art behind the sound either. Why does pretention so universally rely on inane cliche phrases?

 

[Cythraul]

You are in the same boat as Nick, caught up in a superficial obsession with outer form, with the mere sound of music rather than what is actually significant, which is its conceptual basis (that is, the art behind the "sound"). Virtually everyone worth reaching has already heard Burzum's work, it is the conceptual matrix underlying it which is the source of its genius and which most people are less prepared to apprehend directly (and thus need the guidance of a review).

It is not my fault that you are looking in the wrong direction, so to speak.

Completely presumptuous. I like how you draw a totally spurious conclusion about how I perceive music based on the fact that I pointed out the nonsensical and irrelevant nature of a couple of your statements. Please show me what possible cognitive import statements such as "It is that simple. It is that complex. The infinite past is reimagined as the eternal future; the future is the endless present that never was" have with respect to a musical work. Seriously, I challenge you to make the meaning of your statement explicit without appealing to further obscurantism. This has nothing to do with the "conceptual basis" of music versus mere aesthetic.

 

[Cythraul]

Maybe I'm wrong, but those who immediately pick at Morney's reviews for not making obvious sense seem to be doing so at least partially for emotional reasons (Cythraul's almost sexual hatred of Morney's crew is well documented) - there are so many universally respected pieces of literature which are far more full of such complexities and ambiguities, and there's a certain enjoyment to be found in thinking about them. "But this is a fucking review!" I hear you cry.

You've done an excellent job of completely missing the point.

I find it slightly odd that people seem so disgusted when they're forced to put some thought into analysing an analysis, with art such things tend to be necessary in all fields - if there's a complex idea, complex phrases will have to be used to analyse it (or even put it into words where music's concerned).

Looks like you have a completely erroneous idea of what counts as analysis.

 

[Birkenau]

 

[Laeth MacLaurie]

Completely presumptuous. I like how you draw a totally spurious conclusion about how I perceive music based on the fact that I pointed out the nonsensical and irrelevant nature of a couple of your statements. Please show me what possible cognitive import statements such as "It is that simple. It is that complex. The infinite past is reimagined as the eternal future; the future is the endless present that never was" have with respect to a musical work. Seriously, I challenge you to make the meaning of your statement explicit without appealing to further obscurantism. This has nothing to do with the "conceptual basis" of music versus mere aesthetic.

It boggles my mind that someone who makes a great show of his presumed intelligence can miss something as patently obvious as Burzum's use of themes of eternal recurrence and the past as the dream and hope of the present. My god, just take a quick look at the lyrics to "Det som engang var." This isn't rocket science.

 

[Laeth MacLaurie]

You've done an excellent job of completely missing the point.



Looks like you have a completely erroneous idea of what counts as analysis.

Translation: nuh-uh!

 

[Cythraul]

It boggles my mind that someone who makes a great show of his presumed intelligence can miss something as patently obvious as Burzum's use of themes of eternal recurrence and the past as the dream and hope of the present. My god, just take a quick look at the lyrics to "Det som engang var." This isn't rocket science.

yeah, ok. Even if that is the case, the point is that the statement is nonsensical. Nothing about the nature of Burzum lyrics changes the fact that you write bullshit. Also, if speculative metaphysics is supposed to count as a significant point of interest or sign of quality in a musical work then I'd rather not have anything to do with it.

 

[Cythraul]

Translation: nuh-uh!

Oh really? My comments were right on the mark and relevant. Do I need to go into depth about something that's quite fucking obvious?

 

[Laeth MacLaurie]

How is it nonsensical (beyond your inability to get it, I mean, which is a product of your own stupidity)? It's a straightforward statement using wholly conventional metaphors and usage.

 

[Thanatopsis123]

I liked the review. It was colorful and fun to read. Having heard the album, it easily helped me recall the music but I don't think this would have done much for me had I not already heard it.

