A View Into The Depths Of Darkness

Usually on this blog i try to avoid (As much as possible) reviews on music. The main reason i`m writting this is that there was too much said and written about the latest BURZUM`s work "From The Depths of Darkness", which is a compilation of old tracks re-recorded in 2010.

Starting this, i have to say that i`m not any blind-fan or whatever kind of sheep who praise its fave bands no matter what recording they put out. On the contrary, to the band i truly like, my expectations are always higher and i`m the first who gonna criticize them.

To my eyes , from all those that you see around in forums e.t.c. writting about new BURZUM album, there is three categories of people. 1st: The typical liberal "goat-fago-war-metal" or "anti-cosmic-kabalah-heavy metal-rock" hippies who always seek an excuse to speak against Burzum , not because of the music itself but because Varg with his words/interviews oftenly offend their feelings and their egalitarian world-view. 2nd: The people who listen Burzum only as music and nothing further than that, newcomers who find out the old bands by youtube clips that their g/f (And oftenly boyfriends) posted in facebook. Probably you`ll see some of them changing their minds in a couple of months speaking about a "great album". 3rd: The people who truly like and supported Burzum since the early days.Though, thats the 5% of people in all those three categories. Keep all this in mind before read any opinions here and there.

Coming to the music. All the material recorded as usual in Grieghallen.
Its has a Strong , powerful production and at the same time without sounding modern and plastic. The "new" type of vocals fits perfectly. An attempt to use the old type of vocals perhaps would made the record sounds more or less like a parody. The amazing guitar lines are the strongest part in this album i think. Also a good idea was to add three introductions before certain tracks and in the change from one album to the other.

Coming to the art, the cover looks fine the same goes for the painting inside. Obviously refers to DET SOM ENGANG VAR with an obvious personal symbolism on the paths that Varg walked in his early days as an artist . When i first heard about this compilation and without see any layout, to be honest i was a bit "scared" in the first place cause the layout in the recent re-releases of the old Burzum albums looks really horrible.

After hearing the album several times , i came to the conclusion that only BURZUM can play BURZUM. The tracks doesn`t sound like covers that easily another band can do. On this album the magic and coldness of the old days is still there!

As Varg already announced there will be a part II with tracks from HVISS LYSET TAR OSS and FILOSOFEM. I hope he will not change his mind about it and also finally to include "Et Hvitt Lys Over Skogen". This track truly deserves a proper treatment.

All in all , buy this , its a document, the history of TRUE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL!


Official Website: http://www.burzum.org/

"The Fire in the Sky is Extinguished
Blue Waters no Longer Cry
The Dancing of Trees Has Stopped
The Stream of Freshness from Cold Winds..."

A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit

Art Inspired By Shakespeare`s Plays

I. THE TEMPEST

"Miranda is a character is William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. The play was first performed around 1611.

Waterhouse painted versions of Miranda at the start and end of his career. The other versions are dated 1875 and 1916 (smaller version of this painting). This picture was exhibited at the Royal Academy (No. 52) in 1916, a year before Waterhouse's death in 1917."

II. MACBETH

"Macbeth consulting the Vision of the Armed Head" by Johann Heinrich Fussli.

III. JULIUS CAESAR


Brutus and the Ghost of Caesar
"XXX. JULIUS CAESAR. ACT IV. SCENE III. BRUTUS'S TENT, IN THE CAMP NEAR SARDIS.
painting by Richard Westall, 1802

IV. CORIOLANUS

Act V Scene 3 of Shakespeare's Coriolanus
painting by Gavin Hamilton.

V. HAMLET

The "gravedigger scene"
Eugene Ferdinand Victor Delacroix, 1839

VI. RICHARD III


By William Hogarth, 1745
"English actor David Garrick in 1745 in the titular role in Act V, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's Richard III. This scene takes place just before the battle of Bosworth Field, Richard's sleep having been haunted by the ghosts of those has murdered, wakes to the realization that he is alone in the world and death is imminent."

VII. ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA

By Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1885

VIII. KING JOHN

"The last scene, of which we present an Illustration, shows the death of King John on his couch in the cloistered-garden of Swineshead Abbey, where the soft moonlight, mixed with the rays of few lamps or torches, struggles through the mist of the evening, and harmonises witht he solemn interest of the occassion."

The Illustrated London News, Dec. 9, 1865

IX. HENRY VI

Joan engages in battle in Henry VI, Part 1

By H.C. Selous , 1830

STORMHEIT "Those Who Lived And Died Like Heroes" (Der Stürmer cover)

Stormheit (solo acoustic) live in Nuclear Nightclub, 23.11.2011, Oulu, Finland
http://www.myspace.com/stormheit

DER STÜRMER / DARK FURY Live In Italy 2012

CARA AL SOL

Facing the sun in my new shirt
that you embroidered in red yesterday,
That's how death will find me if it takes me
and I won't see you again.

I'll take my place alongside my companions
who stand on guard in the heavens,
with a hard countenance,
they are alive in our effort.

If they say to you that I fell,
know that I'm gone to my post up there.

Victorious flags will return
at the merry step of Peace
and they'll bring five roses:
the arrows of my quiver.

Spring will laugh again,
which we await by air, land and sea.

Onwards, squadrons, to victory,
that a new day dawns on Spain!

Spain united!
Spain (the) great!
Spain (the) free!
Onwards Spain!

Jose Antonio Primo De Rivera - December 1935

Boeotia - Land of Heroes , Myths, Legends and Mysteries

16/11/2011
A nice cold Autumn morning. This time a visit in Boeotia was on the plan. Boetia is a really historical land, from every aspect you look at. A land of legends , wars , Myths and Mysteries. One of the most important, at this land is where Asia crushed, at the battle of Plataea. There was a lot for our eyes to see and our legs to walk. I think within one day we saw a lot of them. Late at night when i arrived home tired as hell, i thought for one more time. Our Heritage is our wealth!

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeotia

The journey to Boeotia had four stations. Pictures of them are below.

PART I - REMEMBERING THE FIRES OF MOUNT CITHAERON

"Here the trunks of the oaks are the largest in Boeotia. To this grove come the Plataeans, and lay out portions of boiled flesh. They keep a strict watch on the crows which flock to them, but they are not troubled at all about the other birds. They mark carefully the tree on which a crow settles with the meat he has seized. They cut down the trunk of the tree on which the crow has settled, and make of it the daedalum; for this is the name that they give to the wooden image also."

"The fire seizes the altar and the victims as well, and consumes them all together. I know of no blaze that is so high, or seen so far as this."
PAUSANIAS BOOK IX - BOEOTIA

For More info : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cithaeron

PART II - STANDING IN THE BATTLEFIELD OF PLATAEA

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Plataea

PART III - OBSERVING FROM THE FORTRESS OF ELEUTHERAI

PART IV - GAINING STRENGTH IN AIGOSTHENA FORTRESS

"I`m The God`s Right Hand"

One of the best movie scenes i saw the last years. Taken from IRONCLAD. A truly exceptional performance by Paul Giamatti as King John.