 

[TylerTheNuke]

I thought it was a fine review. This review is not a traditional review, because this album has been reviewed to death in a traditional fashion. Instead of describing the sound, which is pretty much impossible anyways, so the traditional review sucks in that regard anyways. What the reviewer is doing is trying to capture the essence of the album, and the reviewer partially succeeds. At least more so then some reviewers. Now, the reviewers responses are a little too snobish though. I don't know why metal makes people mean...

 

[anonymousnick2001]

It's not metal, actually. It's never leaving your mum's house.

 

[Son of Odin]

Personally I think the review was bad. It gave no impression of the music or the art and conceptual basis behind the music. But why must people drag the subject out over 2 pages? If you don't like something, don't spend so much time cutting it down... Hail Varg

 

[byrne]

Instead of describing the sound, which is pretty much impossible anyways, so the traditional review sucks in that regard anyways.

Wrong. How is the sound of the album impossible to describe? No album's sound is impossible to describe to a well listened, metal fan. In fact, the albums sound is fucking easy to describe given how basic it is. And no, I'm not going to bother.

One of the issues with Laeth seems to be that he is so caught up in his arrogant search for "something so mind-bogglingly complex and different" he fails to appreciate music at the most basic level. So bad luck to him.

 

[no country for old wainds]

How is appreciating complexity and originality in music any less rewarding than appreciating catchy melodies or whatever it is you consider to be the "basic level"? Unless you mean an emotional level, in which case you're just being presumptuous.

 

[byrne]

I never said it was. However, that is exactly my point. People like Laeth who merely appreciate music at a complex, "artisitic-intent" level, seem to be unable to acknowledge the basic levels of appreciation for music. This is despite the fact that I may appreciate some albums at this more "complex" level as well.

Case and point, this album does nothing for me. He can rant and rave on all he wants, but if the music fails to make any impact on me, as Varg intended it to (and yes, the same melodies, lyrics etc. are interpreted by listeners, or impact listeners in a different way) it fails to have its desired effect.

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

Yet again, your own pathetic obsession with the most superficial level of art (the aesthetic) prevents you from getting it. The real concern of any worthwhile review is not something so silly as what a band "sounds like" (everyone already knows the answer to that question), but rather with the conceptual, psychological and ideological nature of the work, that is, WITH THE ARTISTRY. Sound is just window dressing, and your obsession with it completely misses the point and profundity -- both of Burzum and the review.

You really can't take any criticism whatsoever, can you now?

I agree with this post 100%. The review was well writen and it had a nice flow, but you never told us what the album actually sounds like.

 

[Neurotic]

well first of all its a review of music, so discussing music elements is necessary.

and im not saying the classic "sounds like band x", but reviewing the music itself, structure, melody, harmony etc even if briefly (no need for theory classes of course.)

saying that, nothing against the review, maybe a bit exagerated but if the reviewer feels that way about the music so be it, its his review.

p.s. i dont like burzum

 

[Laeth MacLaurie]

Wrong. How is the sound of the album impossible to describe? No album's sound is impossible to describe to a well listened, metal fan. In fact, the albums sound is fucking easy to describe given how basic it is. And no, I'm not going to bother.

One of the issues with Laeth seems to be that he is so caught up in his arrogant search for "something so mind-bogglingly complex and different" he fails to appreciate music at the most basic level. So bad luck to him.

The basic (and ultimately, the only significant) level at which all genuine art operates is the conceptual. That is, after all, what art is, the symbolic expression of concept. The aesthetics are just window dressing, and only idiots focus on them.

 

[Laeth MacLaurie]

You really can't take any criticism whatsoever, can you now?

I'm perfectly accepting of legitimate criticism. I do not, however, have any use for fags who think their inability to get it is somehow my fault.

I agree with this post 100%. The review was well writen and it had a nice flow, but you never told us what the album actually sounds like.

The album was released 13 years ago. Everyone already knows what it sounds like, and this is irrelevant in any case, as art is fundamentally conceptual, not aesthetic. Who cares about what it sounds like? If you want to answer that question, you don't need a reviewer to tell you. All you need are fucking ears. The questions a competent reviewer needs to answer are "Is it good?" and "What is underlying concept (that is, the art behind the work)?"